Gladys Coleman

Gladys Coleman pictured on her wedding day alongside her ATS comrades.

Gladys Coleman

Gladys Coleman

Gladys Coleman

Memories of the ATS

Gladys Coleman talks about fond memories of her time in the ATS.

Air raids

Gladys Coleman talks about air raids.

An adventure

Gladys Coleman considers her wartime experiences.

Memories of life in the ATS.

Gladys Coleman was 20 years old when she was conscripted in 1943 and upon joining the ATS was able to fulfil her ambition to become a driver.  She was attached first to a searchlight battery and then an anti-aircraft unit which meant travelling all over Britain. She drove all types of vehicles including lorries which were her favourite.  When she was home on leave, she didn’t bother going to the shelter and stayed in her own bed despite the bombs raining down.

At the end of the war she was not demobbed straight away and her fiancé used to come and visit her at the anti-aircraft gun site where she was based. When she got married on 7 September 1946, her comrades turned up in a lorry and made a guard of honour. Gladys describes her three and a half years in the ATS as ‘a lot of adventure doing the job that I liked. I thoroughly enjoyed it – thought it was a wonderful experience.’ 

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Interview with Gladys Coleman (167k)
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Memories of the ATS (76k)
Transcript of video clip with Gladys Coleman.

Air raids (71k)
Transcript of video clip with Gladys Coleman.

An adventure (71k)
Transcript of video clip with Gladys Coleman.