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A veteran interview with

Gladys Yates

We met Gladys when she visited the Luton primary school as part of the education we’re creating around the significance of the Second World War convoys. She’s a Chatham Wren born and bred and absolutely loved her work as an Officer Steward in the barracks where amongst other duties she would wake the men and provide their morning tea.

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About Gladys Yates

Aged 14 when WWII broke out, Gladys spent the early war years in Gillingham, Kent. Gladys frequently sought refuge at home or in shelters when bombs and landmines were dropped on her street. She explains how the war shattered everybody’s lives and deprived young people of their carefree teenage years.

At 17, Gladys decided to join the WRNS to contribute to the war effort, following in the footsteps of her Navy and Marine relatives. She trained in Rochester to wait on tables for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner, before serving at Chatham Barracks as an Officer Steward. She describes her daily routine, getting to know the naval officers, and her friendships and moments of mischief with fellow Wrens.

As the war drew to a close, Gladys felt optimistic about the future and was excited for life to return to normal. After peace was declared, local people flocked to see the barracks lights fully illuminated again – a captivating sight that symbolically marked the end of the war’s disruption. Though Gladys sheds light on the difficulties faced by WWII’s teenage generation, she fondly cherishes her memories of her time as a Wren.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Natasha Norris

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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Home | Veterans | Gladys Yates

A veteran interview with

Gladys Yates

gladys-yates

We met Gladys when she visited the Luton primary school as part of the education we’re creating around the significance of the Second World War convoys. She’s a Chatham Wren born and bred and absolutely loved her work as an Officer Steward in the barracks where amongst other duties she would wake the men and provide their morning tea.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Yates, Gladys. A Veteran Interview with Gladys Yates. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 2 Sep. 2014 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gladys-yates/. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
APA Style:
Yates, G. (2014, September 2). A Veteran Interview with Gladys Yates [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved June 14, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gladys-yates/
Chicago Style:
Yates, Gladys. 2014. A Veteran Interview with Gladys Yates. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, September 2. Accessed June 14, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gladys-yates/
Harvard Style:
Yates, G. (2014). A Veteran Interview with Gladys Yates. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 2 September. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gladys-yates/ (Accessed: 14 June 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Yates, G. A Veteran Interview with Gladys Yates [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2014 Sep 2 [cited 2025 Jun 14]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/gladys-yates/
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