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A veteran interview with

Jean Eastham

Jean Eastham was lucky to survive the Birmingham Blitz. In this fascinating interview she recalls how she felt to be on the Berlin Airlift.

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About Jean Eastham

Born in Birmingham, Jean Eastham experienced the first hand horrors of the Birmingham Blitz. With daylight raids and frequent casualties, she was lucky to survive the devastation, but recounts occasions where survival was not guaranteed.

After volunteering for her service, Jean travelled to Berlin to help on the Airlift, where she was shocked by the sheer level of destruction. Inside her new accommodation, stationed in the former Olympic Village, she was met with a wave of unseen modern luxuries, including central heating and low-flush toilets, which provided some hope for the journey ahead.

As part of the ATS, it was Jean’s responsibility to care for many of the other women involved, managing much of the administrative work like accommodation, pay, and uniforms. Although her status as a woman entailed some restrictions, like the need for an escort outside of the daytime, she and her fellow volunteers worked hard to keep morale high, which was crucial in easing the fears of anxious Berliners. 

Like many others, Jean remembers attending the famous Christmas show of 1948, and getting to meet Bob Hope. She recalls being very proud to serve in the ATS, especially because Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess, was also a member. Even after the Airlift, Jean often returned to Berlin, including a visit to Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the blockade. Decades later, the Berliners still show their gratitude, and continue to thank Jean for her help. 

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Toby Boddy
Transcribed by:
Gillian Cousins

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Home | Veterans | Jean Eastham

A veteran interview with

Jean Eastham

JeanEastham-e1588415293558

Jean Eastham was lucky to survive the Birmingham Blitz. In this fascinating interview she recalls how she felt to be on the Berlin Airlift.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Eastham, Jean. A Veteran Interview with Jean Eastham. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 15 Apr. 2013 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jean-eastham/. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
APA Style:
Eastham, J. (2013, April 15). A Veteran Interview with Jean Eastham [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 25, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jean-eastham/
Chicago Style:
Eastham, Jean. 2013. A Veteran Interview with Jean Eastham. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, April 15. Accessed April 25, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jean-eastham/
Harvard Style:
Eastham, J. (2013). A Veteran Interview with Jean Eastham. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 15 April. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jean-eastham/ (Accessed: 25 April 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Eastham, J. A Veteran Interview with Jean Eastham [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2013 Apr 15 [cited 2025 Apr 25]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jean-eastham/
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