Home | Veterans | Ruby Marchant
Ruby-Marchant

A veteran interview with

Ruby Marchant

Ruby Marchant worked in the main house at Bletchely Park. Remarkably she only told her son about her secretive wartime work when she was 90 years old.

Play video
Watch the interview

About Ruby Marchant

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Megan Shaw

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

Copyright:
All video content, web site design, graphics, images (including submitted content), text, the selection and arrangement thereof, underlying source code, software and all other material on this Web site are the copyright of Legasee Educational Trust, and its affiliates, or their content and technology providers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials on this Web site – including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication – without the prior written permission of Legasee Educational Trust is strictly prohibited.

Home | Veterans | Ruby Marchant

A veteran interview with

Ruby Marchant

Ruby-Marchant

Ruby Marchant worked in the main house at Bletchely Park. Remarkably she only told her son about her secretive wartime work when she was 90 years old.

Related topics & talking points

Keep on watching

More veteran stories...

Share this interview on:

https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Marchant, Ruby. A Veteran Interview with Ruby Marchant. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.
APA Style:
Marchant, R. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Ruby Marchant [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/
Chicago Style:
Marchant, Ruby. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Ruby Marchant. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed August 17, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/
Harvard Style:
Marchant, R. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Ruby Marchant. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/ (Accessed: 17 August 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Marchant, R. A Veteran Interview with Ruby Marchant [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Aug 17]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ruby-marchant/
An interview with

Gordon Dixon

An RAF AC1 describes growing up in the Liverpool Blitz and managing German colleagues during the Berlin Airlift

During the Liverpool Blitz, Gordon frequently sheltered from air raids and wore gas masks in school lessons. When the war ended, he recalls people drinking in celebration and making street bonfires from the remnants of bombed buildings. Upon finishing his school exams, Gordon was called up to national service, where he trained as a Clerk GD. After some confusion surrounding his first posting, he was sent to help with the Berlin Airlift at Bückeberg. Following a turbulent flight to Germany, Gordon sought out his assignment. Despite never having left Britain before and with little guidance, he eventually found the medieval palace where 46 Group was headquartered. Gordon describes the ornate building, his German colleagues, and their difficult postwar living conditions. He befriended Heinz, a 19-year-old former member of the Hitler Youth who took him around the village and to local festivals. Gordon was later sent to Lüneburg, where RAF servicemen often clashed with the Army’s Royal Scots Greys regiment. He spent his days running the office, filing documents and communicating with different departments. While many of his contemporaries saw their national service as a waste of time, Gordon fondly remembers experiencing foreign travel and exciting opportunities.
Photo Gallery icon 6 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Vera Morgan

Joining the WAAF at 19, life at RAF Chicksands was a mix of hard work and a colourful social life.

Vera Morgan was living in London during the early years of WW2. She vividly recalls the eerie sound of sirens on the day war was declared, though at first, little changed. However, as the Battle of Britain began, bombs became a daily threat. From navigating bomb craters on the way to work, to dealing with incendiary bombs and V-1s, Vera remains remarkably pragmatic when describing these challenging times. Although exempt from military service due to her role at an ammunition factory, Vera was determined to serve. So in 1942 she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), despite her employer’s objections. Trained as a teleprinter operator, she was stationed at RAF Harwell, then RAF Chicksands from 1943 until the war’s end. Vera shares her experiences of life at Chicksands. Camaraderie with other teleprinters, and a sense of getting the job done helped Vera through the long shifts relaying intercepted messages to Bletchley Park. The uncomfortable living conditions were offset by the social aspects of life, such as dances and socialising with American and British soldiers. Many friendships made then still last, with Vera attending annual reunions with old colleagues. Vera ends with her vivid memories of VE Day. Leaving camp without permission, she hitchhiked to London to join the celebrations. Unfortunately, with such huge crowds, Vera didn’t notice being pick-pocketed! Despite the theft, her excitement wasn’t diminished. For Vera, the joy of being part of such a historic occasion remains a cherished memory that she enthusiastically recounts.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
An interview with

Tim Elkington

RAF veteran whose service took him from the Battle of Britain to Russia, the Atlantic and India.

Tim Elkington’s interview offers a compelling glimpse into the life of a WW2 Fighter Pilot. He begins by reflecting on his childhood and the circumstances leading to his arrival as a fresh 19-year-old cadet at Cranwell in April 1940. Only three months later he was posted to No. 1 Squadron at Northolt in North London, where he took part in the Battle of Britain. He was astonished by the minimal training he had received, despite the intense combat he was involved in.
On August 16, 1940, he had a harrowing encounter when he was attacked by a German Messerschmitt 109. The ordeal left him recovering for a period, but he eventually moved on to 134 Squadron, which was assigned to support Russian forces. He prepared to sail to Russia on HMS Argus and later trained Russian pilots for the Eastern Front. Elkington's service continued with a stint on a Catapult Aircraft Merchant ship. Out of 35 ships converted to CAM during the war, 12 were sunk. He didn't fly off much, but when he did, he admits 'it was interesting'! His next posting was to 539 Squadron, a Night Fighter unit where he was less enthusiastic about his role. A subsequent transfer to India saw him join a Hurricane Squadron, arriving after the Japanese threat had diminished, thus avoiding major combat. He reflects on a particularly frightening incident involving a forced instrument landing in thick fog. Elkington retired from the RAF in 1975, leaving behind a rich career of varied and intense experiences. Despite the risk and danger he faced, he reflects gratefully on the ability of RAF pilots to manoeuvre and take action when they are shot at and contrasts it to Navy personnel who were often unable to escape the danger around them. Special thanks to Tim and his wife, as well as Patrick Tootal of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, for facilitating this insightful interview.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker