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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Alex Kane of CSV Scotland on behalf of Helen Burness and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions the site's terms and conditions.

I was a member of the ATS/EFI (Auxiliary Territorial Service/ Expeditionary Forces Institute) when sent by convoy from Liverpool to Naples, Italy in 1943 to work as part of the Entertainment Offices team and it was there I met quite a few ATS ladies who were to become my friends. It was also there that I met my husband who was serving with the Royal Engineers. We met while we were both attending services given by the Methodist Church and over time our friendship turned into love. Eventually we were to get engaged and we spent VE day in Naples where there were big celebrations, especially at the Red Cross convalescence home.

Naples holds many fond memories for me as it was not only where I celebrated the end of the war in Europe but also a place where I made great friendships and met the love of my life. It also allowed me to meet many of the great stars of the day who were out entertaining the troops including Leslie Welsh also known as ‘Memory Man’, but my favourite was Gracie Fields who was a wonderful singer.

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