Miss Laurie Mullens

Interviewed by Eve Klein on 7th March 2002
Subject: Second World War

Eve Klein. Did the Second World War affect your life?

Miss Mullens. Yes that definitely did, and I joined the NES a voluntary organisation, we were ambulance drivers and in the event of any problem we were supposed to have a fleet of laundry trucks – I think it was that we were going to use.

Eve Klein. And you already had a drivers’ license. Were you put into use for this?

Miss Mullens. We were trained and we learnt how the engine worked, and we used to go round to North Sydney Oval once a week and sleep in the dressing sheds. We had a rostered day and we went to work from there – it was women only.

Eve Klein. Did people enroll in this did they offer their time for it?

Miss Mullens. My mother was a warden and would attended meetings at the Church at Canrobert Street, because when the alarm went off when the Japs bombed Rose Bay, my mother went to the wardens’ post and I walked to Military Road to get a lift to North Sydney, and the ‘all clear’ went, so that was all right.