Former Wren, 99, remembers VE Day celebrations 80 years on
The 99-year-old said: 'I joined the Wrens to see the world and I ended up over there.'
Ms Kidney, who lives at the Admiral Jellicoe House care home run by The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust (RNBT), described how she was in the barracks when the end of the war was announced but she said there were no major celebrations because they were still in a military environment.
She said: 'I'm sure I was on duty on the day, I was in the barracks but it was quiet because there was nobody about much and it was just an ordinary day to me.
'There were hooters going off and stuff but you were in a military area so you weren't able to have a knees-up. We weren't expecting it really but it was good news.'
She added: 'I was only with a couple of people on duty, we said it was good news and you could hear noises and that in the distance but there wasn't a lot when I was in the barracks, I think the civilians had a better time really.'
Ms Kidney said that at around the time of the end of the war, she went on compassionate leave to look after her elderly mother while her father was away at sea.
She said that her family managed to celebrate when they were back together.
She said: 'We did have a little one in the road because I was home then, looking after Mum.
'It wasn't a party, you had that later on because there was no food, we had it with what we had but it wasn't 'party party', I don't know where I was when all that was happening.'
Ms Kidney said that her mother had spoken of her relief when the war was declared over.
She said: 'She used to say 'I never thought I would live through another one' because my mum was old and when the war started I remember Mr Chamberlain saying we are now at war with Germany, I can remember my mum, she went over to her neighbour and they both cried together and I said 'They're making a fuss', we thought it was a bit of excitement, really.'
Mabel Kidney said she is not sure the lessons from the Second World War have been learned (Andrew Matthews/PA)
She said that her mother said at the end of the war: 'I thought I'd never see another one and I never thought I'd live to see my family through it.'
She added: 'Everybody was very kind and friendly, helped each other all we could with everything. We still had rations for three years after the war, it was a long time, we hardly had anything.
'We only had the local boiled sweet manufacturer, as for fruit, you never got any, you couldn't get a banana, the only way you got a banana was if you were pregnant for nutrition value.'
Looking into the future as the world marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Ms Kidney said that she was unsure that all the lessons from the war had been learnt.
She said: 'It's no good saying it won't come again because all the things are different nowadays, but I still don't think we get it.'
Debbie Dollner, RNBT chief executive, said: 'The sacrifice Second World War veterans made to help secure the freedom we enjoy today is almost unimaginable.
'We're incredibly privileged to have Mabel as our resident and are in awe of the stories she shares.
'Although they and others who experienced it will never forget the tragedies and devastation of war, we hope that by holding our garden party, we're helping to recognise and celebrate the vital contribution they made.'
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Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Reid discovered the papers had belonged to the late Ian Rodger, from Glasgow, who served with 2 Squadron of the 6th Armoured Division Signal Regiment, a unit of the British Army, and fought in Italy and Tunisia during the war. Sandy Rodger, left, and Martin Reid. Second World War documents that belonged to Mr Rodger's late father Ian were found hidden in a desk bought by Mr Reid | PA After hearing about the discovery following an appeal for information made through the Church of Scotland, Mr Rodger's son Sandy came forward to claim the documents. He travelled from his home in Rye in East Sussex to meet Mr Reid in Edinburgh on Thursday and to thank him personally as he collected the folder. Mr Rodger, 62, said he had a collection of his father's old papers and letters from the war but had never seen the contents of the folder before, and he thanked Mr Reid for his 'kind return' of the documents. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Flat clearout during lockdown He said: 'In January 2021, with my 90-year-old mother Isabel's health fast deteriorating, I travelled from home in Sussex to Glasgow to help her move into a care home. Second World War papers found hidden in a desk bought by Martin Reid at auction four years ago | PA 'Under lockdown rules this allowed little time for preparation or even a proper goodbye, and then I was left with less than two days to clear her flat, trying to preserve the memories of her own and my father's long and rather remarkable lives. 'In the process I missed a folder of papers which had fallen behind a desk drawer, and, but for Martin's kindness and initiative, they would have remained lost. 'I am hugely grateful to Martin and to Cameron Brooks from the church for their detective work, and to the multiple people who saw articles about the appeal and got in touch to let me know.' 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No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'There isn't much mention of the human cost of the war, and my father never really spoke of this, perhaps typically. 'But it's a proud and detailed account of an extraordinary endeavour, told by a young man who, with the benefit of hindsight, survived and could be said to have had a 'good war '. 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ITV News
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