Memoirs of theatre critic share recollection of London crowds

The memoirs of a Dundee theatre critic who had a front row seat when the guns fell silent on the Second World War have been shared.

Jean Forsyth (nee Inglis), known as Betty, from Broughty Ferry was called up to the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1942 and later worked at the Air Ministry in London.

She listened intently as the King’s speech was relayed before celebrating the end of the war with tens of thousands of people in Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly in 1945.

Her daughters, Valerie, from Sussex, and Sheila, from Aberdeen, have marked the 75th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany.

Born in 1922 in Baldovie, Betty was educated at Dundee High School and joined DC Thomson in 1938 as a shorthand typist with the Evening Telegraph at Meadowside.

She eventually found herself performing other roles for the Evening Telegraph, including film and theatre critic.

She was the first Tele girl to be called up when she joined the WAAF in 1942 and later she went on to work at the Air Ministry in London.

Her memoirs tell how she was in London on VE Day and recall the atmosphere of being in the crowds.

She said: “It was a wonderful feeling to be right in the centre of London.”

She married shortly before the end of the war and on demob briefly returned to DC Thomson before raising her children with her husband Alistair Forsyth in Broughty Ferry.

The couple had two daughters, six grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren.

She latterly worked as secretary to the professor of child health in Dundee.

Betty died aged 89.

Betty pictured in her air force uniform.