BORN ON A HISTORIC DAY
Val with dad Thomas and mum Hannah
My mother, Hannah Kathleen Davies, was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a PT instructor when war broke out. My father, Thomas George Beaumont, was a Lieutenant in an artillery regiment.
They met when they were stationed together at a camp near Derby before he was posted abroad.
I was born on VE Day. At the time, my mother was living with his family at the corner shop they owned.
When Mum went into labour, Dad’s sister was sent to the phone box to ring for a taxi to take her to the nursing home where she was to give birth.
My aunt had been looking forward to going to celebrate victory but spent the day and night running between the shop and phone box, checking the progress of the labour, relating it to Grandma.
Luckily, she didn’t hold it against me that she missed out on the fun and became my godmother.
The 50s and 60s brought challenges of growing up but I was lucky to be born when resilience and optimism were a huge part of the national character.
This is a photo of myself and my parents, in about June 1945. Dad’s still in uniform, my mother looks gorgeous... and I was too young to spoil it!