Town's history explored in woman's wartime diary

Elsie as a young nurse during World War II and with future husband Roy on a visit to Paignton, Devon, in 1942

The diary of a woman whose life was changed by the outbreak of World War Two has been published as a "work of social history", her family has said.

Elsie's Wartime Diary is written by Elsie Honeywell who grew up on Salthill Road in Clitheroe and was 16 when the war started.

Her son, Bill Honeywell BEM, had the diary printed following her death in 2022 at the age of 99.

He said the proceeds of the sales will go to a cancer charity.

Wanting to help the war effort, Ms Honeywell trained as a nurse and was sent to the now closed Whittingham Hospital near Preston to look after injured soldiers and prisoners of war.

In the diary Ms Honeywell wrote on 23 February 1943: "Doreen and I, along with ten other girls, arrived at the hospital."

She said they were issued with uniforms and allocated to rooms in "bitterly cold" blocks.

"Two iron beds and harsh grey blankets; a somewhat grim introduction of what was to come," she wrote.

"We discovered that we could fill hot water bottles downstairs in the large kitchen and it wasn't long before we realised that it was unwise to switch on the light and walk straight in.

"The trick was to reach for the light switch turn it on and close the door then, after a few seconds, walk in.

"This way it gave the cockroaches chance to scuttle out of sight."

'Family history'

Mr Honeywell said: "We, my two brothers, my sister and I encouraged her to write her memories down as a piece of family history.

"We wouldn't exist had it not been for the war as strolling through Castle Park one day, mum met my dad Roy."

"He was from Devon but as a member of the Royal Engineers, he had been posted to Low Moor Mill, which had been requisitioned as one of their training centres," he added.

Having taken Elsie's words, Mr Honeywell and his younger brother Richard edited and brought her story up-to-date in a 75-page book with 17 photo illustrated chapters.

Mr Honeywell said: "Friends outside of the family that we showed the diary to enjoyed it so much that they wanted to buy their own copies so I had more printed."

He said he was a double cancer survivor himself and was now selling copies to raise funds for Rosemere Cancer Foundation, which was also "a charity mum supported".