My Nan’s Story

Posted: October 31, 2018 in Off the Record
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You might wonder what set me off on this journey, and quite simply put it was my Nan. My grandmother was a very practical woman, she was an incredibly astute lady, when she felt her driving wasn’t up to scratch she handed over her license. She was always very practical about the home but she was also a staunch believer, and I am going to impart some of why.

My Nan was a nurse who served in the Second World War, I can only give my respect to the serving members who put themselves on the line for their fellow men and their country. Regardless of your opinion I believe this, and I would rather not open a debate about the war etc. I just wanted to give you context as she explained to me that she was in France at the time.

One of the things the nurses did was leave the soldiers to have their own private time in the bathroom, a soak in the bath or whatever else you men do in the bathroom (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) would be given as their own time. They would shut/lock the bathroom door and then they would leave them whilst they carried on changing beds or making busy whilst the men were alone.

She said that on this occasion there were four men in the tubs, she was on duty with another nurse and they saw the handle to the door go. They prepared themselves to help the men and get them out of the bath, although they were expecting it to be one of them in need of assistance because it was very rare they wouldn’t want their own time alone. When they opened the door there was no soldier there, the men were still in the tubs  and they joked about the women trying to catch them misbehaving etc. It was very light-hearted so they carried on with their duties and went back to it all.

The following night the same thing happened, only this time the other nurse on duty swore blind she had seen a man in the corridor. This time they didn’t touch the door handle and listened, the men were still in the bathroom talking and they were, quite rightly, confused! As they stood there debating on whether or not to bother the men again the door handle rattled, they both sprung the door open, surely now they would catch their practical joker! But no! Again the soldiers in their bathtubs were quite surprised by them springing open the door and their equally surprised faces at no man being there trying to give them a little scare.

I found this story fascinating and my Nan was the one that brought me ghost stories, let me sit with her when the ghostly shows were on. I remember the GhostWatch show and how me and my mother sat watching it, I was very young and I had to go to bed, it was probably a good thing but I am one of those people that grew up with the thought it was real, I never got to see the end credits! So there you go, a short but beautfil memory of a nurses ghost story, from her own mouth and now that my Nan is on the other side I hope she’s telling that naught spirit off for interrupting the poor men’s personal time!

Happy Halloween, please be safe and please enjoy whatever you do, celebrating or not.

 This wonderful little picture can be brought online 


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