Former Army colleagues reunited in Fife after meeting 74 years ago

Isobel Cuthbert and Joan Rees, both 97 years old, signed up in 1945, after World War II came to an end. Now, 74 years after meeting for the first time, the pair have met again.

Isobel, who now lives at Willow House in Anstruther, started her working career in the records office in Ashford, Middlesex.

After the war, she signed up for the Army, and it was on the boat to Hamburg, Germany, that she met Joan.

The women both worked as clerks in the Army Territorial Services, which was later renamed the Women’s Royal Army Corps, living in the barracks in Rahlstedt.

The women saw some distressing sights while in Hamburg, which had been destroyed during the war, with some people living in the debris. They would go dancing at the Victory Club at the barracks, and it was here that Joan met her future husband, Dennis.

Isobel was discharged after four years and set up life in London. She then moved up to Anstruther, where she worked as a shorthand typist in the offices of Mackintosh and Mastertons.

Joan and Isobel continued to write each other over the years and they reunited in the 1980s, catching up and dancing to the Ted Heath Band.

Recently, Joan’s grandson moved to Balmullo and arranged for her to reunite with Isobel at Willow House.

Joan and Isobel had lunch and reminisced while looking through old photographs.