Mary Haines was born in 1922.

She was an only child and her father was the famous actor Edward Haines who performed regularly in the West End.

She lived in North London throughout her childhood and it wasn't until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 that she decided to leave the city and join the Woman's Land Army.

When the German bombs started landing in London, Mary wondered whether she and her family would survive. As a young teenager at the time, she was very attached to her pet dog and wondered whether he would be left with no-one to take care of him. Click to hear her thoughts:  

Having decided to join the National Service, Mary left her parents for the first time.

Her family stayed in their house in London.

“Like everyone else in London, I got used to diving under the table when unpleasant sounds filled the air; got used to sunken eyes and pale faces when travelling to work"

Joining the land army