Plymouth woman, 95, finally gets World War Two medals
A 95-year-old woman has finally received her World War Two medals after an intervention by her grandson.
Nelly Hassell served in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during the Blitz. Upon leaving the Army, she never received her medals - something her grandson Scott Henshaw wanted to rectify. Mrs Hassell, who lives in Plymouth, was awarded her medals at a special ceremony on Saturday. Remembering her time in the ATS, she said she "wouldn't have missed it for the world". "It was a good time, everything was very enjoyable and everyone was very kind," she added. "We all tried to help each other." During the war, Mrs Hassell worked as a waitress and behind the bars in the officers' messes. She was awarded her Defence Medal and War Medal by South West Devon MP Gary Streeter in front of family and friends at a ceremony at the Royal Citadel in Plymouth. She said she was "absolutely delighted" to get them. "I haven't done anything to deserve it," she added. Mr Henshaw said the process of getting the medals was actually a "relatively easy" one. "The majority of people that stayed in the Army after the war would have received a medal, but if you left just after the mass production of medals, you didn't get one," he added. "Nan was one of those that left just after the war and she's never been in the mindset to chase it up. "It was actually very easy. I wrote off to the medals office and three weeks later, the medals arrived."