The story of Helena Mary Best nee Preston. Cross Reference with Charles Frederick Best
Creators: name: Project Team, Their Finest Hour
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: Helena Mary Preston was born on 10th April 1910 at 70 Chaucer Road, Gillingham, Kent.She was one of two children and her parents were Herbert Edwin Preston, a Sergeant in the Royal Marine Light Infantry and Helena Preston, her brother was Herbert Edwin Ronald Preston, known as Ronnie.She moved to Eastbourne in circa 1920 when her Father became a Coastguard Officer, they lived at the Coastguard Station, Latimer Road, Eastbourne.She was educated locally and acquired two nicknames that stayed with her all of her life, the first 'PUCK' as she appeared in a school performance of A Midsummer Nights Dream and played this part. Second was 'BLOSS' as her Father had called her 'his' May Blossom. This name in particular was used by friends and relatives right up until her death in 1997, and she was known locally as 'AUNTIE BLOSS'.On the 30th October 1925 aged 15 she began working for Winefride Pike, Catherine Stewart and Olive Tanner as an apprentice making 'fancy goods' with art, needlework and embroidery. Her term of apprenticeship was for three years and she earned five shillings per week for the first year, ten shillings for the second and fifteen shillings on the third, this equates to 75p a week and £39.00 per year after three years at today's equivalent!At some time during the 1920s she became friendly with her future husband Charles Frederick Best. Little further information is available on Bloss during the late 1920s or 1930s, except to say she did travel abroad on occasions and in about 1936 visited Interlaken in Switzerland. She was also a Bridesmaid at her Brother Ronnie's wedding.With the threat of War she took a number of courses with the Red Cross and St John Ambulance Brigade, becoming trained in Anti Gas Techniques and to administer First Aid to the Injured, and Home Nursing.On 28th October 1941 she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force as 453689 ACW Preston.In 1943 she volunteered for overseas service, was selected and posted to France, Belgium and Germany as an Intelligence Tracer, part of her job being to map out routes used by British Prisoners of War to escape through Europe. During her time in the WAAF she was posted to and visited visited Lyon, Lille, Brussels, Bruge, Blankenberge, Deurne, Zoote, Ostende, Ghent, Knokke, Antwerp and Hamburg. She was discharged from the RAF at the end of World War II on 1st April 1946 having served for 4 years, 5 months and 3 days. She was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, France &amp; Germany Star, Defence and War Medal for her part in the conflict.Whilst in Ghent in 1944 she was befriended by a Belgian couple, Mariette and Gaston Hebbelinck. Gaston was a lawyer. The friendship remained and Bloss went to see them both as late as 1977 when she was on holiday.During 1947 she became engaged to her long time friend, Charles Best. At this time she lived at 15 Goodwood Bank, Willingdon Eastbourne, although the address was later changed to 50 Cooper's Hill, Willingdon. On March 27th 1948 they married and she lived with Charles at 57 Willowfield Road Eastbourne, moving to 30 Cooper's Hill, Willingdon, shortly afterwards.On 6th October 1949 she had a son, Charles Winston Best who was born in the maternity home at 9 Upperton Road, Eastbourne. Sadly her husband Charles died prematurely following an operation in hospital in 1952. This left Bloss facing hard times and bringing up their only son. She managed however until 1976 when Charles Winston Best died of a serious illness in hospital. Bloss was left devastated by the early loss of both her husband and son. She never re-married or visited the grave of her husband following his funeral. Bloss remained at the same address and received support from many neighbours and members of her family, including her nephew Roger Preston an Officer in the Royal air Force. In 1977 Bloss accompanied Roger Preston to Berlin travelling there by military train though the corridor.She continued living at 30 Cooper's Hill right up until her death on 14th January 1997 aged 86.