After the turbulent years of the 1930s and the outbreak of the Second World War, she joined the Communist Party of Australia in 1942. Two years later she married fellow communist, Dave Morris, five days before he departed for overseas service. They were to be separated again many times as the Cold War left its lasting impact on their lives. Named in the infamous Petrov Affair, Dave was blacklisted. Refused work time and time again, eventually he, Bernice and their two sons left Australia and lived in exile for eleven years in China and later the Soviet Union.