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I was in uniform by the 25th of September 1939, as soon as I could after war was declared. I must admit I loved it. I suppose it was partly that I was away from home for the first time.

I joined the WAAF and was sent to Hendon. I remember going into a hut. There were no blankets or anything. It was very cold. We were told to get up at 6.30 the next morning for Square bashing, and that was the pattern for the next six weeks. I eventually trained as a Tele-printer Operator in Signals.

That was how I met my husband, as he was in the RAF. We were married on the 3rd November 1942. We had a two day honeymoon and he was then sent to North Africa. I didn’t see him again until 1946.

I remember one night a friend and I snuck out of the base in civvies (don’t ask how we got them) and went to a pub. It wasn’t very local, so we thought we would be safe. Unfortunately, we were sitting there minding our own business when in walked our Flight Sergeant. We slowly and quietly got up and slipped out. Next morning we were given a talking to and confined to base for 14 days. Technically the Sergeant shouldn’t have been in the pub either…

If I could go back and do it all again I would without question. They were good times. I suppose I didn’t behave myself altogether!

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