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When war broke out there was much confusion, sirens went off and outside our house in Radlett a number of cars ran into each other as they hurriedly stopped. ARP wardens were in charge in their tin hats and sorted things out.

I volunteered to join the land army and was released from my employment in London to go for training in Herts. I went to Wall Hall; an estate owned by Pierpoint-Morgan an American millionaire friend of Joseph Kennedy (US ambassador). On one occasion when I was learning to milk, Kennedy came into the cowshed to speak to me; he and his family were living there, as it was safer than London. The first farm I went to was at Wheathampstead where the farmer's wife spent her time trying to keep her son away from me as she had someone else lined up for daughter-in-law. I moved on to another farm at Carpenter's Park, owned by a Mr Absolom, who refused to build an air raid shelter for the land girls. There I had to drive the dairy herd (plus Bull) past peoples' gardens and I wasn't supposed to let them eat the contents-an impossible task. Every time the cows heard the air raid siren they automatically turned tail and headed home. From there I returned to Wall Hall Farm, two other land girls with whom I was friends were Wendy Attenborough (cousin of Richard and David) and Miss Harland the daughter of the shipyard owner in Belfast (Harland and Wolff)

I decided to leave the land army after a welfare officer suggested I would prefer the services. An additional reason was the continual ringworm caught from the cows.

In July 1942 I signed up for the WAAF and was sent to Bridgnorth Shropshire for aptitude tests and was assigned to Barrage Balloons. First I had basic training at Morecombe-PE and drill on the seafront or in the bus depot if wet.

My barrage balloon training took place at RAF Titchfield, Wilts where I learned about winches, splicing ropes and theory. Practical experience was gained at Southampton before going to an operational Barrage balloon site at Yeovil; Somerset to protect the Westland Aircraft factory. These balloons carried armaments (small explosive charges) attached to cords hanging underneath. We inherited a football playing dog trained by our predecessors who were male (balloon companies at that time were all men or all women) We also had a goat as a mascot and I made the mistake of taking it to bed one cold night and caught fleas. The medical officer was not amused and had the kid removed. An accident involving my friend Olive Daniels contributed to women being removed from barrage balloon duty. She was guiding the cable on to the drum during a balloon descent when her glove caught and her fingers were broken. The corporal ordered the winch driver to reverse the winch which resulted in Olive's arm being broken-I can still remember hearing her screaming. It was heavy work for women and there was the danger of injury from concrete anchor blocks flying through the air when the balloons were caught in gusts of high wind and pulled the blocks from the ground. I remember being told to obtain sharp knives from the kitchen to puncture a barrage balloon as the gas outlet valve had jammed and the balloon was out of control. During this time I encountered a army pioneer sergeant who claimed to be 'Lord Haw Haw's brother' he was not allowed to join any other unit (alternative was internment). I also met an RAF sergeant who was Dowding's brother.

I had to re-muster and joined 957squadron and was sent to RAF Melksham, Wilts to train as an instrument repairer. I was then posted to R.A.F. Kemble, Glos where I worked on Halifaxes, Lancasters and Wellingtons, which had been delivered from the manufacturers. We checked and calibrated the instruments before the planes went to operational units. My next posting was to Harrowbeer in Devon, Coastal command, where I checked the instruments on Walruses, Sunderlands and Hudsons.

I was sent to Windermere OCTU but failed to become an officer partly because I had left school at 15 and had not learned enough maths and science and partly because my mind was elsewhere (I had met someone!)

Next I went to Brize Norton, Oxon, where I completed a gun-camera course. These cameras were attached to aircraft, synchronised to operate when the guns were fired. They recorded hits on enemy aircraft.

My final posting was to Church Lawford, warwks. Here I calibrated instruments on Harvards used by RAF Training Command. Whilst there, Ralph Reader and his gang visited to entertain us and I guided them to other RAF bases in the area. Of course I had no idea that the ‘Gang Show’ was merely cover for his intelligence work. Another memory of my time at Church Lawford is of taking part in a gas attack exercise; clad in a gas mask and rubber cape I had to cycle around the airfield perimeter holding a stick to which gas detection paper was attached.

I was de-mobbed in May 1946 in Birmingham where I was issued with my civilian ration book, a travel warrant home and money orders to use until I re-entered civilian work. Male personnel were issued with suits but females were given clothing coupons but I (like many others) died my uniform purple and replaced the buttons. We were taught how to cook before leaving to fit us for civilian life.

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