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Elsie May Byatt. Born 21 May 1923, Folkstone, Kent.

3 September 1939. Thurton.

Learnt First Aid and Home Nursing Red Cross. Went around the village selling saving certificates 15/-. Worked in Norwich Woolworth on the lace, ribbon ?
Norwich was bombed. Woolworth was destroyed — Rampant Horse Street opposite Curls.
Was transferred to the shop in Cromer.

August 1942.

Joined the WAAFS. Signed on at Colegate Street in Norwich and kitted out at Bridge North. Trained ( marching) at Morcambe Bay, had injections, saw film on VD and birth of a baby. Lived in a boarding house. Went to Meeksham to train as a cook, passed exams and was sent to RAF station at Swanton Morley. Worked in the Airmen Mess, Sergeant Mess and was the cook for the Group Captain for a few weeks. This was my first attempt at cooking on an AGA.
Was able to get a sleeping out pass and catch a train from Dereham to Norwich Thorpe. ? to home from the camp, we were allowed to travel on the lorry, which carried the post.
After 2 years was transferred to Milfied Wooles, Northumberland?. Arriving in Newcastle too late to catch the train to Berwick on Tweed so stayed the night at Salvation Army. There was three of us.
At Milfield met some people. One girl was called Jean who lived at Cornhill and the family invited me to have my sleeping pass with them. Was able to travel to Edinburgh.
At Milfield I was a cook in the Officers Mess. We worked shifts, cooking or cleaning. We had waiters to serve the officers. Some sad days when the waiter would come through telling us some of the crew hadn’t returned from the tank operation. We didn’t know at sight but felt sorry for their families at home.
Stayed at Milfields for five years, then came down to Wellingborough and was demobbed in August 1946. Was able to take a winter overcoat home. I took off the brass buttons, put navy blue on and was able to wear at home as we didn’t have many clothing coupons.

Made friends with people in the service and still write or ? after all these years- 1942-1946.

Cooks didn’t have to go on parade in the station. You would have to go to the office to collect your pay. They would call your name, you would give them your number and salute the officer on duty.

A Day in the WAAFS.

Get up and make our bed, stripped blankets and sheets, had to be shown like a sandwich pillow and ? this was done every day, ? if you were on night duty you were allowed to remake your bed and corners of blankets had to be turned in.
Keep your bedroom space cleaned and polished. Washed your clothes, iron, keep your button cap badge polished. If on duty, you would be wearing white overalls and cap which would be sent to the laundry.
At Swanton Morley our billets were heated and about 30 girls would sleep in the room, not all cooks some were waiters, clerks and admin.
At Milfield we slept in nissen huts, had a stove in the middle of the room. Took turns to keep it alight with sticks and coke, coal, pail, empty the ashes.
We were allowed to have our meals in the kitchen of the mess. Others would go to the Airmen mess. We would bring a jug of coffee and toast to the girls who were off duty.
If your friend was coming back off leave you would make her bed to come back to but not make an apple pie bed as she wouldn’t be able to get her legs down the bed!

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