大象传媒

I joined the WAAF just after I was eighteen. H.Q. No.85., was the first contingent of WAAF to be posted to Normandy after D Day. I was Cpl.Clk/GD (Tech) and was one of the first WAAF to be posted to this group to work for The Group Captain for whom I had worked since I joined. I was stationed at HQFC at RAF Bentley Priory and on Saturday 19th February was posted to HQ No 85 Group at Uxbridge.

In September 1944 we were sent to Normandy. We were there about ten days and then flew (about five at a time) in an Anson of 85 Group Communication Flight from Carpiquet (an airstrip close by) to Ghent in Belgium. The Anson was not fitted with any seats - you just sat down where you could, surrounded by masses of wires. These aircraft were not armed! As we flew over some of the French Channel ports they were still burning. An episode which sticks out in my memory about this flight is that I saw to the port side our RAF bombers going on a "thousand bomber" raid and suddenly, from nowhere, fighter aircraft started circling them.

I thought, "This is it!" so I looked to the starboard side. However, nothing happened so, "They must have been ours!"

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Helena Noifeld of 大象传媒 Radio Kent and has been added to the website on behalf of Elizabeth Woodin with her permission. She fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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