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.

After some time at Uxbridge, we left on 18th September 1944 to go to Normandy. We left at 0500 hours in troop carriers, stopped for a break at 0700 hrs in Farnham, Surrey, had lunch (highly spiced stew) at an American camp and eventually embarked at Southampton 1500 hours. We sailed two hours later and anchored off Spithead at 1900 hours. What a night we spent! My friend Cpl. Babs Banks and I were told to sleep at the bottom of the stairs in case any of the soldiers on board decided to venture below decks! It was not the soldiers, nor the enemy we were afraid of, but the cockroaches which milled around the stairs like Picadilly Circus, and two rats which we saw on someone's ration bag!

What a relief it was when morning came and we went up on deck. We were in a big convoy, balloons flying, the sea magnificent blue and white. Quite a sight!

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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