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War was declared in 1939 and the country was turned over to various changes. I remember gunposts going up all around the coast. Factorys which normally made cars and lorrys etc were put into full production to make tanks, guns, planes, gas masks and every conceivable thing for war. I lived here in Helston and remember the Germans making air raids and targeting farms. One plane crashed in Lowertown and the local farmer gave them tea until they were picked up. Another set of bombs was dropped on Tregew Farm between Breage and Porthleven. In 1940 we had troops landing at Falmouth from the evacuation of our Expedition Force off the French coast. East York Regiment, Northumberland Fusileers and some of our Duke of Cornwalls, sleeping quarters had to be found, mostly in village halls. Also at Nansloe Estate we had Italian prisoners of war from the North African Campaign. My father was caught up in the evacuation of the French coast, and was a prisoner of war, we never heard a thing for two years, then a letter came through the post from the Red Cross. He was in a prison camp in Poland with two other Cornishmen. They had been marched on foot from the Belgian border across into Poland where he spent four and a half years. My brother, Robert volunteered for the Air Force in 1940, and in 1941 I volunteered and went away at the end of November 1941.
I had my interview at Plymouth recruiting office, and gave a decision to be a Balloon Operator, it was an outdoor life on sites, and good comradeship, as it brought us together as a working unit. I signed on and had my medical, then returned home to wait for my call up papers. I didn’t have to wait long, I was off before Christmas. I was off in civilian cloths, I remember well, Mum and I walked up to Helston Railway Station, we were living in Helston then. Father was missing in the Dunkirk evacuation, my brother had already gone, and I left mother on her own. I had not travelled out of Cornwall before, apart from as a small child, too small to remember, being brought down from S Wales (I was born in Ystraad Rhondda.) It was quite an experience, stretching ones ability to the limit.

I had to report to Innsworth Gloucester for kitting out, on arrival to find nothing well organised, girls from all parts of the country and Scotland, Ireland, Wales etc. It seems we were always on the move, so it was up the country to Morcambe Lancs for Initial Training for a fortnight, it poured with rain the whole time. We were billeted with a very nice lady at 18 Ocean View Road. In the evenings we sang and got together around her Grand piano.

From Morcambe I was sent down to No 12 Balloon Training School at Titchfield Hampshire on six weeks Balloon Training. This involved several subjects such as balloon maintenance, winch driving (a winch carried 4500 ft of wire), splicing of rope and wire, then graded on rank according to our exam results( I passed as Group 1). Then on to Gosport for sites practical for a fortnight. After an exam on Practical and Theory, fourteen of us were on the train from Kings Cross to Coventry, not a very safe place. It was in a devastating state, street after street in ruins and big shops in main streets had girders buckled all shapes, the Cathedral was in ruins. We had to do guards all the 24hrs around, 2 girls together, 2 hrs on and 4 off. The local people were good to us. It was here, during one of the air raids that I was providentially spared, as I came out to go on night guard a piece of shrapnel came across my tin hat. There were girls here from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, one girl had come over from France, she was trying to write a book, did she ever finish it?

I was very happy there, but as the services go, I was made up to Acting Corporal and sent to Bishopbriggs in Lancashire to pick up 16 girls to take to Glasgow to guard John Browns Shipyard at Govan, which was building warships at the time.

My next move was to be sent to Stanmore Middlesex on an NCO course. Not long after that the Barrage balloon became redundant and I remustered to Electrician, which brought me back to Cornwall, RAF Predannack, where I worked on S H Q Link Trainer, now called a Simulator. My officer was F Lt Overton Smith. I stayed there until I was demobed. These are some of the people I remember…

Officer Link Trainer Overton Smith
Flt Sergeant Postolka Czech Sqr Lib 151 Mosquito
Warrant Officer Oddie
Pilot F/O Turner, Australian
Pilot F/L Munro
Peggy Wall now Mrs Moore, Acc Room
F/L Leathley, Boss of SHQ Electrical
Phil - Photographic
Joyce Freemantle
John Oliver
Lac Ninnim
Lac Hewitt, Gweek
Chris Burrow the only WAAF Aircraft Mechanic on the Station
Charlie Wearne had a workmans canteen on the edge of camp.

POLURRIAN hotel was used as accommodation for our own officers and also officers from New Zealand and Australia.

Poldhu Hotel was used as accommodation for Polish and Czech officers.

Foreign and other ranks had sleeping quarters on the other side of the road.

There are still 3 ex NAFFI girls living in the Penzance district and I still keep in touch with one of them.

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