- Contributed byÌý
- ´óÏó´«Ã½ Open Centre, Hull
- People in story:Ìý
- Originally submitted to The Beverley Civic Society
- Location of story:Ìý
- Beverley. East Yorkshire.
- Background to story:Ìý
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:Ìý
- A4179846
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 11 June 2005
I was working in Beverley when in October 1941 I was conscripted into the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). Basic training was at Morecambe followed by advanced training as a radar operator. My first posting was to the radar station at Danby Beacon near Whitby. There followed various postings around the coast of England including Dry Tree, Canewdon, High St and Swingate (Dover).
By August 1944 (following a stint plotting the Normandy invasion with the Navy in Portsmouth) I was in Dover. Between then and VE Day my job was operating the Chain Home (CH) detectors and also the then top secret radar system code-named ‘Big Ben’. ‘Big Ben’ was a method of detecting the launch sites of the German V2 rockets (a launch was triangulated with another station and then RAF Mosquitoes were immediately sent over to precision bomb it).
On the 8th May 1945 we heard on the radio that the Germans had surrendered. Everyone who wasn't serving on a shift piled down the hill from the radar station to Dover town. The harbour was packed with ships sounding their sirens and overhead Spitfires were performing aerobatics. The streets were awash with people. Most servicemen were Royal Navy sailors and most of them were now a little worse for wear from drink. But that didn't stop my friend and I and the rest of the boys and girls from the station joining with the celebrations. Soon my friend had disappeared accompanied by a jack tar and leaving his pal with me and a bottle of Navy Rum. I'd never had Navy Rum before (and I've never had it since). The next thing I know I was being propped up on a bicycle being wheeled through the camp gates a couple of hours later. Apparently I'd been found in a slightly squiffy state wandering around on the beach threatening to go swimming with my uniform on. Unfortunately the CO wasn't impressed with my behaviour - he hadn't been shocked by my tired and emotional state, but he had taken exception to my going down to the town wearing red corduroy trousers and a WAAF battledress top. Clearly it wasn't what the RAF expected of its girls and I was put on a charge. What a great start to peace in Europe
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