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This story has been contributed by Val Potter of Age Concern, Hellifield. It was originally contributed to Age Concern in 1990.
Mrs Staig joined the W.A.A.F. in 1941 in answer to a radio appeal and was sent to a receiving camp in Gloucester. Her first impression of this camp was of an absolute sea of mud, criss-crossed by duckboards. She had gone in wearing a pair of suede shoes and, as the recruits were not issued with their uniform for several days, these shoes were soon caked in mud, in fact it was often ankle deep.
There were 700 recruits a day being received there. The girls slept on straw palliases and the life was tough.
Betty remembers hearing many sounds of crying during her first night there, but to her it was an adventure.
The day after they arrived, they were given a thorough medical and then had to have baths with disinfectant in the water. The girls came from all walks of life and the R.A.F. were taking no chances!
Following Gloucester, the recruits were sent to Morecambe for six weeks training. They had to undergo all manner of drills, including gas drills in case of a gas raid. One day, during a march, Mrs Staig's gas cape, which was meant to be securely rolled up by her shoulders, came loose and enveloped her. There was no chance to stop, so she had to complete the march like that! After that, she developed a huge blister from her R.A.F. issue shoes and had to hobble her way through the drills and marches.
After six weeks they were all given a series of innoculations. Betty was evidently allergic to hers, as she collapsed when she got up the next day and was sent to bed for four days, having to say goodbye to all her set, as they left for new postings. She felt most woebegone as she saw them go. One arm had to be in a sling and strapped to her body even when she was allowed up.
She went across the camp one day and her kitbag slipped on to the ground. Two airmen were standing by and, as she felt she could not get the kitbag back with one arm, she asked them if they would give her a hand. "You joined the b--- Air Force, you b---welll pick it up" came the answer. Women were only just being recruited into the Air Force and were still resented by some men.
Following Morecambe, Betty was sent to a bomber station at Lynton, outside York, and became a radio telephonist working in the flying control tower. Many of the air crews were Canadian, the ground staff British. The bombers went out nightly and everyone waited anxiously to see how many would return. The crews went out on thirty missions and were then given a rest. Very few men completed two lots of thirty missions.
One Lancaster crew virtually adopted Betty and took her with them on their times off. They often went to the local pub althouogh there was not much either to eat or drink - it made a break from the station.
One night, Betty's special crew did not return. They were reported missing and there was never any more news of them.
She stayed near York, first at Leyton, then at Eastmoor for the rest of her time in the W.A.A.F

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