大象传媒

This story has been added to the website by CSV Volunteer Ann Toomey on behalf of
Mrs. Nancy Hibbert, the author, sho is fully aware of the sites terms and conditions.

In June 1942 I left Millbrook, Penpol for Truro Station in a local taxi owned by Mr. Trenhale. My sister had given me 拢1 to pay for the taxi but the driver had no change, so I told him to give it to her when he next saw her - therefore I set off with no money.

It was very confusing as I had not been outside of Cornwall before, but as we went on towards Gloucester I recognised other new WAAFs. I don't remember what we had for a meal, but were shown into tents, with double bunks - I opted for a top one but found the ablutions which had stone floors and were some distance away - quite a shock.

The next days were a confusion of kits, injections, trade tests, lectures and also a trip to, I think, the Forest of Dean, there were puzzled looks from the Monks who were around..

I can't remember what our pay was.

I also remember the bubbling hot water tanks where we washed our irons - knife, fork and spoon and mug - hygeinists would have had a fit.

When it came to posting, the girls were going to all sorts of trades, until about eight of us were left and we went to RAF Records Office, Barnwood, Avenue, Gloucester - so we didn't have to go far.

I was put in the last bed by the door, of a 30 bed room, only one empty, draughty and I was woken by the Bugler ev ery morning. It was a nice modern block but after some months we were posted back to Innsworth, as our Billet was needed.

The work in the Records Office was very boring, we spent our days putting papers in alphabetical or numerical order. I did try for remustering for trades but there were no vacancies, insted I opted to be a telephoinest, which stood me in good stead after the War as I was employed from 1946 - 1957 (when I got married). The one bright spot in C2 was the sub-section for the RCAF manned bya Corporal and a WAAF and two very posh civilian ladies. I eventually got to work there and will never forget one Christmas when we worked all one Sunday to readdress the airmen's mail, there was masses of sacking to wrap parcels to send on.

My posting to Bradford to train on the GPO came, we lived in a house with a WAAF in charge and trained on different switchboards and the actual GPO - I have never forgotten how patient the staff and local people were.

A posting came through for RAF St. Eval, so I had to leave to trave through the night - when I arrived I was putg in the Transit House, they forgot to put me with the other Signal's girls - so I felt a bit isolated.

The first time I went on the switchboard, a PMBX5A, I cut the C.O. off - so I volunteered for the Ops., Room switchboard, which was a 5/20. I didn't really integrate at first as I used to go home when I came off night duty, until I developed German Measles and was put in the Bedruthen Steps sick bay. When I came back I was in the house with the other girls - the now married quarters which have been sold off. We had three beds up and down and a Corporal in a single room, but no hot water unless the downstairs girls lit a fire for themselves. We had our own WAAF cook house and I have met the cook who is a member of our Association. Eventually we were moved to use the big cook house.

I met a girl from St. Breward and when we came off night duty we used to hitch a life on the ration lorry and when we got to the Goss Moor, Anne went to Bodmin and I to Truro. I often was picked up by a Petrol Tanker driver who would take me as far as Playing Place, but going back I took the bus as we had to be back for 5 o'clock. f one of us was working late we would make their bed up, I can still see the blankets and sheets arranged in a sandwich.

Before D-Day all leave was stopped, but before that, we saw the American Lorries and Troops all along the Falmouth Roads.

Once I got settled in I enjoyed it - the shift work the hitch hiking home, the camp cinema (which had a good selection of films). Sometimes if we were off in the afternoon, we would hitch into St. CXolum, where there was a WVS canteen and they did nice butered splits.

We chatted to all nations on night duty - the Duty air crew liked to talk to us, though we didn't always tell them

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