大象传媒

In May 1940, our family lived in Paignton, S. Devon. Being an only child I lived a somewhat protected life although I did work at a bank in Newton Abbot. At the time of the evacuation of Dunkirk I answered a call to hand out tea and buns at the station to the soldiers. I was shocked to see their tired and worn out state after a sixteen hour journey across the channel. I felt it was time, 'I did my bit.'

So on the 5th September, 1940 I volunteered for the WAAF. At first, I worked for a Group Captain Hunt who was in charge of the Plymouth searchlights. Then for S/Ldr Trail who was visited every day for coffee by Army Captain...David Niven. We had visits from the Duchess of Gloucester and Queen Mary who would occasionally give lifts in her Rolls Royce for our girls into Bath.

At a recent fly-past to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of VE Day it brought back many memories to see two Mitchel aircraft escorting a Boeing Fortress flying over Buckingham Palace.

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 Margot Shepherd with her permission. She fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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