- Contributed by听
- A7431347
- People in story:听
- Elizabeth Woodin ("Rusty Bladen")
- Location of story:听
- Ghent Belgium
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A6787588
- Contributed on:听
- 08 November 2005
I joined the WAAF just after I was eighteen. H.Q. No.85., was the first contingent of WAAF to be posted to Normandy after D Day. I was Cpl.Clk/GD (Tech) and was one of the first WAAF to be posted to this group to work for The Group Captain for whom I had worked since I joined. I was stationed at HQFC at RAF Bentley Priory and on Saturday 19th February was posted to HQ No 85 Group at Uxbridge.
In September 1944 we were sent to Normandy. We were there about ten days and then flew (about five at a time) in an Anson of 85 Group Communication Flight from Carpiquet (an airstrip close by) to Ghent in Belgium.
Our first Christmas in Belgium was bitterly cold and we had very little heating. Frost formed on our hair as we marched to the office in the morning. Some WAAF went to bed wearing their seaboot stockings! We had a dance in the local casino to thank the people of Ghent for their hospitality and also a Christmas party for the children when we distributed clothes which had been sent over from the U.K. for them.
Our Christmas lunch was very good, one of the best I have ever enjoyed, even though everything came out of a tin.
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 Elizabeth Woodin with her permission. She fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
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