- Contributed by听
- Warwick library user 7
- People in story:听
- Reta Farnell
- Location of story:听
- Scampton - Lincolnshire
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A1166997
- Contributed on:听
- 05 September 2003
On joining the WAAF at 18 I was posted to Blackpool. After doing my training I joined as an MT driver but was told I was an inch too short at 5'3". In civilian life I was a hairdresser. As it was a luxury trade I had to either join the forces or go in a factory. So I continused hairdressing in the WAAF. At Blackpool we had to do PE in the early morning on the sands, but the winters' were very cold. I then eventually posted to Scampton, Lincolnshire. During that time 617 squadron was being formed with Guy Gibson as their leader. Hence the Dambusters was born. One night in May 1943 my friend and I went for a walk and as we stood on the perimetre bombs wrre being loaded on the aircraft. We both exclaimed that the bombs were unusual. We knew nothing about what was to happen at that time. The next morming was a very sad time for us all after hearing that 56 aircrew were missing. Of course that was the night of the first Dambusters raid. Soon afterwards the WAAF wre posted to a place called Welton in case the Germans discovered where we were. The King and Queen inspected us all. but have never seen any footage of this.
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