大象传媒

My experience in the WAAF during l94l-l945 I joined the forces in l94l. To begin with together with other waaf's I was sent to Innesworth Lane, Gloucestershire where we had 6 weeks training.
I chose to be a wireless operator and was sent to Blackpool where I was billeted in a house with six other young woman.
We studied the morse code in the Winter Gardens where we had to pass learning l8 words per minute. Then I was posted to Compton Basset in Wiltshire to learn the mechanics of the radio. at the end of the course which was lasted six months.
I remember how proud we all were when we were given our "sparks" which was a piece of blue material to be sewn on to a sleeve, indicating that we were now wireless operators.
I was posted alone to Bomber Command in Swinderby, Lincolnshire.
Upon my arrival I was advised there were too many wireless operators. At the time I was very unhappy thinking of all the hard work of studying to become a wireless operator.
However, I was sent to flying control to work which was glass building on the edge of the runway and there I remained until the end of the war.
It was very exciting. Instead of being in a dull office listening to the radio and sending out morse, here I was talking to the pilots of Lancasters, Sterlings and Spitfires, guiding them to land on the runway.
In l94l I joined the Waaf. Together with other young women from all walks of life I was sent for six weeks training at Innesworth Lane, Gloucestershire.
For the first week we were all homesick. Then realising we were all volunteers to fight for King and Country a great camaradie developed.
At 8/0/clock each morning there we all were on the parade ground dressed in bras, vest and knickers. Navy blue which we called "blackouts".
"Come on your lot. You are in the forces now. Pick up your feet and march." So shouted the sergeant major on a daily basis.
There was the daily kit parade. The officer of the day would visit the nissan hut where we would all have to stand to attention.
One by one we all stated "one off, one on and one at the laundry."
With the six weeks at at end we each chose a course and said our goodbyes.
I decided on the wireless course and was sent to Blackpool where I was billeted with six other Waafs. I shared a bed with another young woman in a double bed which was placed over the bath. Yes, it was the bathroom. The only advantage being that we had hot water.
The houses which were used for the |WAAF

I had never before ridden a bike and at the beginning could never get off like a lady. I had to brake first, then get off - many times with my great coat over the handle bars, on more than one occasion this would get caught up in the wheels and over the top I would go.
The handsome young men in their uniforms were from all parts of the world. Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Swinderby was a conversion unit. This is where the crew would do "circuits and bumbs" just before going onto operations. Bomber command units were all around the Linconshire area. Many times when the weather was bad and the crews could not land at their own airfield, we were always on standby to take them in.

My call sign was "S" for sugar.