大象传媒

Mary. Just One W.A.A.F.

I left school at fourteen, to work in a shop in Stafford, when war started I was still a teen-age shop assistant, soon doing all night fire watching in Stafford Town Centre. This was a non essential occupation so 1941 before I was called up I decided to join the Air force, the same year my younger brother was accepted for Aircrew training.
My first posting Gloucester for kitting out, then to Morecambe for square bashing and initial training. I remember perishing cold parades on the sea front, and P.T. (Gym to you) dressed in Waaf Shirts tucked into thick bloomers. After this in front of a selection board, I expected to be sent into Stores because of my shop work. But no I was sent on a driving course with B.S.M After passing this came the service course little vans and big lorries with night driving in the blackout over the Pennines well in my memory. Over - In - and under Lorries - a daily routine.
I passed this course and was posted to Wellsbourne (Stratford) where Bomber Command Aircrew, many from Canada were doing their O.T.U. flying on Wellingtons. It was not far from Stafford but I did not see home again for ten months. Happy and sad days I was now part of a wonderful team especially when my duty was to drive crews out to their Aircraft, men mostly younger than me preparing for a very vital job in Bomber Command.
Most memorable at Wellsbourne was in May 1943 when Churchill decided a show of strength would impress the world and be a great boost for morale. One Thousand Bombers all to one target. Needing every aircraft that could fly - crews who had not finished training were needed to fly them. At 21 O.T.U we counted every aircraft off the runway that night Three did not come back the following morning.
A bitter sweet memory in Autumn 1943 was when I got a telegram (no private phone calls then), from my brother at that time a Bomb Aimer on Lancaster鈥檚 saying he would be at 鈥淲ills house鈥� in Stratford the next day. I asked the M.T sergeant for the afternoon off, he agreed to so long as I drove the Sanitary Wagon the following morning. A job not done by Waafs, he expected refusal, never the less the next day I was driving a load of Elsan Buckets on a sideless low loader, I took a downhill corner a little too fast, and most of the buckets slid off, with results best left to the imagination.
After an essential clean up I put on Best Blue, thumbed a lift to Stratford, and ran to Shakespears House, dismayed I saw Bobs name in the visitors book, then started what I thought would be a useless search of the streets of Stratford. Good fortune was with me I saw the family and we had tea. This was to be the last time I saw Bob he was shot down over Berlin in December.
I was a mad keen dancer, and Jive or Jitterbugging especially with Cannuck鈥檚 was great fun, so when I heard the R.C.A.F. Band was to play in Stratford, civilian clothes were a must (but an offence to wear) . Never the less Mother sent a parcel and on the night, with night flying cancelled because of bad weather I appeared at Stratford Town Hall in a Waaf greatcoat, which came off and out of the cloakroom came I - in civies.. It was a super night till I found myself and one of the Cannucks, jiving centre floor with everyone clapping to the tune 鈥� Including Waaf Sergeant, Waaf Officer and the Station C.O. Ah well what鈥檚 fourteen days Jankers for a night like this.
Next morning I was the CO鈥檚 driver and when he got in the car there was a strained silence, which he broke when he said 鈥測ou missed a good dance in Stratford last night鈥�. I bet the Waaf Sergeant fumed. That C.O. certainly knew how to lead a happy willing to work Camp. One of the 鈥渏obs worth鈥� customs was to check for any aircrew with Waafs in the air raid shelters, there was no innpropriaty on this Camp because the C.O usually mentioned any impending inspection to his Waaf driver.
Knowing by now that brother Bob was on PFF I lived with a permanent worry and just before Christmas my worst fears were realized when Mum had the telegram to say missing in action after a Berlin raid. Obviously I was distraught and requested special leave straight away. A brand new Waaf Officer refused this with a disparaging remark about wanting Christmas leave. I Went AWOL. No letter or telegrams were sent to me at home, but when I got back that officer had been posted.
Coming to terms with Brother Bobs death was more difficult for me than accepting the regular deaths of close friends on the station, and a change was suggested. So - I re-mustered to S.E.W. (safety equipment worker) work embracing Parachutes and Dinghy鈥檚 a job that would still kept me close to Aircrew...On the training course I met people from other services including the Fleet Air Arm members and one 鈥淗onorie鈥欌�� from Casablanca who sent me sketches of all of us in most unlikely situations. I still have some in my course notebook.
I passed the course and could have been posted to any Bomber Command Station 鈥� but where was I sent ? Yes Wellesbourne - familiar place, different job, different friends, new Aircrews passing through, with similar memories. I was an LACW now (more pay) and one horrible job was to fix the Dinghy in the Aircraft wings. One very cold snowy day left - handed me with a right - handed sergeant were sent to dispersal to fit a Dinghy on a visiting Wellington He worked from a wing board and I sat on the wing, working side to side. When finished we shot back to the warm section I stood in front of the heater and soon realized my rear was not just wet it was bloody. I had got frostbite in my bum !! Ha ha ha all very funny.(except for me)
The War went on new crews came and went station life was a fast moving roller 鈥� coaster happy and sad days until May 1945 -- VE day. Another Waaf Rosemary from Penge, and myself managed to get to London where she led me through the streets to be two of the Thousands in Trafalgar Square. A memory I almost cannot remember.
I became a civie in 1946, and started shop work again. In 1947 a man came to work in the shop and when I was introduced as Mary Butler, he said 鈥淗ow鈥檚 Bob? he had the locker over mine at school 鈥� I was upset - he said sorry I didn鈥檛 know, later he asked me to a Joe Loss Dance, I spent all my gratuity on a Non-Utility Dress , We married and Fifty five years on are still together. ..