Description
Object description
British NCO served as wireless operator with Women's Auxiliary Air Force at RAF Oban and RAF East Fortune in GB, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of background in GB, 1923-1939: family; education; outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; fear of German invasion; father's attitude towards war; gas masks; introduction of rationing; air raids; fear of being injured in air raid; queuing for food; sheltering in basement during air raids; blackouts.
REEL 2 Continues: daylight air raids whilst at work in Newcastle; story of collapse of glass roof on to civilians at bus station during air raid; morale; father's work for Local Defence Volunteers, then Home Guard; learning how to drive; driving and clerical work for Home Guard; decision to join up. Recollections of enlistment and training with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 1941: recruitment procedure; reaction of father to her enlistment in Women's Auxiliary Air Force; medical and being told to have missing back teeth replaced; decision to become wireless operator; journey to Gloucester.
REEL 3 Continues: initial impressions of RAF Innsworth; first meal on arrival; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; morning routine; reaction of new Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel to first night in camp; role of NCOs; improvement in food; learning how to march; inoculations; issue of uniforms and other kit.
REEL 4 Continues: issue of uniforms; ill fitting nature of some girl's uniforms; making alterations to uniforms; parading in uncomfortable shoes.
REEL 5 Continues: visit to Cheltenham on first day off; inoculations; interviews for chosen trade, wireless operator; various roles on offer in Women's Auxiliary Air Force; daily routine; air raid precautions; start of signals training in Leeds; billets; moving to another billet; opinion of training instructors.
REEL 6 Continues: Morse Code training; other Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel on course; protective attitude of older Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel towards younger ones; story of selling programmes at boxing match; conservation of bath water; improvement in Morse Code technique; visits from parents; final exams in transmitting and receiving Morse Code. Aspects of period as wireless operator awaiting posting in Blackpool, GB, 1942: waiting for posting; billets; daily routine; evening social life; illness and hospitalisation.
REEL 7 Recollections of period as wireless operator with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Coastal Command, RAF at RAF Oban in GB, 1942-1944: accommodation in hotel; ration arrangements; strict regime for first year; description of headquarters building she worked in; shifts worked in wireless cabin; lack of sleep; overstaffing; attempts to pass time on night duty.
REEL 8 Continues: attitude towards church parade and story of how she appealed to be excused from it; unsuccessful application to train for Air Transport Auxiliary; quality of food; moving into canteen with men; chocolate ration; unsuccessful application for commission; details of work as wireless operator; trips in aircraft; reprimand for not wearing cap and punishment; visit to RAF Oban by Prince Olaf; listening for message from flight that crashed killing the Duke of Kent, 25/8/1942.
REEL 9 Continues: brief posting to RAF Stranraer including lack of presence of officers and pay; return to RAF Oban: promotion to Corporal; attitude towards arrival of conscripts; antiquated hot water system in village; attending NCOs course at RAF Wilmslow; facilities at RAF Oban; social life; question of marriage and pregnancy.
REEL 10 Continues: difficulties of duties as duty NCO; occasion when she lent new clothes to another member of Women's Auxiliary Air Force who ruined them; Women's Auxiliary Air Force member who that regularly travelled home to Glasgow against the rules; refusal of authorities to allow Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel of other nationalities to wear their nationality on their arm; arrival of Norwegian aircrews; gradual quietening down of station and decision to close it down, 1944; regular dances held at RAF Oban; gradual slackening of discipline over period at RAF Oban.
REEL 11 Continues: arrival of Americans for a weekend at RAF Oban and security imposed on Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel, 1944. Recollections of posting to RAF East Fortune, GB, 1944-1945: description of station; lack of authority as NCO; facilities; conditions in Nissen huts and difficulties of living with so many people in one room; work in the Direction Finding section.
REEL 12 Continues: Direction Finding duties; various anecdotes, particularly about night duty; social life; VE Day, 8/5/1945; attitude towards demobilisation; difficulties adjusting to civilian life.