Description
Object description
British civilian wife of officer commanding RAF Greenham Common in GB, 1983-1986
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as wife of Royal Air Force officer in GB and Sardinia, Italy, 1954-1983: meeting future husband and marriage, 1954; various postings with Royal Air Force in GB; socialising with other Royal Air Force wives; question of hierarchy of wives according to husband's rank; difficulties of education for service children; opinion of Royal Navy wives; increased responsibility for welfare of wives as husband promoted; background to posting to North Atlantic Treaty Organisatio (NATO) headquarters in Sardinia; attitude towards posting to Sardinia; journey to Sardinia, 1977.
REEL 2 Continues: arrival and reception in Sardinia; attitude towards time spent in Sardinia; move to RAF Stanmore, 1979; husband's award of Order of the British Empire (OBE); role as Royal Air Force officer's wife; hierarchy amongst Royal Air Force wives; financial assistance for children's education; decision to send children to boarding school.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as wife of commanding officer of RAF Greenham Common in GB, 1983-1986: preparations for posting to station; first sight of Greenham Common Peace Camp and protesters; attitude towards nuclear weapons; meeting previous Royal Air Force commander and his wife; learning of demonstrations through Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) literature; first meeting with American servicemens' wives; attempts to make Americans feel welcome; discussions with American wives about Greenham Common Peace Camp; attitude of American women toward Greenham Common Peace Camp protesters; attitude of local civilian women towards Greenham Common Peace Camp; attempts to remain neutral.
REEL 4 Continues: verbal abuse received from protesters; relations between Americans and local community; opinion of United States Air Force commander Colonel Jarrett McGehee; work to build up Anglo-American community; attempts to defend protesters right to protest; award of presentation plaque by Americans; harassment of personnel leaving and entering the base on New Year's Eve; sight of Cruise Missile convoy leaving base at night; attitude of protesters towards arrival of Cruise Missiles at base; difficulties husband faced in dealing with protesters.
REEL 5 Continues: story of dealing with abuse from Greenham Common Peace Camp protesters during public event in Newbury; contrast between early female protesters and those that arrived later; belief that Cruise Missiles contributed to end of the Cold War; living conditions at Greenham Common Peace Camp; question of whether Greenham Common Peace Camp women's methods were non-violent; visit to base by Michael Heseltine and his family on Christmas Day; work to improve relations between Royal Air Force station and local people; effect of experiences on children's beliefs and attitudes.
REEL 6 Continues: impact of period at RAF Greenham Common on her life; relations between American and British personnel. Aspects of period as schoolchild in GB, 1939-1944: childhood experiences during war; effects of war on attitudes; use of RAF Greenham Common, 1996; memories of father leaving to go to war; difficulties mother faced during husband's absence; adapting to family life after end of Second World War.