Description
Object description
British NCO served as radar operator with Women's Auxiliary Air Force at RAF Biggin Hill, Kent, during Battle of Britain, 1940
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of training with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 1940: family backround in Hornchurch; story of enlistment with Women's Auxiliary Air Force, 4/1940; description of basic training at West Drayton; digging trenches; route marches; drill; amusing story of saluting; transferred to RAF Cranmore; attitude to male colleagues to women; description of training as signaller; instruction from GPO trainers on teleprinters and wireless sets; qualified as teleprinter operator; attitude to role in signals. Aspects of period at RAF Hornchurch, 1940: posted to RAF Hornchurch, 7/1940; accommodation; memory of CO; discipline; daily routine and duties; pass words and security; description of operations room; role of signals; memory of night duty; memorizing password; logging incoming signals; use of wireless and Morse code; duty rotas and hours; description of routine during air attack; monitoring position of incoming German aircraft; communications systems; memory of controller Ronnie Adams; scrambling of squadrons; description of coloured clock and function; logging of casualties and replacements; weather conditions; description of air raids on RAF Hornchurch; question of fear and attitude to death; story of being injured during air raid and treatment; memory of direct hit on Bofers gun emplacement.
REEL 2 Continues: description of German air raid and RAF interception; story of boy killed by German machine fire; opinion of Germans; social life and recreational activities; amusing story of Dornier; amusing story of CO; transferred to operations room in Romford and nature of duties, 1941; morale in London during Blitz; memory of visits to theatres and cinemas; memory of Regent Palace; question of date stamped passes; messing arrangements; opinion of food; amusing story of Douglas Bader; attitude of male colleagues to women; role of women during Second World War; uniform and clothing; attitude to sexual relations; story of death of pilot Derek Warden; description of role of controller; reaction to pilot's conversations over radio; relations with male colleagues; description of operations room environment and activity; amusing story of controller Ronnie Adams; involvement in practical jokes; question of co-operation and discipline in operations room.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of Dowding; attitude to death of pilots; further comments on Dowding; question of rivalry between 11 and 12 Groups and use of Big Wing formations; attitude to importance of Battle of Britain; story of three air raids in one day; memory of pilots; posted to RAF Biggin Hill, 1943; accommodation; story of V1 landing in swimming pool; attitude of pilots to V1's and question of interception; opinion of Americans; problem of lack of sleep; story of refusing to scrub floor; opinion of Biggin Hill.