Interview with Dorothy Joyce Graham Lawson

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Description

Object description

British plotter and officer served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 11/1939-6/1942; officer served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to No 276 Wing, RAF in Egypt, 6/1942-11/1943; served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to No 276 Wing, RAF at Conversano, Italy, 11/1943-3/1944; served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Rear Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces at La Marsa, Tunisia, 3/1944-5/1944; served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces at Caserta, Italy, 5/1944-11/1944; served with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Air Ministry, London, GB, 11/1944-8/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 11/1939- Reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; story of enlisting with Women's Auxiliary Air Force and recruitment procedure at Royal Air Force Reception Centre at RAF West Drayton, 11/1939; basic training at RAF West Drayton and Leighton Buzzard; story of volunteering for special duties and training as plotter; gas drill training. Recollections of period as plotter and officer with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 11/1939-6/1942: posting to Headquarters, No 13 Group Fighter Command in Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne; description of duties as plotter in operations room; shifts; opinion of food; washing and sanitary facilities; plotting various German Air Force raids; colour code system; attitude to role as plotter; commissioning 1940; recreational activities. REEL 2 Continues: living conditions; shifts; description of further training at Royal Air Force Code and Cypher School at Headington, Oxford, 5/1940; posting to RAF Pembrey, 6/1940; memories of Royal Air Force fighter pilots serving with 92 Sqdn, RAF; duties as section officer and use of codes and cyphers; move to RAF Ballyhalbert, Northern Ireland; description of station and duties; home leave; recreational activities; story of flight in Bristol Beaufighter aircraft. REEL 3 Continues: story of purchasing tropical uniform; embarkation leave in Blackpool, 6/1942. Aspects of voyage from GB to Egypt via South Africa; living conditions and social life aboard ship. Aspects of period as section officer with Women's Auxiliary Air Force in Egypt, 6/1942-11/1943: posting to No 276 Wing, RAF at RAF Heliopolis; question of secrecy; story of finding accommodation; description of operations room; opinion of entertainer George Formby; social life in Cairo; nature of duties with Y Service cyphers. REEL 4 Continues: sightseeing trips in Palestine and Lebanon; problem of illness and hospitalisation. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to No 276 Wing, RAF at Conversano, Italy, 11/1943-3/1944: voyage from Egypt to Italy, 11/1943; posting to No 276 Wing, RAF at Conversano, Italy, 11/1943; duties with Y Service cyphers; accommodation; weather conditions; memories of Mount Vesuvius erupting, 17/3/1944; Aspects of period as officer with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Rear Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces at La Marsa, Tunisia, 3/1944-5/1944: posting to rear headquarters, 3/1944; promotion to flight officer and posting back to Caserta, Italy, 5/1944. Aspects of period as officer with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces at Castera, Italy, 5/1944-11/1944: accommodation; nature of duties; memories of liberation of Rome, Italy, 6/1944; social life; journey from Italy back to GB, 11/1944. Aspects of period with Women's Auxiliary Air Force attached to Air Ministry in London, GB, 11/1944-8/1945: posting to Air Ministry in London; story of finding accommodation in London. REEL 6 Continues: description of VE Day celebrations in London, 8/5/1945; duties at Air Ministry; post-war life and employment.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Miller, Fiona (Recorder)
Lawson, Dorothy Joyce Graham (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2006-02-01
Dimensions: whole: Duration 180, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 28709

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Interview with Dorothy Joyce Graham Lawson

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