Night duty Waltham

Night duty Waltham

Gives description of duties and work of R/T operators in flying control at RAF Waltham (Grimsby). Mentions taking notes of all transmissions, giving directional help to pilots and having to divert aircraft due to bad weather.

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MReidK473650-180123-15

Night Duty Waltham.

There were only 4 R/T Operators at Waltham, working day and night Shifts in Flying Control. On the Bombing raids, two girls were on duty, one to take notes in abbreviated English of every word spoken from the Aircrew and from us to the Aircrew. The other girl would listen out for the Pilot needing help or direction and, with the approval of the officer in charge, would quickly help him. The Flying Control room was considered to be the equivalent of the bridge of a ship, with the Staff having the responsibility for all planes flying from and to or over the Airfield. On Operation nights if visibility was bad, as it often was in a Lincolnshire Winter, thick fogs enwrapped the area for miles around and we had to divert the planes on their return to [inserted] other [/inserted] Airdromes that were clear, this was problem for the aircrew if they were short of fuel, as was often the case.