Audrey was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942 electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. After her kitting out at RAF Innesworth she did some basic training at RAF Morecambe, then posted to RAF Lindholme and eventually to RAF Waddington where she worked as an administrator in the officer's mess. At that time there were four squadrons on the station: 9, 44, 463 and 467 Squadrons.
Audrey's duties in the officer's mess included checking the crews against the battle orders to ensure only crews flying that night got the special pre-flight meal and waiting on tables for VIP dinners, including Wing Commander Nettleton VC. She describes her friendships with the other staff and especially with bomber crews, mostly nice and respectful. Audrey and others would gather on the perimeter track to see them off. She and many others were billeted in a beautiful old building, known as "The Waafery”. Audrey describes her busy social life, dancing at many venues and winning jitterbug competitions. Remembers being called ‘belle gambe’ [beautiful legs] by Italian prisoners of war.
Audrey also describes the events of one night when an enemy fighter followed the aircraft home and strafed the airfield, hitting the incendiary dump, which exploded.
After the war, Audrey eventually worked for the local authority’s adoption service after the tragic death of her husband at a young age.]]>
Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Andy Fitter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1942-12-15]]> 1945-08]]>
Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Egypt]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Libya]]> Malta]]> Tunisia]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Egypt--Marsá Maṭrūḥ]]> Egypt--Suez Canal]]> England--Derbyshire]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--West Midlands]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Italy--Catania]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Paternò]]> Italy--Sardinia]]> Italy--Sicily]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> Tunisia--Bizerte]]> Tunisia--La Goulette]]> Tunisia--Mareth Line]]> Tunisia--Qābis]]> Tunisia--Sfax]]> Tunisia--Sūsah]]> Tunisia--Tunis]]> Egypt--Kibrit]]> North Africa]]> Egypt--Fukah]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942-08-07]]> 1942-08-09]]> 1942-10-27]]> 1942-10-28]]> 1942-11-01]]> 1942-11-02]]> 1942-11-03]]> 1942-11-12]]> 1942-11-13]]> 1942-11-14]]> 1942-11-19]]> 1942-11-20]]> 1942-11-22]]> 1942-11-23]]> 1942-11-24]]> 1942-11-26]]> 1942-11-27]]> 1942-11-29]]> 1942-11-30]]> 1942-12-01]]> 1942-12-03]]> 1942-12-04]]> 1942-12-05]]> 1942-12-06]]> 1942-12-09]]> 1942-12-10]]> 1942-12-12]]> 1942-12-13]]> 1942-12-14]]> 1942-12-15]]> 1942-12-16]]> 1942-12-17]]> 1942-12-18]]> 1942-12-19]]> 1942-12-21]]> 1942-12-22]]> 1942-12-25]]> 1942-12-26]]> 1942-12-27]]> 1942-12-28]]> 1942-12-31]]> 1943-01-01]]> 1943-01-02]]> 1943-01-03]]> 1943-01-05]]> 1943-01-06]]> 1943-01-07]]> 1943-01-08]]> 1943-01-09]]> 1943-01-10]]> 1943-01-12]]> 1943-01-13]]> 1943-01-14]]> 1943-01-15]]> 1943-01-18]]> 1943-01-19]]> 1943-02-24]]> 1943-02-25]]> 1943-02-26]]> 1943-02-27]]> 1943-03-02]]> 1943-03-03]]> 1943-03-11]]> 1943-03-12]]> 1943-03-20]]> 1943-03-21]]> 1943-03-22]]> 1943-03-23]]> 1943-03-24]]> 1943-03-25]]> 1943-03-26]]> 1943-03-27]]> 1943-03-30]]> 1943-03-31]]> 1943-04-04]]> 1943-04-05]]> 1944]]> A R Witty]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Hull]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--East London]]> 1942-12-15]]> John Ross Mckenzie Valentine]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anita Raine]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Poland]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> 1942-12-15]]> Boyer G H]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> British Army]]> Great Britain]]> England--Kent]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Warrington]]> England--Cheshire]]> 1942-12-15]]>