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Alma Leedham's memoir
Tells of early life in London, joining the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 and training as a driver. Relates experiences at RAF Scampton and then with 57 Squadron as a tractor driver pulling bomb trolleys. Subsequently went to East Kirkby.…
Interview with Jean Smith
Jean Smith worked as a clerk in the aircraft manufacturing industry before the war and later served as a secretary in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served at 27 Operational Training Unit at RAF Lichfield.
Transcript of interview with Allan Edgar
The memoirs were recorded in 1980 at a reunion at Sudbrooke.
He starts by describing crewing up at Silverstone. His opinion of the Stirling was that it was awful on the ground and in the air.
His first operation was a second 'dickie' (an observer)…
He starts by describing crewing up at Silverstone. His opinion of the Stirling was that it was awful on the ground and in the air.
His first operation was a second 'dickie' (an observer)…
Interview with Bessie Birkby
Bessie Birkby grew up in Sheffield and volunteered for the Women’s Auxilliary Air Force in 1942. She first worked in Balloon Command in Scotland and then trained to be a driver in North Wales. She was then posted to 625 Squadron at RAF Binbrook but…
Interview with Betty Greenwood
Betty Greenwood was born in 1926 in Belton, Lancashire; she attended Princess Mary high school was and privately educated in Paris but returned due to the threat of war. At sixteen she was offered various jobs but decided to join the Royal Observer…
Interview with Margaret Habberfield
Margaret Habberfield was born in 1923. At sixteen she joined the Royal Air Force after giving her age as eighteen. She began her six-week general training at Harrogate and was billeted with around 20 other girls. Margaret was then posted to RAF…
Interview with Sylvia Trapp
Sylvia Trapp remembers serving in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force during the war. Describes her training in various stations and her duties as a wireless operator, service life and leisure time at Waddington, how she met her future husband, a…
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front a squad of women wearing kilts, jackets and beret. Leader carries a RAF ensign. Inside seasons greetings from the WAAF Association.
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front women in Women's Auxiliary Air Force uniform and others with kilts and jackets around a shield with air force symbol and other text. On the inside seasons greetings from the WAAF Association.
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front artwork with a group of Women's Auxiliary Air Force members watching a four engine bomber flying past over a control tower. On the inside season's greetings from the WAAF Association.
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front artwork showing at bottom two elderly ladies on a sofa with coffee table and Christmas tree. Thinking bubbles lead upwards to a crowd of women in uniform round a piano. On the inside left a WAAF Association badge and text 'Our thanks go…
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front coloured artwork depicting a group wearing Women's Auxiliary Air Force uniform with a number of large white sacks, One woman second from left is reading a letter. In the background a railway porter and other people. Captioned 'WAAF…
WAAF Association Christmas card
On the front artwork showing women dressed in various uniform including cooks round a kitchen table covered with cakes and utensils, Text 'Merry Christmas. Signed Betty M Turner. On the inside top text 'Our thanks go to member Betty Turner for…
A poem to Billy
A poem sent to Betty Turner's friend Billy to celebrate their 80th. Betty describes the wartime hardships she endured, hint at the bereavement after the loss of the men she loved, stresses the sense of duty toward her country, friendship and…
This is why I joined the RAF
A poem written in December 1942 after her first love was shot down over France. After his death Betty resolved to join the Royal Air Force and became a wireless operator. According to a note, she later found out that some of what she wrote down went…
Was it all a Dream
Bill Bailey's wartime memoirs, from enlistment, training in UK and Canada and detail of each of 31 operation in Bomber Command. After completion of his tour he was transferred to Lossiemouth to train Free French aircrew. After successful progress he…
Interview with Margaret Cuthill
Margaret Cuthill volunteered for the WAAF in Edinburgh. She went for her basic training at Wilmslow before completing her training as a teleprinter operator at RAF Cranwell. She was then posted initially to 14 Maintenance Unit. After the war she…
Interview with Joy Joy. One
Joy Joy was evacuated from Hull at the start of the war. She returned home for Christmas. She was again evacuated as the bombings began. She took responsibility for her younger sister although she was only six years old herself and she says that from…
Letter from Charles Turner to his Mother and family
In the letter he complains that his mother hasn't written to him, he misses mild beer, tripe and black pudding. He describes going out for drinks with a WAAF and meeting South African air force pilots and more girls, then they all went for dinner and…
Interview with Elizabeth Eady
Elizabeth Eady grew up in Leicestershire and worked in a factory manufacturing parachutes before she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. After her training, she served as a telephonist at RAF Skellingthorpe and RAF Waddington. She was discharged…
Interview with Frances Anne Cooper
Frances Anne Cooper was born in Uganda but her family returned to England when she was six. She attended school in Suffolk during the war. She joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force after the war.
Interview with Alan Payne
Alan Payne was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. He volunteered for aircrew with the Royal Air Force and after initial training was sent to South Africa where he trained as an observer. When he returned to the UK, he was allocated the role of bomb…
Interview with Charles and Margaret Ward
In 1940 when Charles was twenty he received papers to join the Royal Artillery and went into the Royal London Rifles. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and was accepted but instead of joining the RAF he was ordered up to Scotland to join a…
Interview with Rusty Waughman. Two
Russell (Rusty) Waughman was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. Due to serious poor health as a child his education was interrupted. He describes his training with the Empire Training School in Canada. He was posted to 101 Squadron which was a…
Interview with Mary Ward. One
Mary Ward grew up in Bloxham. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940 and was posted to RAF Driffield, on general duties in the officers’ mess. She describes a German daylight attack on RAF Driffield on the 15 August 1940 and the…