August 1942- December 1945

During most of my time in the WAAF, I kept a diary of domestic and non-technical events. The period Sept 1942- Jan 1944 covers "square bashing" at Morecombe, a period of Anglesey CH (Chain Home) Station while awaiting a radar course, training at Yatesbury and then life at Prestatyn CHL (Chain Home Low) Station.

In August 1942 I was called to the RAF camp at Bridgeworth where with 100's of new recruits I was kitted out etc. After a few days we were all sent to Morecombe for initial training, square bashing and innoculations etc.

When I applied to join the WAAF I applied as a "Clerk SD" as plotters were known but before leaving Morecombe and after various tests I was told I was to be trained as a RDF operator- a quite unknown trade to me. We were at Morecombe much longer than other recruits and rumour had it that our family backgrounds were being investigated.

WAAF RDF recruits were usually sent from their initial training direct to Cramwell or Yatesbury for radar courses. However in late 1942 there were more recruits than training places and we went to radar stations for pre-course experience. I went to Wylfa for six weeks and was attached to a normal watch, and learnt a lot about the background to basic radar, plotting and general "genie bashing". The camp was on a beautiful part of the north West Coast of Anglesea and guarded by elderly Welsh fusiliers. On Tuesday Nov. 26th 1942 I was posted to Yatesbury in Wiltshire for my radar course.