Wings Over Wick
1939 - 1945
Civilians

Mr John Miller, Wick
My father worked for the Air Ministry at the drome during the war. He looked after the boilers so the RAF people used to dry their clothes with him. When a pilot had to be wakened to go off somewhere, two of them had to waken him. When my father went into the billet there would be a towel hanging over the end of the bed so they'd know whom to waken. The airmen had to sign a book to show they had been wakened.

This young pilot my father woke up asked "What like a day is it?". My father said that it was a dirty morning, pouring with rain. The young fellow said "There's a bottle of whisky there, take a drink for yourselves." After they did that the young chap said "Take it with you because there's no way I'll be coming back to get it". He told my father and his friend that wherever they had to go, although he wasn't allowed to say exactly where, he had to swoop low and coming back up there would be too much fire power aimed at him for him to make it back. My father watched to see, and that young boy was right, he didn't come back.

We stayed very close to the drome. There was a sentry box and at night you could hardly get to sleep for the sentry shouting, "Halt. Who goes there? Friend or Foe?". The chap would shout "Friend" and then the sentry shouted "Advance Friend and be Recognised". As a young boy we used to get to the Christmas parties held in the cinema at the drome, they were first class parties organised by the RAF. On the way out, at the door, you got a bag of something each.