Wings Over Wick
1939 - 1945
Women At War

Vi Mitchell, Dundee
I was a member of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force commonly known as the WAAFs and I served at RAF Station Wick from l944-1946. In fact, I began to think they had forgotten about me, leaving me at Wick for so long. I was very happy there, (well as happy as one could be away from home, in wartime). I was a Wireless Operator, and worked in the Signals Section. This was quite a large building, housing the Wireless Section, the Teleprinter Section and Operations Room where they plotted the Aircraft, PBX (telephone exchange) and Met Office, so a large number of personnel worked there, right round the clock as it was manned 24 hours a day.

I met my husband at Wick, he came from Dundee like myself but it was at Wick I met him, he was a Teleprinter Operator. All the airmen from Signals Section were in Hut 16, the WAAFs were in houses, which were called married quarters. There were three girls in the downstairs room, three upstairs and a Corporal or Sergeant in the small room. She was in charge of the girls, and had to report any misbehaviour. We shared a kitchen and bathroom, and had strict rotas. We got a ration of coal to put on a fire to heat water, so between seven girls it had to be rationed.

The billets had to be kept clean and we had a domestic night once a week, when all WAAFs were confined to camp to clean and polish. We had to polish our brass buttons and cap badge, and woe betide any WAAF who had dingy buttons, if an Officer spotted her. We had to salute all officers both WAAF and RAF either on the Station or outside in the town itself.

I only remember the good times at Wick, I've forgotten all the cold dreary days when I wondered if I'd ever get home again. I remember the Pavilion Picture House, the Rifle Hall where we danced, the County Cafe and Mrs Lyall's Chip Shop where we enjoyed fish and chips, and the odd egg she put on our plate, when she had them.