Life as a cook in the WAAF 1942-45

Gwendoline Collins (nee Wilkin) D.O.B.19/10/1919. Called up May 1942 into the Womens Royal Air Force as ACW 484131.Demobbed August 1945.
This is written on behalf of our mother of some of her experiences during this time, she became engaged to my father Jack Collins whilst he was a prisoner of war in Germany.
She recalls that when she first got her uniform she visited her grandfather who wondered what the world was coming to - enlisting women soldiers. That was how he saw women in the forces and thought it was dreadful.
Her initial destination was at Insworth Gloucester and was there for only 2-3 weeks before contracting Diphtheria and Vaccine Fever. She was subsequently admitted to hospital for 6weeks before being sent home on convalescent leave for 2-3 weeks.
On her return to Gloucester she was told she should have been discharged from the forces due to health problems but as there was ‘a war on’ she was empowered to stay, although she was prevented from ‘square bashing’.
Mam had served her time in a bakery prior to being called up and a suitable job was eventually found for her in the Officers mess as a cook. During this time she did a cookery course at Melksham and gained promotion passing out as ACW1 .She was then transferred to Thornaby Air Force Camp where she did some special cooking duties for airforce crews suffering from ‘flying fatigue’.
Airforce camps were subject to many bombing raids and mam has related many tales about these ordeals.One particular heavy raid on the airforce base saw her trying to smoke her first and last cigarette which she was offered to help calm her nerves by another WAAF cook called Jo Smith.
She transferred to Grimsby in 1943 again continuing to take exams and becoming L.A.C.W.
After successful bombing raids there was always a party to arrange. Mam was always involved with the cooking for these events and distinguished for her cake decorating skills.
Mams sister Olive volunteered to join WAAF in 1941. During 1943 whilst at Middleton St George she met Bill Gray who was serving in the Canadian airforce and also stationed there. They became engaged and married in July 1944.All leave had been cancelled at that time and mam had to get special leave arranged by Group Captain so she could attend the wedding as she was bridesmaid for Olive.Her father managed to borrow 2 bikes as transport was not good at night and he met her at Durham station then they rode back to Chester-le-Street.The story goes that mam was so tired by the time she got home that she fell asleep on the bike and rode straight into the dustbin ending up with torn stockings and bruises on her legs.The wedding went well although the shoes mam had managed to get were a bit on the tight side and she hobbled through the day.
Olive went to Canada in 1946 as a war bride and lived in Saskatoon with Bill until she died in 1984; she had 2 daughters Judith and Jennifer.
Mam was eventually posted to Damhead Hall in Manchester where she got special leave to be married as our father had returned from P.O.W. camp at the end of the war. They were married on 20th June 1945 and mam was eventually demobbed in August 1945. Compiled by daughters

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