Sitting by her window

A story of an unsung war hero

Sitting in the window 2

12 October 2020

11:11

She was sitting in her window, Watching the world pass by,

Children on their way to school, Ladies setting out for the shops.
 People beginning a new day

 

She had her scrap book on the table in front of her, she was about to open it.

 

There was a knock on the door. She heard the key in the lock. It would be her carer  making her first of the days visits,

"How are you today Elaine?

 

"Oh I am fine, I was just going to look through an old scrap book, bringing back memories of times past"

"Would you let me look through with you, I like to hear what my clients have done in the past, but so many rely on their memories, but, sadly! for many the memories have faded over time"

 

Here we are then.

Me at boarding school, it was a convent; the head nun was a tyrant, cane for the least thing, talking, looking out the window at the flowers; still; we got over it.

Daddy got me a job in an office in Westminster, I had to move to London.

 

Hear we are, on a night out with the girls,

We were 'wild' they said; parties and dances.

They used to ask me to some grand balls; As soon as we got thought the door 'will you dance with me Miss Elaine'

Then they took me to the races, meeting the jockeys, trainers and owners,

We went to Silverstone.

Here look me with Achille Varzi and here with the German Rudolf Caracalla, at a car race somewhere;

Now where were the taken? it will come back when you leave;

I had a go at car racing.

I drove at La Mans in the twenty four hour race partnered with Doreen Evans the top British lady driver. Look at these from the magazines.

 

All that stopped when the war broke out
 I wanted to do something to help the boys.

I Joined the NAFFI, not many girls could drive in those days.

I had to learn mechanics to see to the engine 

I was given a mobile tea van, serving tea, sandwiches and cakes all over the place.

I was on a fighter station. Church Fenton, between Hull and Leeds; some times the boys only had time for a drink and they had been re-fuelled and re-armed  and they were off again; it was the Battle of Britain, of course we didn't call it that then.

 

Winston  Churchill the Prime Minister came to see them off one day; I asked him for his two pence, one of the officers handed over the two pence "Don't you know who that is? He asked me  "Well the boys have to pay so why cant he"

 

Another officer, a Wing Commander saw what happened

"Are you that racing driver girl?

 "Yes, sir"

"I have a job more suited to you it flying aircraft from the factory to the squadrons, we are short of girl pilots, the boys are needed on the squadrons, they will teach you to fly in one week its the Air Transport Auxiliary ATA,

We flew Spitfires and Hurricanes all over the country

 

One time I was attacked by two German fighters.

Well they didn't get to attack me

Air traffic Control called me;

 

I was going to Biggin Hill with a Spitfire, I had no armaments fitted, they did that at the squadrons.

I just had a radio, the controller said

'You are being approached by two enemy air craft, climb to ten thousand feet, we are sending out two Spitfires to intercept them.

 

A Spitfire pulled along side and waved, he pointed up

There I saw three more Spitfires

I waved back

All I could do was to keep flying towards Biggin Hill; It seemed like hours

 

One of the Spitfire came alongside, he waved and gave the thumbs up

He gave another wave, then moved in front of me, waved his wings, for me to follow

 

He took me right to Biggin Hill He flew over the runway

Leaving it for me to land

I followed the instructions from Air Traffic Control to an hanger

Where I was met by the Station CO; they took me to the Officers mess

That night they gave me a Station Plaque.

That is it on my sideboard

 

After the war I wanted some excitement.

We formed a flying circus

We took that onto the continent France, Italy, Spain, Portugal.

Then got a more steady job as a tour guide.

I moved into the office when the travelling became to tiring.

 

"You have had an exciting life. Has anyone ever offered to write it down and publish it,/ because we could get a writer for you,

I would stay here with you as they worked here"

 

"I don’t want my papers to leave me. Can I think about it, it would be nice to leave for my grand children. They like the stories"                 

"Of course you can,: I have to go now, I am going to be late for my next client, see you later"

 

Wild Rose

Oct 2020