"I have done a little more work this week - okay no wise cracks - but the WAAF do work occasionally but up in forties section they really are hard at work"
This letter is from my grandmother, Patricia Harvey, writing to her then boyfriend George, my grandfather. He was serving in the Royal Navy on board H.M.S Queen Elizabeth.
The letter is dated 7.11.45. My grandmother was serving in the WAAF at Brighton. She wrote almost daily letters, of which I have many of them.
This letter talks about her work, Australians leaving England, hopes of not being posted anywhere new. Going to the pictures, asks George about being ‘the duty ship’ and longing for his leave to be granted for Christmas.
Below is a letter writen by an Australian airman on his way back home, on Australian Red Cross Society paper, date 23rd Aug 1945, H.M. Orion AT SEA
He writes to my grandmother who was a colleague about his trip so far. The sun, P.T, and lack of alcohol. He describes arriving at Panama and not being allowed off the wharf, although the yanks put on ‘a good turn’.
He talks about making a bee line for the land where his sweetheart dwells, his future there. He mentions VJ day and the celebrations that happened in Brighton (that’s where they were based) and asks if my grandmother took part.
Finally, below is a letter addressed to the editor of the Melbourne Herald. Dated 10 June 1944
It’s an article written about my grandmother Patricia Harvey and is titled ‘Typical English Girl’ It is a brief interview of my grandmothers life serving in the WAAF.
All were found amongst my grandmother papers after she passed away.
Transcript:
[Letter 1]
Brighton, Sussex
My Darling George,
Well & how is my better half today. I do hope that you are well, myself, I feel fine, & in a very good frame of mind, may be its the thoughts of pay day tomorrow, & I feel I have earned it to, for I have done a little more work this week, okay no wise cracks, but the WAAF do work occasonly, but up in Forties section they really are hard at work, still after this week there wont be many Aussies left in England, so then our work will come to an end, but as I wrote & told you yesterday darling, we are all up for posting, still I am hoping that I will still be able to stay on this unit till after Christmas.
Last night Gertie & I went to the pictures & saw a really lovely film & really I would love to see it over again it was "The Seventh Veil" with Ann Todd & James Mason, really dear it is well worth seeing, we waited in the queue for a few hours, but I would willingly have waited twice as long to have seen it, still it should be at Campbeltown by about the end of 1950 shouldn't it.
Well how's the football league now dear....
[Letter 2 on Australian Red Cross Society headed paper]
23rd August, 1945
Hello Pat dear,
Way, way-a-way on the ocean, surrounded by a few gallons of water and being nicely burnt by a tropic sun, I've just found time to apologize for not having left a last good-bye at Brighton, but when I did go to look for you, I couldn't find you and then after that I went and got full and spent the rest of the time getting baggage and Hanrahan onto the train. Probably Gordon told you all this, so I won't enlarge on it. We're having a quiet trip, no grog, but bags of fresh air and sun, and a bit of P.T., so we're getting nice and fit and it looks like being God help the publicans and the girls when this crowd his port. We got off at Panama, but were not allowed off the wharf. The Yanks put on quite a good turn for us though. Tons of cigarettes and cigars, ice cream, Coca-Cola, candy pictures and a hot swing band, but unfortunately no grog. They had a regiment of M.P's there too. Abit frightened of the boys, I'd say.
Now we're making a bee line for the land where my sweetheart dwells, and it looks as if I'll be joining the ranks of the benedicts, if I'm there long enough. At least that it looks like. I'm not too anxious, but my girl friend seems to think there's quite a future in the business,so what can I do. She's hen-pecking me already. Still if it's good enough for Scott, why not me. Now, my darling, it shouldn't be long before you will be able to get out and have a trip to the Sunny South. The Japs have had their time and pretty soon things should improve. You'll be able to wear pretty frocks again, and forget about serial numbers and prisoners of wars and sprogues, pestering you to sew this on and that on. Also fellows always calling you "Darling" and fondling you while you were trying to do your work. Remember him?
How's the Boss? I hope he's still dancing and not having any trouble with his various love affairs, well, not much anyway. Tiny, Terry, Digger and Scotty are all well, and Scott is making all necessary arrangements for the reception of his bride in her new home. He's still in love, he reckons, and appears to have no fears about his little wife's faithfulness. Good thing. Hanrahan has lost all his wrinkles, since being off the grog and looks quite handsome. Tiny, of course, has a cabin of his own which we all hammer to death, and he's inclined to get a bit hostile when he tried to get in and find all the boys in there sprawled over the bed and taking possession of the place. How would he be, forgetting to share with the boys.
I hope Mary, Tich and Betty are thriving these days and not breaking too many Australian hearts. Did you take part in the damage and desolation we heard about on V.J. day in Brighton. I'll bet the boys really went to town. We had to get by on lemonade and ginger ale, although we did manage to find one bottle of whiskey, kindly donated by one of the boys. Still there's a long way to go yet, and plenty of days to celebrate.
I'll leave you now, Pat, as the stomach's yelling for fuel and these days at sea make you really hungry. My love to you, darling, I can't be smacked from here for saying these things, kind regards to all the girls and Gordon.
Your old friend
[Typed document - Canadian Legion War Services]
Today I spoke to a laughing eyed member of the W.A.A.F. She was L.A.C.W (Leading Aircraftwoman) Pat Harvey, a brown eyed, brown haired typical English girl. This young lady has been in the service for quite some time and is fully qualified to give her views on the life she has lived since joining the W.A.A.F. and compare it with her civilian life, or as she herself puts it, her days in "Civvy Street". "My first thoughts of the air force were good and rosy" said Pat, "but it was not long before my ideas were changed and I began to wish I was back at home, for during those first few weeks I was subjected to many things unused to me. To have a corporal or a sergeant tell me what to do and when to do it was something I was unaccustomed to and I shed lots of tears.
Soon that was all over and I looked upon myself as one of the integral parts of the R.A.F. doing my job as stores clerk. Now as I look back I think of the fun and jovialty that has come my way and realize that it has been worth it although I should now like to be back in "Civvy Street".
I questionned Pat and asked her what type of books she read and found her reply to be that of a level headed girl, her preference in literature being books like Brontes Jane Eyre, and those books which have a deeper meaning that True Love Stories.
The word love started a thought running through my mind and I asked her if she preferred the company of men or other girls and was quite surprised at the answer I got. "I'd rather go out with my sister or sit at home with Mum", said Pat and I found she really meant it. Her sister too is in the W.A.A.F's and they therefore have much in common though both are engaged in different types of work.
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