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Editor's Note ... with acknowledgment to Evelyn Bovett, now Hutchins, formerly of Dunedin and now of Wellington, New Zealand, and W4649 E.S. Donaldson, formerly of Taieri, now of Invercargill.This article depicts life in the WAAF Transport unit where Alice Reeves was based during World War II.Transport in the air force was a man sized job for the WAAF, though it was often carried out by petite girls such as Dolly Clark of Hobsonville. In the early 1940's cars and trucks were antiquated by today's standards, though it is interesting to note that they still go like a bomb in vintage car parades. There were no two car families then, and in those families with cars, Dad was usually the only driver and mother and children the passengers. The roads were, perhaps, relatively safer then, too. As the labour shortage became increasingly acute in the first years of war, girls everywhere were seen driving farm tractors and trucks. It was this experience that ensured many WAAF recruits were drafted into Transport. One male officer was heard to enthuse about a girl at Ohakea who could manage a truck 'as good as any man' - it was none other than Ruby Hughes from a farm in the Bay of Plenty. RNZAF Taieri was unique in that it instituted WAAF transport involvement in night flying exercises. This came about because an engineer officer, formerly with the RAF believed that if women entered the service for a man's job, then they should do it! It was hard, dirty work, and bitterly cold, with average frosts of 20 degrees. Morning parade of the hangar flight was at 0730 hours. This group included fabric workers, parachute packers, ('Once you begin checking and packing a parachute you do not leave it until you finish ... each cord must be checked and there must be no room left for doubt. The parachute must open and you must be certain that it will open.'), time keepers, equipment assistants, painters, flight clerks and WAAF ACHs. Some of the team became so proficient that they earned the respect of the airmen, NCO's and mechanics. About 20 young women made up the flight. Later the NCO engineer who had instituted the flight and who did not seem to care very much about women in the service, decided to take over the morning drill from the NCO, and before he was posted away from Taieri, was referring to them proudly as 'my girls'! Night flying duty for the Taieri WAAF's consisted of manning either the ambulance or the open deck flare path truck. During the cold hours, the women, well clad in great coats, battle dress and flying boots, stayed in these two vehicles, parked on the tarmac alongside the fire engine. The engines had to be started up and run periodically so that they would be at the ready. Routine jobs were carried out in the different sections of the hangar. The ground crew on the flare path was made up of one male NCO, two WAAF's and two airmen. They would be relieved from their normal duties at 1600 hours, have early tea, collect extra heavy clothing from the stores, and report back at 1700 hours. They would then proceed to load onto an open truck all the necessary lights and equipment to be placed at strategic points around the perimeter of the airfield and along the flare path itself. Once the actual flying commenced, the ground crew took up a position at the head of the runway, to bring the Tiger Moths safely back to the starting point as they landed. Each member of the crew took his or her turn at this very responsible job which involved running to a position wide of the flare path and clear of all other planes returning for the next take off. One of them had to signal with a high-powered torch in sweeping circular movements, gradually decreasing the circumference of the circles as the plane taxied up to the line up point. Each signaller was very much aware that, once off the flare path, the pilot relied solely on that moving light in the pitch blackness. It was impossible not to share the nerve tingling anxiety of the instructor when a pupil took off on his first night solo, and the tremendous satisfaction when a successful landing was made. Once a pupil was reported overshooting the runway several times with a low fuel tank. Eventually a perfect landing was made, but those on the ground had been up there with the young man and the instructor had talked to his pupil as if he were in the plane with him. It had been an anxious moment, but at 2100 hours it was off for a meal, and on with the show! Flying sometimes continued until 0200 hours and the ground crew found themselves back in barracks exhausted - they could however ignore the 0630 alarm and sleep for 8 long hours! In spite of the lengthy stretches of duty there was never a complaint, although there was always a sigh of relief when the green flares went up, signalling the cessation of flying. The red flare, on the other hand, could provide worrying moments on the tarmac, as occasionally flying would be washed out because of the weather. Clearing the flare path required great skill on the part of both driver and ground crew. The truck was driven in a zig zag fashion down the length of the runway with the duty hangar crew leaning over the sides scooping up the flares along the way. Sometimes the long goose-necked gadgets singed the truck, and fumes and black smoke caused choking. During normal flying hours at Taieri, a Tiger Moth once landed on top of a second Tiger Moth waiting to take off. Ambulance and fire engines were quickly on the scene and neither instructor nor trainees were seriously injured. The 'double deckered' Moths had to be disentangled and they were then sprayed with foam giving them the appearance of a frosted, tiered cake glistening in the sunshine! Sometimes the Tiger Moths were forced to land in a farmer's paddock, which necessitated quick thinking on the part of transport as to how to reach the scene in the fastest possible time. There would frequently be a gusty wind blowing on the airfield and the hangar crew would have to turn out in force to tie down the fragile Moths - the aerodrome often seemed to be alive with 'hovering Moths'. WAAF transport drivers taxied officers, delivered material, drove ambulances, met recruits, catalogued equipment, and were on call for all types of transport that might be requested. Working under a Transport Officer, they were mobile 24 hours a day, which involved shift work and rosters. The women also had to be efficient in the area of motor maintenance, with a knowledge of vehicle parts and the ability to replace what were sometimes very big tyres in the event of a blowout. In the cold winter months on the South Island Stations, a 'jolly good double' is remembered as the best way to get warm. Another memory is the time when an MT van taking a group of 'living off' WAAF's from Dunedin to Taieri capsized en route in treacherous icy conditions. The same fate almost befell the rescue ambulance which slithered on an icy bend close to the stricken van, stopping within inches of a steep bank. The WAAF personnel emerged from the van, frightened but unhurt. Periodically air raid sirens would alert the transport at Taieri and drivers would rush to their stations. On one occasion, the driver who had to man the ambulance was intercepted by none other than the CO, running, and she was told to quickly get to the Medical Section, pick up the MO and the Orderly, and drive! Apparently a Unioin Airways Electra had been forced to land in low cloud and drizzle somewhere on the Otago Peninsula. When they reached Flagstaff Hill high above the aerodrome they were informed by an Army motor cyclist that the plane had come down somewhere near the fever hospital. After a race through Dunedin, however, it was found that the hospital had reported no unusual sounds. So it was back to Flagstaff Hill where a second army scout advised them that the Electra was believed to be 'somewhere on this hill'. The WAAF driver negotiated a difficult turn and headed back along the Taieri road, joined by 2 army vehicles. Alerted finally by Air Force personnel, they were told that the aircraft was on the hill above, but there was no hope of driving an ambulance up that goat track. So, in drizzle, the group set off on foot through bright yellow prickly gorse. Halfway up the hill they met a disturbed man in torn clothing, and all they could get out of him was 'I'm finished with flying'. The next passenger encountered further on was more rational and able to tell them that the Electra was lying on its belly with the port wing bent and the engine torn away. Then it was not long before the chaotic scene was reached. The Kuaka was lying in scrub near the flagstaff summit. The starboard engine had caught fire but had been quickly extinguished by a member of the crew. The ten passengers and crew were badly shaken but uninjured and the Transport section conveyed them to Dunedin hospital. And all this on a normal siren raid day when the CO was found running! Editor's Note ... excerpt from the WAAF Magazine, an article by Evelyn Bovett, now Hutchins, formerly of Dunedin and now of Wellington, New Zealand, and W4649 E.S. Donaldson, formerly of Taieri, now of Invercargill. |
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