A Nightingale Sang

A Nightingale Sang Chapter Four

Chapter Four Blood, Sweat, Toil and Tears.

The bus stop was just outside the camp; Margaret looked around her, as she waited for the bus. Spring flowers showed their bright colours as if defiantly saying 'War! What war?' Where had the past two months gone? They had rushed by in a haze of activity. Margaret had never been so busy or worked so hard.

The first of her WAAFS had arrived, she smiled at the thought, 'Her WAAFS, when had she become so maternal? That is how she had thought of them from the time arrived at the base. Like a mother she had dried their tears on those first painful days away from home. Margaret, a veteran of boarding school and university, knew only too well what home sickness was like, especially in the early days. It was funny how the first impressions had been so wrong. They had arrived in the back of a truck, as diverse a group of women as Margaret had ever seen. They came from all sorts of backgrounds; some were dressed in furs, other rags. Some used language that would make a sailor blush; others had accents like cut glass. Many looked pale from the journey and some had that greenish tinge that indicated that the person had been sick. All had been terrified when a Spitfire shot across the base, so scared that they had dropped to the floor with their arms over their heads.

How heads had turned as they had walked across the parade ground towards the distance huts, some of the woman had flirted outrageously with the ground crew, their civilian clothes leaving little to the imagination. Wolf whistles had split the air and the women's behaviour had earned a tongue lashing from Flight Lieutenant Thornton. Where, he wanted know, were the women's uniforms, when she explained that they had not yet arrived he shook his head in despair and ordered all the woman to wear plain skirts cardigans and sensible shoes. The problem was many of them did not have those things, and it had embarrassed them and her to explain this to him. She had pointed out coldly not everybody was born in the lap of luxury and if the WAAFS' appearance offended him then he would have to look away. She had, when the women were alone spoke to then about how they must behave.

"Some people are waiting for us to fail we must not let that happen. We have to show those airmen how valuable we are to the air force. I expect you to conduct yourself in circumspect manner." She informed them

"Strewth though, did you see that Officers face when you told him off? Not often a Shelia puts one over on him I'm sure. I like to see a fella put in his place, good on you."

The other woman laughed.

Margaret looked at the young woman who had spoke in such a strange accent.

"What is your name and where are you from?"

" Bessie Higgins, miss and I am from Darwin in Australia. I came over with my Dad to do my bit for the old country."

"Well Higgins. You will need to curb your forth right manner or it will get you into trouble and the correct form of address for me is Ma'am." Lord she had sounded prim.

The first month the woman had spent completing basic training. Shouting and square bashing as Margaret had called it. Margaret could smile now at the appalling first attempts at marching in all manner of clothing and high heels. It was three weeks before any uniform arrived and Group Captain Bell confined the women to camp, saying that they would bring the air force in to disrepute if they left the camp dressed as they were.

Her dealings with John Thornton had become frosty, the men on the camp treated the women with contempt most of the time, belittling them and being incredibly unhelpful and it appeared to her, that he did nothing to improve the situation. They had crossed swords on several occasions about the treatment of her WAAFs by men on the camp. Group Captain Bell was even worse refusing to consider allowing the woman to do more than cooking and admin even though some clearly had skills that could be used in other areas. She had been particularly annoyed when Flight Lieutenant Thornton had suggested that she get her feet through the door properly before pushing Bell to hard.