From Joyce Dobbie.
AS an ex-wartime WAAF, the widow of a regular airman, and a member of the committee of the Jersey branch of the RAFA, I felt I must comment on the views expressed by the unnamed female writer who was quoted by Meridian (JEP, 16 September).

Perhaps the most shocking remark was: ‘There are many more deserving causes Jersey could be supporting.’ Has she no idea what that money is used for?

Wars are still going on. Service personnel are still being killed or are suffering from wounds which leave them unable to work or live normal lives. Families are still suffering the misery of that terrible communication which tells them of the death or disablement of a loved one. Her ignorance and lack of imagination shocks me.

Though I was never in the front line on active service, I was, as a WAAF wireless operator, posted to London, to the HQ for the planned invasion of Europe, listening out for the first signals from our troops to let us know that they had managed to make a successful landing in France. It was D-Day, which was the beginning of the end of the war.

While there, I experienced the horror of the deadly V-bombs (doodlebugs or pilotless planes, as they were variously described in the newspapers) which came over, falling and exploding haphazardly wherever their engines stopped. Undoubtedly the Germans knew of our existence, as there were several near misses but, fortunately, no hits.

The deadliness of these things was that because there was no real aim, they were just as likely to hit a school or a church or a hospital and kill many children or civilians – but never the building they were aiming at, the one from which the invasion process was being controlled.

When the immediate invasion process was over I requested a posting to a station to which the wounded troops were being flown back, so that their injuries could be diagnosed by a resident doctor. This then enabled them to be sent to a hospital in Swindon or Oxford, where a specialist for those wounds would be available.

As there was only one doctor and no nurses at this station, WAAFs were asked to volunteer to assist the doctors, as they felt it would comfort the men somewhat to have some female presence around to talk to them.

It was harrowing, but we were given strict instructions that under no circumstances were we to cry. ‘If you’re going to weep you are no good to me and you won’t be helping the men,’ the surgeon said to me. I shed no tears – not then.

Sadly, British servicemen and women are still being wounded and are dying. So this lady thinks there are more deserving causes? She hasn’t got a clue.
31 Miladi Farm,
Longueville,
St Saviour.