Sarah told her story on the BBC Wales Bus. The following is a transcription based on the interview.

I was about 20 when I went into the Air force. I did my training then I went to Blackpool where I did my driving training. Following that I went to Ringway (it's Manchester Airport now) where they trained paratroopers, helicopter pilots, etc. All sorts of training went on there and I got involved with that. Some horrific things happened there; some things that I'll never forget.

In Ringway we used to take pilots out to the runways and watch them taking off. We were billeted in council houses on the outskirts of Weeton. There were nice times there but there were some very bad and very, very sad times so many accidents with planes, crashing, paratroopers loosing their lives. It was really horrifying.

Then I was posted up to North Wales to do heavy vehicle training. I passed that then I came back to Ringway and did heavy vehicles there - I was at Ringway for quite some time. We had men drivers and WRAF drivers. In Newcastle there were quite a lot of women drivers. You never slept well if you were in operational places like Ringway or Newcastle. I think it was more soul-destroying in Manchester because you made friends and perhaps the next day they'd be gone.
We were like ships in the night, here today gone tomorrow, we'd be posted to different places - it was interesting but I don't think I'd like to see my children go through that.

Lots of accidents happened there. I think everybody felt sad at some time or another, but we had to put it behind us and get on with things.

We did have nice times. We used to have our Christmases together, WRAF and RAF together; we used to have dances together. Everyone helped each other. If we got stuck anywhere or a car broke down you were guaranteed someone would come along and help you out. We had to do all sorts of jobs and invariably there were pleasant times but there were a lot of sad times which you can expect of course.

After Ringway I got a posting down to Weston Super Mare and I almost finished all my time in Weston Super Mare. All the training was done there for WRAF and RAF drivers. I was there for two years and most of my time was driving ambulances. I got married during that time also and was eventually posted up to Newcastle Fighter Command, where I finished my time and came out of the RAF.

The best part of the job was in Weston Super Mare when I was on the ambulance for two years. I think we only had about one very bad blitz, and we were very close altogether, very friendly. Weston Super Mare was a nicer area and a nicer job altogether because it was all training - different recruits into different fields.
I had put up a posting to get up near my husband in Newcastle because he was in the Navy and was home at the time. I was posted up where I finished my time and came out of the RAF.

It was an experience, I don't regret the experience it's just when I think of all the friends we lost and who never came back - it was soul-destroying then and we could do nothing about it.

They still haven't learnt that wars aren't any good to anybody.

Sarah Gwendoline

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