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[Page 38]
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her I was surprised to hear that I had been asked for for France.
Though that was my ultimate desire, I was rather disappointed at not seeing the entire fulfilment of my work for the next morning brought me my "Marching Orders."
In the meantime Ron had returned to France very delighted with his Rholls [Rolls] Royce Engine to join the 27th Bombing squadron. My instructions were to proceed to Hastings and I found on arrival there that a draft of 63 women I was to take over were not equipped. So I had to put in two very miserable days when it rained all the time, and the sea beat over the wall, and the arrangements at the hostel so primitive that there seemed not a corner anywhere that was comfortable. I went to bed early but the wind rattled through my comfortless room, and again I longed for some of the comforts of home, but had to remember that I was on active service. It was perhaps the strangeness rather than the physical discomfort that was so depressing. The morning of my departure was fortunately fine and after an early breakfast I stepped out at the head of my little army with a delightful sense of exhilaration. My fore-woman (equal to a Non-Commissioned Officer) was very capable and gave her orders in fine style. On reaching Folkestone there were hundreds of Soldiers also waiting embarkation by the same boat and it might have been a most difficult task to keep the women in order for the men made many facetious remarks, occasionally gave them a combined cheer etc., but to their credit they were splendid and with a smile kept steadily on.
They all had to be accommodated below so that the men might have the use of the decks, and nowhere was there a spare foot of room. The confinement made a number sea-sick and though only two hours in the crossing it was decidedly uncomfortable. At half past five we reached Boulogne and were met by the W.A.A.C. [Women's Auxiliary Army Corps] Landing Official and conducted to our quarters for the night - a boat-house that did service as a dormitory and dining-room combined.
Though quite bare of furniture it had after our tiring day's journey a look quite inviting. Tables with bright patterned American leather were well spread and to us all it was a great joy