- Contributed by听
- Bobby Shafto
- People in story:听
- Leading Aircraft Woman Mary Elizabeth Frost (nee Geddis);
- Location of story:听
- Woolwich, London; Lurgan, N. Ireland
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A4625886
- Contributed on:听
- 30 July 2005
I was stationed at an RAF camp near Woolwich on the outskirts of London. I remember I was being posted from England to Northern Ireland and I asked the WAAF Offficer in England if I could have a pass to go and see my mother in Lurgan before I would go to the new camp. The WAAF Officer refused my request, she said I should go to my new camp and ask there for the pass. I was determined that I would call and see my mother at home before going to my new camp, and I did. I never told my mother what I was doing and I stayed at home for three days. I knew that I would be in trouble when I reported at my new camp and I was. No doubt you know that when you are in trouble and no one knows anything about you then the least little thing is commented on. Your character is blackened. I hadn鈥檛 issue stockings on when I reported at my new camp. We used to buy slightly lighter coloured stockings which looked smarter. When I appeared in front of the Sergeant she said, 鈥淲here were you, you should have been here?鈥 I said, 鈥淢y Mummy wasn鈥檛 well and I decided to go home and see her when I got off the boat.鈥 She said, 鈥淩eport to the WAAF Officer, you鈥檙e on a charge.鈥 As I was leaving the Sergeant鈥檚 office I could hear her saying to someone, 鈥淟ook at her stockings.鈥 Because I was going to a new camp my record card wasn鈥檛 present to let the new authorities know my character. When you appear before the WAAF Officer you are marched there by a Sergeant and a Corporal. The WAAF Officer asked where I had been, and explained to her what had happened, leaving out the fact that I had been refused a pass by the WAAF Officer in England. The WAAF Officer whom I appeared in front of said, 鈥淲ell Geddis, I don鈥檛 know what your character is as your papers haven鈥檛 arrived yet, I鈥檒l let you off with it this time but never ever do that again. I dare say that if you had asked the officer before leaving your previous camp she may have issued the pass.鈥 I couldn鈥檛 say that I had been refused as I would have been in more trouble for having disobeyed an order.
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