Leading Aircraft Woman Mary Elizabeth Frost (nee Geddis) - Visit to home

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’t 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, “Where were you, you should have been here?” I said, “My Mummy wasn’t well and I decided to go home and see her when I got off the boat.” She said, “Report to the WAAF Officer, you’re on a charge.” As I was leaving the Sergeant’s office I could hear her saying to someone, “Look at her stockings.” Because I was going to a new camp my record card wasn’t 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, “Well Geddis, I don’t know what your character is as your papers haven’t arrived yet, I’ll 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.” I couldn’t say that I had been refused as I would have been in more trouble for having disobeyed an order.

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