‘There’s not much he’s allowed to say, but he did tell me his squadron lost some men recently. He sounded cut up about it.’
‘He’d do better not to tell you about things like that. You’ll be worrying enough as it is.’
‘No, I want to know,’ Bobby said quietly as she ran her tea towel over the plate Mary handed her. ‘I’d hate him to feel he had to keep things from me. It would only push us apart if he couldn’t talk to me about what was happening out there when it’s such a big part of his life.’
‘Your sister ought to count herself lucky,’ Mary observed. ‘Few enough young wives these days get to hang on to their husbands. Has he not been called up, this lad she’s married?’
‘He can’t be. Asthma.’
Mary glanced at her. ‘And what’s your opinion of him as a husband?’
‘I do think he isn’t entirely hopeless,’ Bobby said. ‘My dad had him marked down as a wolf bent on the seduction of innocent girls a long time ago though. It’s going to be hard work persuading him differently. I hope it doesn’t end in a row when Tony and my sister come on Wednesday.’
Mary arched an eyebrow. ‘They must’ve got wed quick. It wasn’t so long ago you told me she had another man’s ring on her finger.’
Bobby didn’t look at her. ‘Yes.’
‘Ah well, it’s nowt new,’ Mary said gently. ‘It’s nature, that’s all, and many a young girl has to find that out the hard way. I can’t say how it is in the city, but out here, folk are always generous when it comes to doing their sums on behalf of newlyweds.’
Bobby summoned a smile. ‘Thanks, Mary.’
Reg’s voice called to them from the hall.
‘You coming then, lass? Bus is in half an hour. Sooner you go, sooner you can be back at your desk.’
Mary laughed. ‘Always it’s that ruddy magazine with him.’ She wiped damp hands on her pinny so she could give Bobby a hug.‘Well, off you go. And for what it’s worth, I do think you’re right to do what you’re doing – you and Charlie both. I’m right proud of the pair of you.’
A couple of hours later, Bobby was once more at the recruiting centre in Bradford for her enrolment. The whole thing took a little under two hours, most of which she spent sitting on her bottom with a lot of other women waiting to be called into various rooms. While they waited, an NCO filled in forms with details such as hat and shoe sizes, waist measurement and next of kin.
It all felt rather unremarkable as the starting point for a new life, with the exception of the oath they had to take on being sworn in. Only when swearing loyalty to her country did Bobby feel a touch of the sentiments Charlie had expressed. It didn’t feel quite like saving the world just yet, but it meant she now belonged to the armed forces. Miss Bancroft the reporter had to be wrapped in cotton wool and put to one side – not, she hoped, forever, but at least for the time being – to make way for Aircraftwoman Bancroft the WAAF. It was a title that was going to take some getting used to.
Bobby looked around the other women to see if she could spot the person she had met the day of her medical, Carol Boyes. There was no sign of her, however. Bobby hadn’t been able to decide whether she and Carol were destined to be friends if they found themselves together again, but the woman’s down-to-earth presence had been reassuring. She would have liked to have seen her once more.
After being sworn in, Bobby was summoned to another room.
‘You’re to be placed on deferred service for eleven weeks until a place becomes vacant,’ the WAAF corporal told her when all the required paperwork had been signed. ‘You’ll be expected at your station on Monday the 6th of April. Here’s your certificate of enrolment.’
Bobby stared at the document she was handed, which bore her new rank of ACW/2 – Aircraftwoman Second Class. It felt so odd to see her name sitting beside it.
‘Any questions, make them quick,’ the corporal said. ‘We’ve a lot more to get through.’
They ought to put that on the door outside, Bobby thought dryly. She must have heard that phrase a dozen times in the hours she’d spent at this place.
‘Do you know where I’m to be sent?’ she asked. The enrolment certificate bore the date she would be required to report for training, but nothing about where she would be going.
The woman glanced at the paperwork in front of her. ‘Says in your notes you wanted to stay close to home.’
Bobby felt hope burgeon within her. ‘Why, is there a place for me near home?’
‘Yes, you’re lucky. There’s accommodation for WAAF recruits being installed at Ryland Moor, to be attached to the RAF training school there. You’ll be sent further details when you’re summoned to report for service.’
‘Ryland Moor!’
The corporal looked up. ‘Is that a problem?’
‘No. Sorry. That’s where my fiancé did his service flight training, that’s all. I didn’t realise they offered training to WAAFs too.’
The woman flashed her a wry smile. ‘Neither did they, until they were told to be ready to receive an initial cohort of forty by the end of March. We’re having a devil of a job finding places for everyone. You might find conditions are spartan, but it doesmean you’ll be able to have the odd bit of home leave during your six-week basic training period.’ The corporal placed Bobby’s papers in a folder. ‘If you have any further questions they’ll have to wait, I’m afraid. I have to move on or we’ll never get through everyone.’
