Books - paperback and Kindle
The WAAF diaries of Daphne Dangerfield span 6 years altogether, from 1942 - 1947. We aim to create a book covering each year.
​Memoirs of a WAAF tells the story of 18 year-old Daphne Danger
​Both paperback and kindle versions of Memoirs of a WAAF are available on Amazon.
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Read snippets of diary entries here.
Memoirs of a WAAF
From Gloucester to Bradwell Bay - book one
A true account of the experiences of a serving WAAF during World War II in 1944.
Adapted from the diaries and notes of Daphne (Daff) Dangerfield, they were found tucked away in a drawer when she moved house with her husband Maurice in 2008.
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Such diaries are rare – written in secret, as it was forbidden to keep any
record of activity in the forces. They were forgotten for many years.
Now, 65 years on, they relive the period from September 1942 when Daff joined up as an 18 year old, and follows her initial training at Gloucester and Cranwell,and into her first year as a Radio Telephone Operator at Bradwell Bay on the Essex coast. Regular visits back home were allowed with special permission, due to much shiftwork that was part of her very important job.
Recounting the good times at dances, trips to the Green Man and The Cricketers, and finding many boyfriends amongst the regular arrivals of new squadrons. But also the sad occasions when friends or comrades were killed in action.
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Born and initially brought up in Ontario, Canada, she retained much of her
Canadian slang, together with the ‘forces’ words and expressions, which you can ‘hear’ amongst her often funny remarks.
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The diaries have now been edited and published by her daughter, Sue Edwards.
