A Perfect Billet

The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) was formed in June 1939, and by the time of the Battle of Britain contained many women who were employed in such RAF trades as cooks, drivers, telephonists and barrage balloon fabric repairers. A few were selected to serve as Clerks (special duties)- a dull name which hid their real task of manning the Ops rooms, Radio Interception Stations, and most importantly the 'Top Secret' Radar Stations.

WAAF Corporal Joan Hearn was one of the operators at the Poling Radar Station. Since the Radar Station itself was no more than a collection of wooden huts protected by sandbags, with a new bomb-proof bunker still under construction, and with no nearby RAF barracks available for the women, they were billeted in a suite of rooms at Arundel Castle.

Joan Hearn recalled years later that the rooms came complete with their own butler to serve them their meals.