WITH THE W.R.A.F.'s.

Colonist, Volume LXII, Issue 15317, 4 March 1920, Page 2

WITH THE W.R.A.F.'s.

N.Z.'LADY DESPATCH EIDER

A LIFE OF KEKK ENJOYMEJNT.

| Miss Madeline Ranken (Stewart Island) has lately returned to London and civil life after a very interesting—if -sometimes strenuous —interval oi: warwork (writes -a'London correspondent). She was a despatch-rider in the W.R.A.F. }s. and was attached to a largo aerodrome in Kent,, which Has done a. great deal of experimental work in connection with wireless telegraphy. The nearest town was seven miles distant, and of the six girls on duty there Miss Ranken was the only cyclist, the .other'five being drivers. As in all probability her class of duty was different from that taken up by other' New Zealand girls during the war, I asked Miss Ranken to give me a little outline of her .impressions and experiences, and she has accordingly jotted down a chatty little outline, remarking at the outset, "It was such an exciting sort of life that I don't know where to start.. And no two days were alike." Miss Ranken had to keep her sidecar ready to be off at a moment's /notice "anywhere they liked to send .me. Perhaps to the Air Ministry in London —40 miles there and back—or to some big R.A.F. stores ,or perhaps to some other aerodrome. I had to keep my bike clean and beautiful and do ail the road repairs, such as punctures, etc. The weather was of no account. The dust was my only worry in the summer. But in the winter I generally had to go about all day with wet feet, and mud from head to foot. But I was very suitably clad—mostly in leather and fur. People in the streets often took me for a lady aviator because of my uniform, and 1 was asked very funny. questions sometimes, and I had many nicknames. "I never had a very serious crash. The worst was one day. when descending a very steep hill the axle of the sidecar wheel snapped in two, owing to a (bad flaw in the metal. My passenger and 1 had a forced landing on our respective heads a few yards lower down the hill. Neither of us was injured—only badly shaken. "We sometimes had little impromptu tea parties in our little W.R.A.F. hut, to which a few . cheery pilots were invited—though it was riot really allowed. But cakes and cafe-au-lait tasted awfully good in thoao days! We only had six mugs (washed once a week!). So if the party was more than six the latecomers had to wait till the first-served were finished We had very little leave and even worked on Sundays. . But whenever we could get off in time we went in large parties to the local dances, of which there were not a few. As the 'drome possessed a, very. goocK Jazz band we were invited to all the dances. We needed all the fun we could get to keep up our spirits when we were cold, wet, and tired. "The six of us are all scattered now, and the W.R.A.F. is no more. I have only my old uniform, some snapshots, and a few relics of my motor-bike to remind me of all the good—and the bad— times I had in the Royal Air Force—oh! and my Mascot, 'Ginger Mick,' a mus-tard-coloured. Teddy, given to me by the O.C. Transport for luck.'" it is not unusual in these days for girls to have flights, and as may be imagined Miss Ranken has been "up" a good many times, and it is her conclusion that 'rthe more you go up the more you want to go on going up—so long as they keep on stunting you." TJie next excitement will be an early visit to Switzerland for the winter •sports, whither Miss Ranken is going in company with a party of English friends; before coming back to London a visit will be paid to Paris. Probably about the middle of 1920—sooner if possible—she will return to New Zealand with her mother, as they are awaiting passage-allotment.