WAAFs on the steamer ‘Lochearn’ in 1945

Photograph of WAAFs on the steamer ‘Lochearn’ in 1945.

Courtesy of Mrs Jean Inglis

The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) was created in 1939. Although WAAFs did not serve as aircrew, they played a vital role in transport, communications, meteorology, aircraft control and intelligence.

The group of WAAFs in this photo were leaving Tiree on the steamer ‘Lochearn’. Jean Inglis née Davies from Edinburgh (back row, extreme right) spent two years underground at 18 Group HQ, Coastal Command at Rosyth before being posted to Tiree in May 1945.

Jean was a wireless operator and, with her team, made contact with aircraft in the area, on one occasion helping to guide a damaged plane to a safe landing on the island.

Black and white photograph of WAAFs on `Lochearn` during WWII.

WAAFs on the `Lochearn` during WWII. L-R: (back) Joy Pearce, London; Nan Hogarth, Whitby; unknown; Jean Inglis nee Davies, Edinburgh; (front) Flora Semple, Aberdeen; Marjorie Pollard, Burnley; Jean Hind, England. Jean Inglis spent two years underground at 18 Group HQ, Coastal Command at Rosyth before being posted to Tiree on 27/5/1945. LACW (leading aircraft woman) Jean Hind was a Wireless Operator who met Wing Commander Bryn Lewis while both serving on Tiree on 8 July 1944). They married on 9 July 1950. Nan Hogarth was also a LACW Wireless Operator.