A Sister’s Courage. Molly Green
them to meet Flight Lieutenant Hartman, in one of the administration buildings, who asked Raine many questions about her school subjects and what she enjoyed. She tried to reply as intelligently as she could.
‘Hmm, you have impressive results for your School Certificate and your recent test,’ he said, folding the paper and handing it back to Raine. ‘But don’t you want to finish school? Take your Higher Certificate?’
She shook her head.
‘I wish she would,’ her father said, to Raine’s exasperation. ‘And so does her mother. But she’s bent on getting her pilot’s licence, so she needs to work to pay for the lessons.
Hartman looked straight at Raine. ‘Well, there’s nothing to stop you having flying lessons on the civilian side, but you know that as a female you’ll never fly with the RAF as a pilot, even if they form a women’s section.’
‘Yes, I know that,’ Raine said, fighting a bubble of irritation.
It was so unfair. But she refused to use the word ‘never’ in her vocabulary. Women used to think they’d never get the vote, but thank goodness a few women had been iron-willed in their fight to change the law. And after years of battling it had finally happened. So she could dream that things might change one day as far as women flying for the RAF was concerned.
‘I can offer you the job of a pay clerk,’ Hartman went on, ‘which might or might not make use of your mathematic skills.’ He looked at her. ‘However, the pay isn’t much – nineteen shillings a week.’ He leaned forward over his desk. ‘How does that sound?’
To Raine it sounded a fortune and she had to will herself not to look too thrilled.
‘It would be wonderful, sir,’ Raine started, ‘especially if you could make it a whole pound a week.’
That would pay for a weekly flying lesson, leaving fifteen shillings over – ten shillings a week to her mother and she’d still have a few shillings in her pocket.
Hartman gave her a startled look, then burst into laughter. ‘A girl who’s not afraid to speak up for herself,’ he said, glancing at her father. ‘Well, Mr Linfoot, have you any objections to this single-minded daughter of yours?’
Her father caught her eye and smiled. ‘I think she’s already made up her mind, and far be it from me to stand in her way.’
‘Then the matter is settled.’ He scribbled a note and glanced at the wall calendar.
‘There is just one more thing, sir,’ Raine said, desperately hoping he wouldn’t consider she was trouble with so many requests. But this was the most important of all. ‘What time would I finish each day?’
‘Normally, half past five.’ He looked at her. ‘Is there a particular reason why you ask?’
‘Yes. I intend to take weekly lessons at Hart’s Flying Club,’ she said. ‘I’ll need to cycle there but it’ll be dark by then.’
‘You’ll have Saturdays off and I’m sure they offer lessons at weekends, as well.’
‘It’s just that my mother isn’t keen for me to fly and she’d want to know where I was going every Saturday. I don’t want to worry her unnecessarily, so long as Dad knows where I am.’ Raine held her breath.
She noticed Hartman catch her father’s eye. Her father nodded.
‘We’ll soon be changing the clocks,’ Hartman said, ‘so if we say you may leave once a week at half past two, would that suit? Without altering your pound a week,’ he added with a twinkle.
Raine breathed out. ‘Oh, thank you very much, sir. It’s just that flying is what I want to do more than anything in the world …’ She hesitated.
‘Another question for me?’
‘Only when can I start?’
‘Soon as you like.’
She turned to her father with shining eyes. He sent her a wink.
‘Would tomorrow be all right, sir?’ Raine asked.
‘Good to see someone who’s keen.’ Flight Lieutenant Hartman stood and shook hands with her father, then smiled again at Raine. ‘We’ll see you here at eight o’clock sharp tomorrow morning then, young lady.’
April 1939
Raine loved this new world she’d entered, loved hearing the thrum of planes taking off and landing as she rushed over the aerodrome taking messages, or set to tackling the bursting filing cabinet in between learning to be a pay clerk. She’d hoped to see a bit more of Doug, but he’d left a note to say he was taking some leave and would see her when he got back. Oh, and he hoped she was enjoying her new job.
The new job, if she was honest, didn’t need much of a brain to do it, although there was plenty to keep her occupied. Sometimes she felt more like a tea lady after she’d made the dozens of cups of tea demanded by the people in both her section and two other sections every day. She wasn’t ungrateful, not one bit, but she couldn’t help wishing her work took her closer to the aircraft.
Thankfully, her father merely told Maman that Raine had found a job in a busy office in Biggin Hill with no mention of an aerodrome. Raine knew that name would mean nothing to Maman. She also knew her mother wouldn’t bother to ask where the office was or any details about her work. This time, her mother’s seeming indifference would work nicely in her favour. Raine couldn’t help a wry smile.
The pilots all treated her in a friendly manner and would stop to have a word with her, or give her a flirtatious wink and a smile as they occasionally strolled by her desk, but her boss, Mrs Chilvers, never mentioned anything about her leaving early one day a week. Raine hadn’t even had a chance on a Saturday to go to Hart’s Flying Club to set up a schedule. Should she wait until Mrs Chilvers said something? All of a sudden she caught herself. What was she – a determined young woman who’d set herself a goal, or a meek little mouse waiting for someone else to speak on her behalf? She set her chin. She would be the one to take action. And it was no good going to Mrs Chilvers who might not even know about the arrangement.
Her chance came the following day. And it was with Flight Lieutenant Hartman himself. He stopped at her desk to ask for a file.
‘Thank you, er, Miss—’ he said.
‘Lorraine Linfoot,’ she replied with a smile.
‘Ah, yes, Lorraine.’ He looked at her. ‘And how are you finding us?’
‘I’m enjoying being here and there’s plenty to learn.’
‘Mmm. Well, I’m sure there’s always someone to help with any questions.’ He started to walk away.
She couldn’t let him go.
‘Sir, there is one thing …’
He turned.
Her heart racing, she steeled herself. ‘You mentioned I could have time off once a week for flying lessons, but—’
‘Ah, yes, indeed. But Mrs Chilvers tells me you have a lot to learn and it’s impossible at the moment to let you off early with two clerks away.’
So he had mentioned it to the woman.
‘Sir, if I remember correctly, you said it was part of my—’
Just then one of the senior clerks came rushing in.
‘The new Hurricanes are arriving, sir. You said you wanted to be informed.’
‘Good show,’ Hartman said and hurried off.
Raine hesitated for a few seconds then shot to her feet. She’d dash out