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Service Women Past Meet Service Women Present

Published Monday 7th March 2005

Trainee Police Dog Maxwell and personnel from RAF Odiham meet the ex-WAAF ladies of the Woodhatch Community Centre in Reigate

Trainee Police Dog Maxwell shakes hands with an ex-serving WAFF, resident from the Woodhatch Centre

Personnel from RAF Odiham explain today's modern Royal Air Force to ex WAAFs, members of the RAF Association at Woodhatch

Personnel from RAF Odiham show today's style of hats, a difference that the ex WAFFs were used to seeing

On the first Wednesday of every month, a group of ladies, all in their 80's, meet at the Woodhatch Community Centre in Reigate. The Ladies all have one thing in common, they served in the WAAF during to WWII.

On Wednesday 2 March 2005, a group of service women from RAF Odiham joined the Woodhatch Ladies to talk to them about life in the RAF today.

Despite heavy snow in Reigate, 15 ladies battled their way to the Community Centre to find out about the modern day RAF.

Dressed in varying examples of modern day uniform, the group from RAF Odiham was headed by Squadron Leader Emma Lloyd who talked about the various roles women now fill in the RAF and pointed out the variety of career opportunities now available to women.

Flt Lt Andie Tolan talked about terms of service for Officers' and airwomen and about the RAF lifestyle; this generated a lot of enthusiastic questions from the audience.

The Woodhatch ladies were particularly interested in hearing about the role played by women in operations overseas and they were proud of the fact that women could now fly on operational sorties alongside the men.

Not to be outdone, the ladies told the Odiham personnel many interesting stories about what life was like for the WAAF during and after WWII.

But there was no doubt the star of the visit was Maxwell, an 18 month old trainee Police Dog. Cpl Tina Legge, RAF Police Dog Handler, explained the training process that Maxwell has undertaken and the forthcoming assessments that will hopefully progress him to being a qualified Air Dog.

Maxwell proved to be a huge hit with the ladies, and, much to his delight, was recompensed with a constant supply of Custard Creams throughout the afternoon.

The Ladies were thoroughly entertained by the visiting Odiham personnel, with one stating:

"I've been coming to these meetings for 20 years and this is the best one yet!"

SAC Nicki Trace, RAF Photographer, encouraged Maxwell and the Woodhatch Ladies to pose for a variety of photographs throughout the visit.

Anyone wishing to see the RAF Police Dogs in action, Cpl Tina Legg will be at Crufts with her dogs from 9-13 March 2005.

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