A Cyril E Wood's letter (November 5) was the best tribute I have ever read of the way people of my generation served in so many different ways during the war.

We had a tough childhood. I started work on my 14th birthday, travelled miles for a wage of 12/6d a week, most of which was dutifully handed over.

I volunteered for the WAAF. My parents wouldn't sign the consent form as I was under-age so I took myself to the magistrate's court and thereby became a WAAF as he signed the form.

After weeks of training I became a barrage balloon operator. I had to learn how to splice rope and wire, learn knots and their uses, maintenance and layout of, I think, a Ford V8 engine, go on guard armed with a torch and a truncheon, two hours on, four off and witness some horrific air raids.

Later I was transferred to RAF Biggin Hill and then to Manston where I worked nights as a telephone operator with VHF/DF operator, the two of us in a small tower.

We were billeted in a convent, nuns in one part, WAAFs in the other.

Finally, I finished writing out release documents at Ruislip for demobilisation personnel and am still friends with someone I met there.

My husband is ex-Navy and lost a brother fighting in Holland. We've never belonged to the Legion or any ex-service organisation. But thank you, Mr Wood, for your memories.

-Mrs Pamela G Whitehorn, Lindfield