Lois Winifred Westbrook as Flight Officer, interviewed by Joyce Thompson

Lois Winifred Westbrook ( SERN WA11, 350011) as a flight officer Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force, 1941-1945, interviewed by Joyce Thomson.

Lois entered the WAAAF on 10 August 1941. Her father was of Scottish descent and her mother of Irish descent. They met in Deniliquin, where her father and uncle had a property and moved to South Yarra, where her father bought their family home in 1903. They were friendly with neighbours. She and her brother had a happy childhood in the house with both a cow yard and a fowl yard. She describes herself and her brother as being 'quite naughty children', describing some of their escapades. She went Nareeb, a Presbyterian school for young ladies, before going to grammar school. They had holidays at Yarra Junction property, which included tobogganing and "freezing bottoms". The family enjoyed musical evenings and Lois credits her piano playing with helping her as a mechanic.

Lois' automotive engineering course enabled her to make temporary repairs on the road. She further describes: working as a VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) in the kitchen of Worth’s Rehabilitation Centre, and as a St John Ambulance Brigade volunteer; Meeting Freda Thompson, pilot at a Government House VAD Ceremonial; Flying as a passenger with the Victorian Flying Club; Women towing targets for RAAF; Being member of WATC (Women’s Air Training Corps) as squadron leader and teaching mechanics; SqnLdr Bell organising good cooperation between RAAF Laverton mechanics and fabric workers and WATC members; Private garages in Melbourne help train WATC mechanics; Meeting at Scotts Hotel with Mr McEwen about formation of women’s organisation to help the services; her first application to join the WAAAF was rejected because she was married (but not living with her husband). Lois objected as she pointed out that both Mrs Bell and Mrs Risen were both married and living with their husbands but had been accepted. Lois was then accepted. She was sent to Mayfield Avenue and soon appointed as adjutant to Flight Officer Burnett, commanding First WAAAF Officer School at MLC. Lois also said that in the meantime her sister, Lilian, an army nurse, was having a very bad time firstly in the Middle East and later, when transferred to an ill- manned casualty clearing station in New Guinea.

Lois’s days, being both adjutant and a recruit officer trainee were very heavy. When she finished the course, she returned to 1 WAAAF Depot for general duties. She described mixing up caps, when going on parade. Being posted to the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate (AID). AID was a civilian directorate manned by RAAF members, seconded to work as civilians. They worked in production factories in all areas where parts were being made. WAAAF were not employed in production factories but were used to inspect parachutes, clothing and small objects. They worked in uniform in a civilian directorate under an ex-RAAF group captain whose ideas were civilian but who had the authority to control service members. The WAAAF were also used on the inspection of aircraft, grounded because of metal fatigue. They would take the aircraft to pieces and send the small pieces down to Hyatt for CSIRO to x-ray. They would often work long overtime hours without thanks.

Places mentioned include: Deniliquin, South Yarra, Yarra Junction property, Laverton , Scotts Hotel, Mayfield Avenue (WAAAF Headquarters), Middle East, New Guinea. People mentioned include: Frederick Martin, Freda Martin, Frederick McGubbin (artist) Freda Thompson (pilot) Connie Jepp (pilot)
Nancy Lyle (pilot) Lady Becktiv, Mr McEwen, Mr Menzies, SqnLdr Bell, Mrs Bell (first director of WATC), Mrs Risen, Margaret (Blackie) Blackwood (WATC and WAAAF) , Claire Stephenson (D WAAAF).