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82 6.The S/O Is Learning 1942–1943 And when there was some time off, there was always the Hampshire countryside waiting to be discovered, its empty meadows to be wandered over, its little villages to be cycled through. Broughton was one of these, also mentioned in the Domesday Book, and amongst its attractive little adapted cottages was one called “Grandfathers” whose owners had built their own swimming pool. This was a rarity in the thirties. Mrs. Nita Bompas kindly allowed officers from RAF Middle Wallop to make use of it whenever they liked. She herself patronized and much enjoyed the shows at the camp. As the days lengthened, my roommate and I often cycled over in our free time. I even taught Joyce to dive. I can’t remember exactly when my automatic promotion to Section Officer came through, but it must have been during that autumn or winter . About the same time, all WAAF including officers were at last allowed to wear trousers; up until then, only trades like Motor Transport Drivers, Fitters, Balloon Operators, and the like had worn them. True, these desirable garments all opened down the left-hand side, a front opening still being considered an encroachment on the male prerogative and almost indecent (bad luck for the left-handed girls). Even so, this was definitely a plus, especially when bicycling in cold weather. Trousers made me feel one step more emancipated! Soon after this event, I came into the bar at the Officers Mess one night after a rehearsal to find a group, tankards and glasses in hand, standing round one of the Squadron Leaders Flying. He was a tall, rather old man, the lines of whose face showed a certain harshness, almost bitterness. Few jokes from him did not have a sting in the tail, and his attitude to WAAF officers was less than complimentary. The S/O Is Learning: 1942–1943 | 83 “So you think it can’t be done?” he was saying. “Well, Sir, if you say so, Sir,” a very young pilot put in a little over-boldly. “You think I can’t drink this without touching it with my hands? Right? Want me to show you?” There was a murmur of assent and the watchers moved in a little closer, myself amongst them. Tilting his head back slightly, the Squadron Leader put his full glass tankard of beer carefully onto his forehead, then moving his hands down, started cautiously undoing the buckle of his belt. Uh, uh, I thought, here we go! I might have known! But I stayed watching, for in spite of the laughter that greeted this second move, he did not undo his fly, merely wriggled his hips a little so as to make sure his trousers sat more comfortably. Then bit by bit, he lowered himself first into a sitting position on the floor, his head still tilted back so that his forehead with the full tankard on it remained horizontal. Then, drawing in his chin slowly, he started to lie down, ending up stretched out flat on his back. “Right!” he said, from his prone position. “You still don’t believe me, do you? Then watch!” Slowly he curled himself into a backward summersault, and as his bent legs passed on either side of his ears, his knees clasped behind his back to underline the point, he gripped the edge of the tankard with his teeth and without spilling a drop emptied it down his throat. With sardonic disregard of the applause, he went back to the bar for a refill, which a cluster of young admirers were hurrying to offer him. I left the bar determined to show him that I could do it just as well as he. I started practicing with a full tin of cocoa (closed) provided by my Catering Officer stable companion, who egged me on. I finally graduated to a tooth mug full of water. The floor of our bedroom was never so well washed as during that period of my efforts. When I’d mastered it, I waited patiently for a suitably casual occasion when the Squadron Leader should be propping up the bar without too big a crowd present. “Sir! I can do your trick, Sir,” I said, edging my way along the bar towards him. He turned his cynical, world-weary gaze upon me. “Now I wonder which trick would that be, Ash?” he asked. [3.23.101.60] Project MUSE (2024-04-26...

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