Former landgirl Yvonne Candy (nee Harvey) spent two years working in the mess tent at the Royal New Zealand Air Force airfield in Ashburton.
It was where she was deployed in 1942 after joining the New Zealand Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF).
They were happy times she still recalls fondly now aged 103-years-old and today, on the 80th commemoration of VE day; the end of World War Two.
‘‘I really liked being in Ashburton. I made some wonderful friends who have been life long friends,’’ she said.
Yvonne, who lives with her son, Barry, in Christchurch, was deployed to Ashburton to work as a kitchen hand.
Her time in Ashburton was not without its challenges.
‘‘In the beginning the living quarters were a long way from the mess hall, and the hours were long due to night flying training.’’
Born in Christchurch on April 6, 1922 to William Harvey and Annie Harvey (nee Stewart), Yvonne was the sixth born of seven children. Her education included three years at Christchurch Technical College.
After school she was a dressmaker at Ballantynes before joining the WAAF on November 2, 1942.
The WAAF was established in January 1941 and supported the wartime expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). It freed up men for overseas service.
Yvonne’s family were heavily involved in war efforts by the time she joined.
‘‘My four brothers had enlisted and so I saw it as my way of contributing,’’ she said.
She served for two years with the WAAF before joining her brother on his poultry farm as a landgirl.
It was not her choice to leave Ashburton.
She was manpowered to a factory in Christchurch to undertake machine duties.
While she remembers the VE Day announcement, she was unable to join celebrations due to work on the farm but felt good about her service and contributing to the country’s war efforts.
‘‘I very much enjoyed the friendships I made with other women from all over the South Island.’’
Yvonne received both the War Medal 1939-1945 and The NZ War Service Medal this year after being unaware that she was entitled to them. It was common among World War Two veterans.
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â– VE Day – or Victory in Europe Day – marked the end of fighting in World War Two; more than 60 million people died.
