I WRITE in response to a recent picture in your paper of the AckAck girls in York with Miss Betty Boothroyd taking the salute on the Minster Steps (July 31). I wish to point out that ATS meant Auxiliary Territorial Service, not Training Service as we were described.
Training Service sounds as though that is all we did. Some of those girls were barely 18 years old when they volunteered, myself included.
We worked side by side with the men and earned the right to be called 'gunners' on equal par with them.
General Sir Frederick Pile, (GOC in C. AA Command) at that time tried very hard to get us that honour at the War Office but didn't succeed.
Thanks be to our late patron, the Master Gunner General Sir Martin Farndale, who did succeed. He was deeply missed this year, he was a great man, loved by all who knew him.
D Campbell, 75,
Ex-AckAck girl,
Breton Court, Finistere Avenue,
Falkirk FK1 1UB.
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