Eileen Pickering, nee Gascoyne was a teleprinter operator from the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She was conscripted in 1943 aged 21, after passing her exam at Cranwell she received a cryptic telegram assigning her to 'IX TCC Grantham'. On arrival, a “dishy Yank” directed her to Spitalgate (RAF Station Grantham), where she was billeted for her work at St Vincents Hall.



At the time of Eileen's arrival, St Vincents was Headquarters of No 5 Group, RAF, who had planned the Dambusters raids. Eileen joined the signal section, based in the stables as work in the hall was top secret. USAAF had also established St Vincents as the headquarters of IX Air Force Troop Carrier Command. The WAAFs worked closely with American servicemen in the signal section, training them on a one to one basis and later sharing watches. Whilst working with the Americans Eileen was allowed to buy their PX rations. She described their abundance of chocolate, gum and cigarettes as 'like Christmas every month’; especially compared to meager NAAFI rations. The American’s established a mini-market at St Vincents to share their rations, and Eileen would buy American cigarettes to send home to her father in her laundry. To her, the Americans seemed very rich, but she found many were good natured and generous, she remarked 'most of the ones I worked alongside were gentlemen'.



Eileen was working in the signal section at St Vincents on D-Day, where it was so busy some of the teleprinters nearly caught fire. The Americans soon assumed full command of St Vincents and Eileen and the WAAFs were moved on. Eileen was one of many Grantham girls posted to Bletchley Park, to type coded messages. She left Bletchley Park in January 1945, and married her fiancé Jack Pickering, who had been in the RAF soon after VE Day.



Eileen hopes more WAAF and USAAF veterans from St Vincents can come forward to share their experiences.