WAAF wireless operator Corporal V Carter calls No. 467 Squadron RAAF Lancaster 'S for Sugar' in to land from the RAF Waddington control tower, 14 May 1944. It was a significant moment, for 'Sugar'—Lancaster R5868—had just completed its 100th operation and was lucky to do so, as on the way back to England the plane had been persistently attacked by two enemy night fighters. Don Charlwood recalled the effect on him of the WAAF voices summoning them to land: If we are first in, a girl's voice rises with that sweetest of instructions, 'B Beer this is Hazel control … pancake, pancake', which is 'clear to land' … no woman's voice in all our lives will welcome us more warmly home. We hear other voices calling her; she is our shepherdess. [Don Charlwood, Journeys into night, p. 193; AWM SUK12334]
Copyright expired - public domain