Eighty years ago this week, Leading Wren Kathleen Oates was having a more domestic time than she had anticipated – or necessarily wanted. The story unfurled in letters of November 4, 7 and 8.

‘What a weekend! This afternoon, I’ve spent scrubbing and I’m now feeling quite tired! There’s a tragic story behind this, though.’ In mid October, a new girl had joined their Cabin. Looking back, Kathleen acknowledged, that one might find her a bit pale – but when she went to sick bay on Friday about a persistent cough, no-one thought much of this. ‘In the afternoon, we went round to see her and discovered that she was in the isolation ward – a bad case of tuberculosis. We weren’t allowed to see her, and as soon as we got back to Camp, we were told that we all had to move out of the Cabin taking absolutely everything with us. Our bedding we left, and that went to be cleaned. You can imagine what a state we were in Friday evening – all of us furiously packing our possessions and moving out, leaving the Cabin completely deserted! It was as though a time-bomb were on our doorstep or we were fleeing before an invasion. Today, 10 of us have spent our time scrubbing everything with disinfectant and giving it a thorough spring-clean! I’ve scrubbed out 24 drawers in the dressing tables this afternoon as well as my share of the floor. We’re scattered all over the camp in Cabins where there are odd bunks – it’s awful being split up, we’ll all be glad to get back to Cabin K, when our mattresses come back. The MO [Medical Officer] called us all together – said that there was very little risk of infection, but that as a precautionary measure we all have to go into Douglas Monday morning for an X Ray.’

The infected girl was flown on Saturday November 3 to Southport, where there was a large Naval TB hospital. On November 5, the eleven Wrens from Cabin K took the train to Douglas where they were x-rayed, and they then returned on the midday train – ‘just like a Sunday School outing!’. Her last letter of the week confirmed that they were all in the clear although there would be another x-ray in a few weeks’ time, just to be certain.

Although Kathleen was pleased to have been moved into a temporary Cabin with friends, the drama continued. ‘We are together but we’ve moved out of the frying pan into the fire! What a good job one has a sense of humour! This present Cabin is absolutely inundated with sea-lice which come up through cracks in the linoleum when it’s high tide. They’re similar to shrimps, though smaller and they jump. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life! When they are sprayed with disinfectant they just curl up and die and leave the floor covered in corpses. They’ve only appeared since the gales and high seas – they must live in the ground under the Cabin somewhere. The Quarters’ Officer has said that the Cabin will be condemned if girls will move elsewhere – but that will mean splitting up – so at present we are staying put and trying to fight the invaders. We’ve all got sore throats in here, ‘cause there’s so much disinfectant in the air.’

The last letter of the week confirmed that normality had returned when they were allowed back to their familiar Cabin K. ‘We were glad to escape from the bug-infected Cabin. Apparently, they are still hopping around quite merrily. There weren’t many to be seen during the daytime, but every evening at the same time - around 6:30, they used to flood the Cabin! We then used to occupy ourselves by stamping on them, the handkerchiefs round our mouths while spraying was in progress. I only hope they don’t spread any further – we’ve seen a couple in Cabin K. We all voted it excellent to be back home again - and the Cabin is looking its usual untidy self after we unpacked.’

Apart from health and Cabin dramas, Ronaldsway life continued as normal. On Monday night, Kathleen and friends went to the Camp concert, showcasing what she called ‘local talent’. ‘Some of the turns were really very good, especially the Wren chorus girls.’

There was also a cycle outing in civvies to Perwick Bay, ‘then back to Port Saint Mary for tea at Wendy’s: home-made scones, jam and two home-made cakes and tea for 1/3d each. I can’t imagine the life where I shan’t be able to pop on my cycle in the afternoon and go for a ride by the sea. I’m so used to an outdoor life now – I shall hate working all day.’

Kathleen continued to enjoy the more cerebral offerings of the Base. ‘If Night Flying is cancelled due to weather, I will go to a Christian Fellowship meeting – I quite enjoy the discussions we have there, as quite a brainy collection of people go.’

As in other letters, a note of melancholy crept in. ‘More of the boys have gone on draft – everyone we know will have soon disappeared.’ And there was a last request before she signed off – she asked Mum Elsie to send a sheet of small photos of herself, as the girls in the Cabin had requested one each. People were clearly preparing to be separated from their friends and wanted mementos of an unforgettable period in their lives.