In the summer of 1944 Kathleen Oates - a Wren assigned to the Women's Royal Naval Service (W.R.N.S.) during the Second World War - was transferred to the Isle of Man. During her time on the island, she wrote dozens of letters to home which provide a unique commentary on the operations at Ronaldsway and what life was like on the Isle of Man 80 years ago. Her daughter, CHRISTINE SMITH, pores through her mother’s letters as part of a series of columns based on Kathleen Oates’s writing...

This week, eighty years ago, Wren Kathleen Oates could clearly see the end of a relaxed time at work on the horizon, so she was enjoying every last minute of enjoyment before this vanished.

‘This morning – as usual – I stayed in bed till about 9 o’clock, then went to the British Legion Canteen for breakfast – coffee and a fresh bun. Attempted the Daily Telegraph crossword, read the paper - then sat on the seawall in the sun until it was time to return to Camp. This is our usual morning routine! I’m afraid I shall find 7 o’clock rising rather difficult when it comes round again.’

Thus, she continued to explore and enjoy her surroundings. ‘I was off Monday afternoon and followed the river from Castletown to Ballasalla. Although it was muddy and I nearly fell in, I enjoyed the walk. Later, from the clifftop, I watched the high dive bombing over at Perwick Bay – you saw the planes shoot down through the sky at an almost vertical angle. It was really beautiful out.’

Table tennis was always a favourite activity. ‘We had a good game of doubles at the canteen yesterday evening – Cynthia and I played two Air Gunners – we’re getting enthusiastic about table tennis again. There are quite a lot of good players here.’

She also found time to go to the cinema, and noted with interest the news that Humphrey Bogart had married his leading lady. ‘It’s about thruppence [written as 3d] admittance to the cinema and there are about three breaks between reels – these always seem to occur at the most inappropriate moments.’ If the weekend turned out to be wet, she would choose from the films showing in Douglas, where there was a greater choice.

The coming changes at work were very clear: a new routine, a new room and new means of communication. Kathleen’s letter of Wednesday May 30 was started in a free moment in the Air Direction Office – now her place of work. ‘I’m writing this in the ADO – Ops have moved in today. On Friday, we start on Night Flying again – so our “holiday” comes to an end!! It’s different in here – I’m wearing headphones which have a small microphone attached. This is connected with a loudspeaker in the Flying Control - and the CRR [thought to be short for the Central Reserving Room; Kathleen had been based in the CRR until the move to the ADO]. I still have the blackboard and chalk. I think I’ll like it in here, as this mike saves a lot of walking about. The only drawback is that I’m not as free as I used to be - and can’t chat to the Duty Instructors on the phone now! – So I shan’t be able to wangle any more flips [slang for rides in a plane]. I’ve been on since 12:30 – it’s now 7p.m. - and this present Navigational Exercise won’t finish until at least 8 o’clock. My late supper will be quite spoiled I’m afraid – egg and chips!!’

But there were some classic aspects of work which would never change. Kathleen explained that she was writing with a thick-nibbed pen because ‘my favourite fountain pen was stolen. I left it overnight in Ops (by mistake!) and next morning, it had walked. It was the one which I bought in the NAAFI on Wallasey Dock for about 11/.’

Although the General Election would not take place until July (and which Churchill’s Conservative Party would lose, despite the great popularity of the Prime Minister), it was very much on the minds of Kathleen and her fellow Wrens. ‘About the Election – we have discussed it quite a lot in the Cabin – but I don’t know what the general opinion here is. I certainly don’t know much about it – I wish they’d give us a slight political education here, in the form of lectures in Camp. What party is Daddy voting for?’

The availability of goods was never far from the minds of the Oates family, and Kathleen thought to help them with the soap ration. This had been in place since February 1942, for all kinds of soap, from hard soap bars to liquid soap, soap powder and soap flakes: shaving soap wasn’t restricted in the same way but was in short supply due to the rationing of the other kinds. ‘I see that the soap ration is going to be decreased – so you may find my spare coupons useful. We can get plenty of soap here’. There is still one soap coupon in place on the original letter, so happily not all were needed at home in Leicester.

However, she had to warn her sister not to ‘rely on me for any more stockings, Dorothy; they are rationing us with pyjama and stocking chits nowadays. [Chits allowed those in the Forces to buy more than the civilian clothing coupon allowance.] Luckily, I have two pyjama chits on hand so I’ll be able to buy a dress if I can find anything I like.’

Kathleen finished the letter at the end of her work shift. ‘I got down about 8 o’clock. In the end I had quite a good supper; the chips weren’t brilliant – but I had 3 fried eggs to make up for them. That’s the one advantage of having a late supper – there’s usually plenty left to eat.’