In the summer of 1944 Kathleen Oates - a Wren assigned to the Women's Royal Naval Service 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...

80 years ago this week, Wren Kathleen Oates was having a quiet but pleasant time on the Castletown base. So, there were no real complaints from her – she was realising that she could be a lot worse off. An ex-colleague from Liverpool wrote, bored to tears at an isolated outpost, Aultbea in Scotland, where all leave had been suspended and even trips to the next village not allowed, and the main form of recreation was snowball fights. She also told of her brother, a soldier who was having far too much dangerous activity for his liking: from being someone who hated being indoors before the war, he now dreamed of an armchair and a good book. It was also clear from Kathleen’s comments, that she was well aware of the bombing raids on London and the south of England – the V1 and even deadlier V2 rockets.

It also helped that new leisure activities had appeared at the Ronaldsway base after the Christmas festivities. There was now access to some classes: ‘Cynthia has been to see the education officer this morning – she’s going to take a course in French literature and all they charge is 10 shillings.’ Kathleen was considering something more practical for the moment: ‘There’s a notice up in regulating office saying that they’re starting a dressmaking class, so we’ve put our names down. If it comes under the scheme whereby, we can get coupon free material, I shall make myself a dress – perhaps!’.

And as ever, there was the beauty of the island itself. ‘Saturday morning [January 20th] – after getting up early to report to sickbay – I went for a walk around 9 o’clock before the sun was fully up. The rest of the girls went back to bed, so I went on my own and thoroughly enjoyed it. The clouds were mauvey-blue, still full of snow – and I watched the sunrise from behind the clouds and it covered the hills with a pink glow. We get really lovely cloud effects here - and sunsets.’

The snow covering the island had not affected the running of the base: ‘Snow hasn’t held up flying much – the runways are frozen, so the planes are able to take off. One aircraft skidded today and stuck on the runway, but otherwise everything has been okay.’ At least some were positively enjoying the weather: ‘The boys at King William’s College are really enjoying snowballing all the naval personnel!’

A second letter that week confirmed that Kathleen had indeed started the sewing classes. ‘I’ve been doing my sewing all this afternoon, and I’m writing this letter for a break. Under the dressmaking class scheme, we are allowed 3 yards of material from “Taggarts” (the village shop) without coupons. The Regulating Petty Officer who is very clever, is instructing. Last night, Jane showed me how to lay on the pattern and cut out my nightdress, so I have something to do now.’

To give context to this windfall of non-coupon material, at the same time in Leicester, sister Dorothy (always more practical than Kathleen) wrote that she was making a dress from two school tunics – to be dyed at the end. A third tunic would be reused to make a blouse. New material was a comparative luxury.

Being in the Forces did allow one to help others out, however. Kathleen reported that she ‘bought two vests from Stores – I believe you wanted some new ones, Dorothy, so I’ll send them on eventually’.

Just as well that Kathleen had a new activity, for work duties continued to be uncharacteristically light: ‘This afternoon I was on duty from 12:30 till 5 pm – and that’s my day’s work! Tomorrow I’m on from 8:30 till 12:30, then off for the rest of the day. This really is too good to last!’.

Maybe thanks to this, there was time and energy for domestic duties. ‘This morning, several of us were off duty: we stayed in bed till the last minute, then rushed to breakfast in our “bells” [bell bottomed trousers – part of the uniform]. After breakfast, we lit the stove then spring cleaned the cabin – and after, borrowed a barrow to fetch some coke from the dump for the cabin fire. After all our energetic exertions, we went across to the canteen for tea and cakes!’

Although Kathleen only occasionally commented on the progress of the war in her letters home, her family were more likely to do so. In a letter to her, sister Dorothy mentioned the ‘wonderful war news from the Russian front…. When I told Granny they were only a good 3 ½ hours ride away [from Berlin], she asked whether they would attempt it today!’.

And thus, like the previous week, Kathleen’s letter ended on a contented note: ‘Tonight I don’t know what I’m doing - one’s sole entertainment here is going out to supper, the local cinema or the Y.M.C.A. dance! Ah well! I suppose I’d rather be here than be worried by bombs in the south of England’.

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