Description
After having no luck getting rid of the cockroaches in the barracks, Ms. Brown tells a humourous story of how the girls caught the attention of the CO and had their problem solved.
Celia Brown
Celia Brown was born December 30, 1920 in Sussex, New Brunswick. Her motivation to join the Air Force was inspired at a young age by the fascination of wanting to fly. After joining up in New Brunswick, Ms. Brown travelled to Toronto for training and later performed much of her In-Canada service in Dofton, Manitoba serving in the Clerk Administration field holding rank of Corporal. Today Ms. Brown is very active with the Women’s Division of the Royal Canadian Air Force where she advocates for their recognition and contribution made by the Women who served with the Canadian military. On November 12, 1945, after 4 years service, Ms. Brown discharged from the Air Force.
Transcript
One of my greatest memories, maybe it’s not a good story to tell, but when we were in Winnipeg, getting near the end, our barracks was over the stores, food stores. We had cockroaches. I had never seen a cockroach until that time. So of course we had reported to our WD officer and nothing was done about it and we all felt she lived off the station maybe she didn’t care and the CO because it was the end of the war, he let us go to breakfast without our hat on. So one day I set my hat on my pillow, sure had to have your bed made before you went out, and when I came back I lifted my hat and out popped a cockroach. Well that did it. That night in the washroom, and of course as soon as you turned lights on, a million of them, I took a little jar, caught about a dozen cockroaches, took them into work the next morning and I was working in the admin. building then. Our CO was very friendly and going by he’d stop and chat with you. So uh, we waited and when we heard his footsteps coming, two of us go over where he’d have to pass you know with our little bottle looking at it and he did as we suspected he would. He said, “What have you got there girls? ”, “Cockroaches, Sir? ”, .... “Cockroaches? ? ”... “Yes, Sir!”...“Where did you get the cockroaches ? ”... “In our barracks, Sir!”[laughing]...”Why hasn’t it been reported? ”...”It has, Sir!”...”Who did you report it to? ” and we thought oh, oh!! “Our WD officer and the station sergeant major.”.. “Well, we’ll do something about this.” The next day they were in there spraying for us and we for a few days fully expected to be pulled up on the carpet for going over our WD officer’s head but we never did hear anything about it.