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Audrey-Smith

A veteran interview with

Audrey Smith

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About Audrey Smith

At university, Audrey joined the Officer Training Corps which ultimately led her to join the army when she graduated.

Due to her experience, Audrey never enrolled in basic training but was instead sent to the WRAC school of instruction. She was then posted to Shoeburyness as a Commander, then Singapore, and then to the new Duchess of Kent Barracks as Commanding Officer. Audrey also discusses growing IRA threats, and recalls the horror of experiencing the Aldershot bombing in 1972. Her career continued to flourish and she went to Army Staff College where she was the only woman out of one hundred men. Audrey proceeded to be posted at Shrewsbury as Senior Personnel Officer, then to the doctorate where she wrote employment papers for the WRAC, then the BAOR, and the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Audrey’s work in the WRAC was fundamental to its evolution and she was involved in the crucial integration of weapons training into the female corps. She felt strongly that women should be given opportunities and went on to design the selection tests for officers admittance to Staff College. A true trailblazer, we thank Audrey for her inspiring interview and passionate words about the importance of women’s roles in the WRAC.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Evie Painter
Transcribed by:
Gillian Cousins

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

If you would like a version of the transcript that has been transcribed manually by Gillian Cousins, please complete this form or email info@legasee.org.uk.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Smith, Audrey. A Veteran Interview with Audrey Smith. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 27 Nov. 2024 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/audrey-smith/. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
APA Style:
Smith, A. (2024, November 27). A Veteran Interview with Audrey Smith [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 21, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/audrey-smith/
Chicago Style:
Smith, Audrey. 2024. A Veteran Interview with Audrey Smith. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, November 27. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/audrey-smith/
Harvard Style:
Smith, A. (2024). A Veteran Interview with Audrey Smith. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 27 November. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/audrey-smith/ (Accessed: 21 April 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Smith, A. A Veteran Interview with Audrey Smith [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2024 Nov 27 [cited 2026 Apr 21]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/audrey-smith/
An interview with

Jean Eastham

A Corporal in the all-women's Auxiliary Territorial Service recalls tales of her time in Berlin.

Born in Birmingham, Jean Eastham experienced the first hand horrors of the Birmingham Blitz. With daylight raids and frequent casualties, she was lucky to survive the devastation, but recounts occasions where survival was not guaranteed. After volunteering for her service, Jean travelled to Berlin to help on the Airlift, where she was shocked by the sheer level of destruction. Inside her new accommodation, stationed in the former Olympic Village, she was met with a wave of unseen modern luxuries, including central heating and low-flush toilets, which provided some hope for the journey ahead. As part of the ATS, it was Jean’s responsibility to care for many of the other women involved, managing much of the administrative work like accommodation, pay, and uniforms. Although her status as a woman entailed some restrictions, like the need for an escort outside of the daytime, she and her fellow volunteers worked hard to keep morale high, which was crucial in easing the fears of anxious Berliners.  Like many others, Jean remembers attending the famous Christmas show of 1948, and getting to meet Bob Hope. She recalls being very proud to serve in the ATS, especially because Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess, was also a member. Even after the Airlift, Jean often returned to Berlin, including a visit to Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the blockade. Decades later, the Berliners still show their gratitude, and continue to thank Jean for her help. 
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker