WRENS in Orkney

By Josephine Jones

One of my former neighbours, Edna was a WREN [Women's Royal Naval Service] at Hatston [HMS Sparrowhawk], just west of Kirkwall. She and her best friend Bunty were being courted by a couple of seaplane pilots. They were invited out for Sunday lunch at the Standing Stones Hotel, Stenness, and were a bit mystified to be escorted to a seaplane as it is quite illegal for military vehicles to be used for private purposes! They landed on the Loch of Stenness and moored at the pontoon behind the hotel. After lunch they were a bit alarmed to discover that the seaplane had sunk in 18 inches of water as Edna's boyfriend had stupidly left the seacocks open on the floats! As SHE was the senior officer present she made HIM fill out all the accident report forms, and then split up with him - but Bunty married her pilot!

Guiding at the Standing Stones of Stenness

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