Not An Ordinary Life

Not an Ordinary Life is a fascinating autobiography from Eileen Younghusband telling of her time in the Second World War as a young woman in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), through to her remarkable career in business and completing a degree at the age of 86.

Eileen volunteered for service in the WAAF and was chosen to work in the Filter Rooms of Fighter Command in the defence against hostile aircraft. This secret and vital link between the coastal Radar installations and the Operations Rooms has never received the publicity it deserved. It was the nerve centre for Radar's defence of Britain.

“Many of the WAAF personnel with whom I served were married or related to operating air crews from either Bomber or Fighter Command,” says Eileen. “They continued steadfastly with their duties even in times of danger, knowing perhaps that their loved ones might not return from an operation. Our lives were moulded by these years,” said Eileen.

“It set the seal for my future life – how I acted, when coping with the challenges and many problems of post-war life. My generation lost our teenage years and the chance to plan our futures. We grew up fast. The book is a tribute to my once colleagues and perhaps a social document of that generation.”

This book has already garnered praise from reviewers. Fred Mawer, who writes for the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, said "Perhaps the most fascinating part of Eileen's inspirational autobiography are the descriptions of her time in the WAAF. These chapters are hugely informative, and written with great clarity and honesty, as well as a lightness of touch. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the “hidden” history of the Second World War to read Not an Ordinary Life.”