Candy Jar

The Second World War is dominated by heroic tales of men defending their country against a formidable enemy but what about the women who also played their part in fighting for freedom? Eileen Younghusband (90) was just 18 when she joined the Womens Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). She quickly demonstrated her keen intellect and mathematical skills, playing a crucial role in Fighter Command’s underground Filter Room. Working gruelling shifts under enormous pressure she and her companions worked tirelessly, tracking the swarms of enemy aircraft that sought to break the British resolve. She even had the dubious honour of detecting the first of Hitler’s devastating V2 rockets as it fell on an unsuspecting London. This book gives a vivid insight into the life of a young woman facing the grim reality of war.

"The Few could not have won the Battle of Britain if it had not been for the Many. Eileen Younghusband vividly reveals the unsung heroism of Fighter Command's Filter Room during the Second World War. One Woman's War is living, breathing history, resonant with warmth and personality."
Jed Mercurio (Writer, – The Legend of the Tamworth Two, The Grimleys, Cardiac Arrest)

"There is much that is remarkable about Eileen Younghusband: she is 90-years-old and is as sharp as a knife – indeed I suspect that she is a lot brighter than many half her age." Emma Soames (Editor-at-large, Saga Magazine)