RESEARCHERS at a wartime museum near Worcester are hoping to capture memories before they are lost forever.

They want to hear recollections from women, or their friends and relatives, who were part of the 600-strong workforce at the once-secret RAF Defford air base.

And they are holding an event at Pershore Town Hall on Saturday, January 20, for people to share their memories.

"We know about some of the women who worked at RAF Defford, but there are many more unknown stories to be revealed and we hope this event will help bring them to the surface,” said Pauline Gardiner, who volunteers at the RAF Defford museum and is the daughter of a wartime radar operator.

“They carried out a wide range of jobs, from boffins to cooks and cleaners. That generation was very reticent about their war experiences but for many it was a life-changer. We are really eager to find out more about them."

If you, a female relative or friend worked at RAF Defford during the Second World War and the years immediately afterwards, then the researchers would love to hear from you.

The RAF museum already features stories of women like Audrey Rundell, who flew from Defford in a Wellington plane and was awarded an MBE in the 1944 New Year’s Honours list in recognition of her work on airborne radar applications. Yet it is hoped that there are many more stories yet to be discovered.

The aim of the Women Working at RAF Defford Research Project is to find out more about the women who worked and served there, the various roles they played, and how it affected their lives.

Many of the women carried out a wide range of occupations - nurses, drivers, cooks, scientists, WAAFs, engineers, pay clerks, Wrens. Some lived locally and others settled in Worcestershire after the war.

The researchers are interested to find out how the women viewed their work at RAF Defford.

The event at Pershore Town Hall runs from 10.30am to 2.30pm.