Tomorrow is D-Day: The Remarkable War Story of Supermarine's First DraughtswomanAt 10.15 a.m. on Saturday 3 June 1944, a shaft of sunlight fell across my board, sending a brilliant white reflection into my eyes. Bother, I thought, now the ink will dry too quickly ... Moving so that the shadow of my head covered my work I became aware that Joe Smith and a military officer had entered the hangar and were approaching the Chief Draughtsman’s office ... Stella Rutter, the first woman employed in the Drawing Office of Supermarine, would that evening play the role of hostess at the farewell party that generals Eisenhower and Montgomery held on the eve of D-Day for the most senior commanding officers – British, American and Canadian – involved in the landings. Her strict Edwardian upbringing had taught Stella to mix with older people and keep quiet about anything she overheard. It was this naturally security-conscious attitude that led to her remarkable involvement in the Second World War. In these pages, Stella recounts her war story. After leaving art college, she obtained a post in the Drawing Office of HMS Excellent, Portsmouth. A year later she was commandeered to work for the Technical Publications section of Supermarine, the designers of the Spitfire. Then in June 1944 she was recommended as the right person to create an atmosphere of normality to relax the assembled officers at a gathering in a Nissen hut in the forest of Hursley Park on the eve of the invasion of Normandy. Seventy years on she is now at liberty to share her experiences. |
Contents
Outbreak of | |
HMS Excellent | |
From Ships to Spitfires | |
Supermarine | |
Supermarine Memories | |
Tomorrow is DDay | |
After the | |
Bibliography | |
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Tomorrow Is D-Day: The Remarkable War Story of Supermarine's First Draughtswoman Stella Rutter No preview available - 2015 |
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Alan Clifton Alex Henshaw apprentice arrived asked became Bedhampton bomb Brigade called canteen Chief Draughtsman civilian climbed colleagues Commanding Officer cycle D-Day D. A. H. Graham Deafy desk door Drawing Office driver Eastleigh Father feet Field Marshal front garden gate gave Gerald Gingell Gerry Gingell girl Graham hall hangar Havant heard HMS Excellent Hursley House Hursley Park J&C McCutcheon Collection Jack Rasmussen jeep Jeffrey Quill Joseph Smith kitchen knew lady later leave look Lord Beaverbrook Lovell-Cooper lunch lunchtime memory miles Monday Montgomery morning Mother night Normandy Omar Bradley photograph pilots Portsmouth Purbrook R. J. Mitchell realised Regiment replied road Saturday senior shelter side Southampton Spitfire Society staff Stella Broughton Supermarine thought told TOMORROW IS D-DAY took turned Vickers Supermarine waiting walked wall wanted week Whale Island Winchester