Tributes paid to 'amazing' Sheffield woman who joined air force aged 17 during Second World War

Joan Bowskill, who lived for most of her years in Stannington, volunteered for the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) aged just 17 in 1941 and played a vital role preparing pilots for their missions.

As a batwoman, she was responsible for looking after flying officers, including cleaning their uniforms, and it was in this role she began a fairy tale romance with a decorated war hero which stood the test of time.

The RAF's top brass did their best to keep them apart, according to Joan's daughter Carol Gilbey, disapproving of the budding relationship between an officer and a lower-ranking woman.

She was posted to another base in Cambridgeshire in an attempt to keep them apart, but they continued to meet at weekends whenever possible and wrote regularly, with Joan saving those treasured love letters in a special box until her death.

In one heart-rending entry in her memoirs, she recalls: "When the war heated up I was worried about Jack. It was always in my heart he wouldn't come back to me, because I loved him so much."

Thankfully, he emerged largely unscathed from his many perilous missions and they went on to enjoy a happy life together in Stannington, where they raised their two children.

Joan was heartbroken when Jack died in 1998, but becoming an active member of the WAAF Association helped her through her grief as she forged new friendships to add to the lifelong ones she had made during the war years, and she travelled to London in 2005 for the unveiling of the Women of World War II monument.

She was a keen golfer, who captained Hillsborough Golf Club, and was still knitting until shortly before her death, having only recently completed a batch of bonnets for premature babies at Sheffield's Jessop Wing.

Joan, who died last Wednesday, aged 94, was also a proud and loving grandmother of five, who had nine great-grandchildren.

Carol told how her mother, who was born Joan Paxton in Southend-on-Sea and lived briefly in Wales before moving to London, had made the most of her life.

"Mum's childhood was quite hard but she always said how she had a wonderful life," she said.

"She was such a loving person, who enjoyed socialising and was always the first person dancing at parties. Her house was always full of love and happiness.

"He nickname was Chardonnay Joan because she had a glass every day, and I like to think that was her secret to remaining so active and looking so much younger than her years.

"She was so proud of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and we're incredibly proud of her.

"I've been really touched by all the cards we've had from people telling us what an amazing woman she was."