Take my mother-in-law....please.

Friday September 17th - 1943

CONCEALED WAAF ABSENTEE - GRANTHAM MOTHER-IN-LAW CONVICTED - DAY'S IMPRISONMENT

May Atter, of 16 Ermine Close, made a number of errors of judgement in 1943.

Her daughter-in-law, who is un-named in the article, had left her base to come and see her mother-in-law. She did not return to her base when she was expected, and so a member of the armed services police came to 16 Ermine Close in order to find her. Mrs Atter appeared at the door, and told them that she had in fact left when she was supposed to, catching the 2pm bus to take her back.

Upon returning to the base, the officer couldn't find the girl, and therefore made a call to the local Police. Detective Officer Bramhall decided that he would attend himself to make enquiries. He spoke to Mrs Atter, and outlined the seriousness of hiding an absentee; she maintained that she hadn't been there.

Two days later, the errant WAAF officer arrived back at camp, and was interviewed, admitting that she had been at her mother-in-law's address all along. She had been upstairs when the Police had come to visit.

It would appear that Detective Bramhall was not particularly amused with this deception, and he ensured that Mrs Atter was placed before the court. At court, Mrs Atter claimed that her daughter in law had only intermittently been at her home, and that she truly believed that she had gone back to camp. Despite this being, on the basis of the information in the article, patently untrue, the magistrate stated that he believed that she had only lied to Police at the behest of her relative, and had no idea that she was AWOL.

"I can't minimise the offence; it is a grave offence at a time of war" said Mr Varley, magistrate. They recorded a conviction and sent her to prison for a day.

IN OTHER NEWS: KINGS SCHOOL OLD BOY BLUFFED THE NAZIS - FEIGNED DEATH AND ATE HIS MAPS

ADVERT OF THE WEEK: "FEEL FINE ALL THE TIME - JUST REMEMBER NIGHTLY BILE BEANS"