The sun had barely peeked over the mountains when the ranking Sergeants Peggy, Audrey, Dorothy, and Maisy laden with their kit-bags and Ditty boxes clambered onto a train that had the duty of transporting them to their destination - Somerset West. The April mornings were chilly, and the ladies were finally grateful for their greatcoats that kept them warm throughout the one hour journey.
At Somerset West, they and all their belongings got off the train and onto a ration van. At the Steenbras River mouth, the Military Police checked their paperwork, cleared them for entry and then they traveled the last forty kilometers of their journey. They drove on a gravel road mined with potholes, in the middle of nowhere. All that was to be seen were obscure trees, and brushes of Fynbos but not another person in sight. The trip was terrible as they bounced around holding on for all that they were worth with little or no sympathy from the driver. The ladies tried as hard as possible to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Palmiet river, the ocean on their right, the majestic mountains on the left, and the wind that blew continuously, filling their smell senses with a fresh salty aroma.
The four friends, giggled, groaned and commented for as long as the journey took them, barely holding a moments silence in their anxious excitement of their future. The van slowed to a halt and idled until a man came running to open the gates. Slowly the van pulled off again drove up a few meters and stopped, with the driver finally switching off the engine.
The luggage was hauled from the van after the women were graciously helped off by the men already in residence at the barracks. After a few saluting and general introductions, they were shown to their quarters. Unfortunately, their Station Officer Commanding - OC Lt. Mrs. Simpson and the Station Officer Commanding Captain Maxwell Vogel were away and expected to return the following day. Lt. Frank Kessler, a technician, ushered them to their quarters.
Silversands Barracks was divided in two by a fence to separate the men and the woman.
“This fence,” Lt. Kessler said pointing “is for your protection and is called the Chastity Fence.” He let out a loud mocking laugh exposing a pair of laughing and mischievous eyes. “Lunch will be ready in about half an hour in the hall.” He waved to a large building structure.
“How will we get there since we cannot get through the Chastity Fence?” Audrey asked him in a mocking tone.
He gave a slanted grin and kindly informed them of the way around the back. Lt. Frank Kessler, was tall and slightly overweight according to the Army’s standards. He had happy features that were enhanced with smiling brown eyes and complimented with brown hair.
“Oh, this place is going to be such terrible fun.” Audrey chuckled picking up her belongings and picking out her room.
Their accommodation was a single story building comprising of ten individual rooms. Each room had enough space for a single bed, a cupboard, a chair, a small writing desk and brightened up with colorful floral curtains. They used a women’s communal ablution outhouse at the rear of their quarters.
After inspecting each other’s rooms and confirming that every room was the same, they put on their blazers and berets and headed to the function hall for lunch. When they stepped into the fresh air, they were greeted by the pounding ocean only a few meters away. The four ladies stood in awe of the beauty surrounding them; the ocean on one side to the majestic mountains on the other. The air smelled of a combination of Fynbos and salt; the ladies breathed it into their lungs with welcoming breaths it was so refreshing.
Dorothy pushed the door open, and the four ladies entered the function room; their stomachs grumbling with hunger. The room was large with big windows evenly placed down either length and across the opposite end. These large windows gave immense light and views of the ocean from all side. The light made the room inviting and relaxing. Towards the end of the room on the left was the entrance to the kitchen. The aroma of various herbs and sauces slithered through the doorway of the kitchen enticing the hunger of the four ravenous ladies even further. A serving station with a chef on duty stood just to the left of the kitchen door. Several tables each with four chairs took up the center of the room; the best tables were those close to the windows at the end of the room with a view directly facing the ocean. A table was available there, and so the ladies made a bee-line to it.
All the men in the occupied tables stood and saluted as the ladies approached them, they saluted back relishing the moment until they realized the men were all higher ranked than them. Lt. Frank Kessler smiled with his very naughty smile. “Good day ladies welcome to the best food in the Army. May I give you the tour?”
The four ladies took off their blazers, hung them over the back of their chairs, and put their berets on the table.
“A tour of what? There is the kitchen, and we eat here.” Audrey said challenging Lt. Kessler.
He laughed and then said. “Quite so ma’am but let me at least introduce you to Chef, and we’re all on first a name basis here, except to the brass.”
“That would be lovely,” Audrey replied, and the ladies walked behind Frank into the kitchen very aware of the men snickering at the tables. Audrey could not help overhearing a comment passed by one of the men. “Ole Frank’s charm is not going to work on that one.” She wondered what he meant.
Only two of the Lieutenants present at lunch were stationed at the Silversands Radar Station; the rest were from the Hangklip Radar station. The Hangklip Radar Station as they learned was only operated by the men since it was difficult to access so high up on the mountain. The ladies were promised a tour of the Hangklip Radar Station if they ‘behaved themselves’ as Frank politely informed them.
After lunch, the ladies were taken to the Silversands Radar Station and introduced to all the technicians on duty. One of the Lieutenants gladly exclaimed that finally, the operators arrived, and they could get on with their work.
“In two weeks new recruits will have finished their six-week course, and then you can all go back to doing what you do best,” Peggy commented.
Frank took great pleasure showing them around the station and pointed out where the Hangklip Radar Station was. It was only barely visible, from the Silversands Radar Station, plugged high up onto the mountain. “Tomorrow cannot come any sooner,” Peggy exclaimed when they reached their quarters, and Frank had left them. “Working here is going to be so exciting.”
“Yes well, I hope the new ladies arrive soon. Otherwise we will work ourselves to death, and the beach looks so inviting that I do want to spend some time on it,” Maisy whined.
“Well we still have a few hours of daylight so why don’t we go to the beach now.” Peggy was already unbuttoning her shirt as she spoke and dashed to change in her room.
The four friends walked along the rocks in casual clothes covering their bathing suits. Dorothy was the first to put her feet in the water and retracted them instantly complaining against Autumn’s cold water. Since swimming was out of the question, they explored the rock pools and the small beach until the daylight faded and the wind became less pleasant.