By Faye Mayern and Stephen Briggs via SWNS
A WWII veteran received her service medal in a surprise ceremony at her care home 80 years after her service.
Eve Hillier, 97, joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in 1944 and worked in both administration and as a waitress in the officers’ mess hall.
Hillier never received her 1939 – 1945 war medal and so her family contacted the RAF who presented the award in a surprise ceremony at her care home on April 20.
The former servicewoman, who now lives at Chater Lodge Care Home in Stamford, Lincs, said: “It feels very special and unexpected to receive it after all these years.
“I didn’t apply for it at the time but I’m glad I’ve finally got it.
“They were the best years of my life because everyone was so friendly and it felt like one big family.”
Former servicewoman Eve joined the WAAF in October 1944 and she worked at Barbara Hutton’s House near Regent’s Park, London.
In early 1945 she went to RAF North Weald, near Epping Forest in Essex, a front-line fighter pilot airfield.
During her service at there, she was asked to take part in a recruitment film for the RAF and continued to work at North Weald until she was discharged in 1947.
Eve married Hubert Blackwell, an RAF Flight Sgt Spitfire Pilot in 1948 and they spent the next 30 years travelling the world with the RAF and bringing up four children.
They divorced in 1980 and Eve married Len Hillier who had been a navigator in Bomber Command.
Zoe Postgate, General Manager at Chater Lodge said: “We’re all so proud of Eve.
“She always downplays it but we all know that people like her all played their part in the war effort.
“It was so wonderful to surprise her and for the RAF to present her with her service medal after all these years. She has it in time for the anniversary of VE Day.”
