On Target

"On Target"

In an anti-aircraft station in the south of England the siren murdered sleep. Eight girls of an ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) crew slapped on tin hats, raced for the gun pit. Jerry was upstairs. The detectors had him pegged.

Turning the little knobs on her gun predictor for the first time in real action, 18-year-old Private Nora Caveney matched up the pointers, cried: "On target." As the guns spat, came the high whine of German bombs, a crash. A hot, jagged bomb splinter ripped through the sandbags and struck Nora Caveney in the chest. Another girl jumped into her place; another treble cry went up: "On target."

In a village churchyard near by, Private Caveney was buried last week, the first ATS girl to die in action against the enemy. Said Nora Caveney's C.O.: "Seasoned soldiers could not have behaved better." From all over England came polite, stiff letters asking for Nora Caveney's picture.

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