Eileen Younghusband was born in London in 1921. After her wartime service in the WAAF, she had a successful career in hotel management and catering, taking on the male establishment of the industry. She also ran a variety of businesses, from selling herbs to Fortnum & Mason to supplying thousands of tons of scrap metal for a company in Spain. At the age of 87, she graduated from the Open University as one of its Students of the Year. Eileen lives in Wales, where she was an active campaigner on health and education issues. She gave regular talks on the role of Radar in World War Two and the work of the Filter Room. Sadly, in September 2016 Eileen died at the age of 95.
Her final book – Eileen’s War – was written for children and was completed and published only weeks before her death. Eileen saw Eileen’s War as her ‘legacy’ book. On the day of its release she said: “It is my hope that all children will read my book. I think it is really important to engage with young people about World War II. It’s a pivotal moment in our history. If my story can live on from generation to generation this will be wonderful.”
Her first autobiography, Not an Ordinary Life, was published in 2009.
One Woman's War 