Waterlooville mum pens book commemorating 100 years of NAAFI heroism

The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) was founded in March 1920, and was set up to run supplies, clubs, shops, cafes and more for British forces.

In layman's terms, it was a halfway house between reservists and full-time personnel, keeping the front lines stocked up so that the war effort could continue.

Now, a former NAAFI personnel member has collated some of the most remarkable stories, to commemorate a centenary of service.

NAAFI By Land and Sea is available for purchase via eBay for £33.95.

Sue Lowe, a mother-of-two from Waterlooville, has written the book to raise funds for the NCS EFI Association Benevolent Fund, which supports current and former service personnel.

The 43-year-old is hopeful that the 300,000 word book will highlight some of the unsung heroes of the armed forces.

She said: ‘Not a lot of people know about NAAFI and all the wonderful stuff the organisation has achieved.

‘I’m not an author myself, but wanted to do something that would document some of the incredible stories, while also raising some money in the process.

‘Personally, I did six months with NAAFI before doing my basic training and joining the Expeditionary Force Institute (EFI).’

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The book contains 508 different stories, compiled by talking to former NAAFI personnel and their families, all supplemented with around 360 photographs.

Ms Lowe says the accounts inside prove that those who served went above and beyond, even if they weren’t on the front lines.

‘These stories aren’t told from the perspective of seniority,’ she said.

‘Instead, it’s the average serviceman or woman, and their stories are just incredible.

‘There’s one story about a man who had to sail through a minefield to get back to base – these guys went to the nth degree to keep our troops supplied.

‘They're genuine heroes.’

Ms Lowe says the self-funded project, which began in 2018, has been an immersive look into the lives of those who came before her.

For more information on the book, people can go to the NAAFI By Land and Sea page on Facebook.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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