Hawke's Bay WWII veteran who had to cook for 360 people hated her role

Ada Winifred Kirk, died aged 99, a strong, independent, pragmatic woman.

Hawke's Bay World War II veteran Ada Kirk died last week aged 99. But as Sahiban Hyde finds out, she hated her role.

OBITUARY: Ada Winifred "Win" Kirk (nee Hankins) was born in 1919 just after World War I ended.

Kirk was born and bred in St Giles, Dorset, when England was under the reign of King George and Queen Mary.

For the most part, it was a glorious childhood, her daughter Trudy Kirk says.

HBT182319103.JPG Havelock North's Trudy Kirk holds a photograph of her mother Ada Winifred Kirk. Photo / Warren Buckland.

"She grew up in a 200-year-old country cottage where the walls were 30 centimetres thick.

"Her father was head groom to the Shaftesbury estate.

"The Duke of Windsor and the Prince of Wales frequently visited the estate."

Trudy said Ada was an academic and impressed Lady Shaftesbury.

"Lady Shaftesbury asked Ada's mum and dad if she could send her to a grammar school [private school] and was told 'no'.

"This was for two reasons. Her father thought she wouldn't fit in and he did not want to be indebted to the earl."

Ada left school aged 14 because that was her only choice.

"The choice was either grammar, which was private schooling and a different class, or finding a job."

According to a biography written by great-granddaughter Imogen Lovell, and which was read as a eulogy at Ada's funeral, Ada started work at Crichel House after finishing at school.

"She and her friend saw an advertisement for a job and got on their bikes and rode to Crichel House.

Ada got a job as a cook and her friend got a job as the fourth housemaid.

"They made the most amazing things in the kitchen, like sugar web," Trudy said.

"Granny hated working there because she was always washing dishes and everything was made of copper."

Then World War II was declared and she joined up with her friend, Trudy says.

Service and release book of Ada Winifred Kirk who died on March 30 aged 99 and was in the Royal Air Force during WWII. Photo / Warren Buckland.

Ada's friend went with the Army and Ada joined the Royal Air Force as a young twenty-something.

She became a cook in the RAF, and stayed with the RAF as a corporal until the end of the war.

Ada ended up spending a lot of time in Scotland as she was based there, and she was not a great fan of ending up as a cook, adds Lovell.

"Granny ended up in the air force and cooking for 360 people. She had already been a cook and she thought it was dreadful."

Ada Winifred Kirk was a cook with the RAF during WWII

She and her friend decided to leave Britain after the war, Trudy said.

"They saw a poster saying 'emigrate to Australia, Canada or New Zealand'.

"Her friend knew people in Lower Hutt so they decided to move to NZ."

Ada arrived in NZ seven weeks later knowing she would never see her family again.

"She was very pragmatic, independent and strong," Trudy said.

"She lived independently for the last couple of years."

Ada worked as a librarian in Waipukurau in the 1970s and 80s and she was happiest with a book in her hand.

"Mum's greatest love was literature, books and poetry," Trudy said.

"She passed on her love of reading not only to her children, but to her grand-children and great-grand-children as well.

"We were so lucky."