IN the 1990s when UK troops headed off to fight in the first Gulf War, Eva Rowland was there.
Just as she had been for the Dambusters in 1943, when they went off to fight the Germans.
Now 96, the Scholes Salvation Army Brigadier still feels a pang of duty when she sees UK troops leave these shores.
Raised in the Salvation Army she entered the Red Shield Service which provides catering and support to troops and over the years has earned the gratitude of thousands of soldiers.
It was a career which saw her live in 38 different properties all over Britain alongside her husband Will Rowland, who died eight years ago.
During her time she has catered for everyone from squaddies to the Prime Minister himself – Winston Churchill.
She said: “In the 1940s, I was based on military trains in Scotland.
“One of them had a big restaurant for the men going to Scapa Flow. The other men were getting egg and chips but Churchill was getting something special obviously.
“He made me sit down as he had a cup of tea and I had a sandwich. He would talk about absolutely anything other than the war; how my family was, where they were, how I got to be working on the train.
“He was a lovely man who got all the facts he wanted very quietly.
“When we got to the station he thanked me for my company and for all that we were doing and what we were going to do.”
It was at RAF Scampton near Lincolnshire in May, 1943, that Eva and her husband unwittingly spent time with pilots who were about to fly into history – The Dambusters.
Scientists and soldiers had worked for months in secrecy in preparation for the raid which would destroy three dams on the Ruhr and strike a blow to German manufacturing capabilities.
During the preparations she got to know the celebrated leader of the raid, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who was later awarded the VC.
Eva said: “They were always jolly and never said anything distasteful.
“The men were such young lads and they just wanted to get cracking and get the thing over with. Of course everything was top secret and we didn’t know where they were going or what for.
“When the planes left my husband and I were in an adjoining airfield and we stood on an air raid shelter.
“As they went by he knelt down and said a prayer for them and for their families.
“When they came back they were very happy, but of course not all of them did come back.”
Of 133 aircrew, 53 were killed and three captured. After the leader of the raid Wing Commander Guy Gibson returned, he gave Eva and her husband a photograph of his Lancaster that bombed the dams, which Eva calls ‘extremely precious’.
Guy Gibson died less than 18 months later, shot down aged just 26.
Her years of work with the troops also led to meetings with Montgomery and Mike Jackson, later General Sir Mike Jackson, the former head of the Army.
She has also had her share of run-ins with rank and file troops, not least the marines who stole her massive frying pan (which was capable of frying 24 eggs) and returned with it hanging from the top of their ship.
It is astonishing that as UK troops headed out to fight in the first Gulf War in 1990 Eva was there, fulfilling the same role she had for so many years.
Her son-in-law, Paul Knutzen, said: “When the Second Gulf War started and the troops went to fight she watched them on TV and cried, because she felt that she should have been there for them.”
Eva added: “If they needed me again I’d be off like a shot.”
IT MAY be late in the day for a change of look, but Eva is about to have a full make-over.
At 96 she is taking part in a “real women” event organised by the cosmetics company Shiseido.
The company asked her to take part because she has virtually never worn make-up.
She said: “I would use a bit of cream now and again but this is different!”
Eva has had a first makeup session with a Shieseido colour expert from Leeds. Now she has been invited back for a full make-over with mini photo shoot at the House of Fraser in Leeds next month.
Eva was picked by the cosmetics company because of her remarkable life story.
Her wartime exploits have also caught the eye of the theatre, and in 2004 her story was turned into a musical play, Egg and Chips for Winston, and performed at both the Edinburgh Fringe and in a showing on Broadway.
The Salvation Army was founded in East London in 1865 and remains one of the largest providers of social care in the UK
The church and registered charity says it demonstrates its Christian principles through social welfare provision
Across the globe it has more than 1.6million members, with homeless centres, drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals and medical centres, as well as nearly 16,000 church and community centres
It is funded through donations from its members, the general public and local authority and government grants
It has 50,000 members, 4,000 employees, 1,500 full time ministers and serves 3,000,000 meals a year
The Salvation Army also supports the work of the emergency services by providing refreshments, shelter and counselling at major incidents
There are 30 Red Shield support centres for military personnel in the UK, Germany and the Falkland Islands.
