Warrnambool resident Avis Quarrell says her Australian Army service was the most wonderful experience

Her dad who had served in WWI and went onto serve in WWII wouldn't hear of it.

"When I said I wanted to go, he said 'You can't, war's not for women'," she said. "At that time you were under your parents at 18."

She said she felt useless while the war was on, working as an artist, hand-painting glassware at a factory and wanted to help.

"Dad and I had almost a year-long fight and I said 'I'll get down on my knees by the bed and pray that the war keeps going dad because I'm going to join up'."

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She went on to serve in the Australian Women's Army Service for more than three years.

"In the end he gave up and he was the proudest bloke in the suburb. Six months after, my brother joined the Air Force but he didn't stand in his way."

Mrs Quarrell, 97, loved her time with the army and said it was the most wonderful experience.

One of her roles was as a search light operator and she was working on one of the heads when Japanese submarines came into Sydney Harbour in 1942.

Her highlight was the night of her 21^st birthday which she celebrated in Sydney with Australian soldiers.

Her mum sent two beautifully decorated cakes which were large enough to share with every soldier and Mrs Quarrell remembers it as the most fabulous birthday celebration she's ever had.

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