- Contributed by听
- bedfordmuseum
- People in story:听
- K. E. Manning
- Location of story:听
- Bedford
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A3673000
- Contributed on:听
- 16 February 2005
'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jenny Ford and behalf of Mr. K. Manning and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'
I started working at W. H. Allen's in 1941 when I was 14 (13.8.1941!) I started my apprenticeship when I was 16 years old.
Shelters were built for air raid protection but I only remember using them once. One day a fellow worker found an incendiary bomb on his way to the factory and brought it in - unexploded. It was soon taken off him!
I would have liked to serve in the Royal Navy and did volunteer and passed the medical but was not accepted - be exempt beause of my factory work. 10 hour shifts were standard and could 12 hours or long. For example, All Friday, Friday night and Saturday morning.
The manageress of the canteen was German or Austrian and would really look after us at night. Piled our plates high as had to get rid of the food.
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