大象传媒

Prior to the start of the war, preparations were under way in Folkestone and Hythe: holiday people were returning home, most hotels and guest houses were closing down, and French, German and Italian nationals were leaving from Folkestone Harbour on cross-Channel steamers.

I was seventeen years old after the war was declared and saw Germans and Italians still in the area being rounded up and interned. Coils of wire were made, and gas masks supplied to everyone.

In January 1940 the British Expeditionary Force went to France from Dover and Folkestone, and in February large numbers of conscripts arrived at Shorncliffe Camp to join the No.1 Training Battalion of the Royal Engineers. After one Sunday evening service at the Baptist Church, my father brought home three new soldiers for supper and coffee. One played our piano, Jock Paton, he was a professional, it was great. I went to the NAAFI at the camp and helped Jock to form a band and asked new recruits if they could play an instrument. By February we had a complete show to put on at the Leas Cliffe Hall where over 1500 troops and civilians packed in 鈥� it was a great success and we played every Friday evening and called it the 鈥淣uts and Bolts Orchestra鈥�.

I joined the Local Defence Volunteers and in May 1940 my sister Violet and I joined thousands of people at Folkestone Harbour to help our returning forces home from Dunkirk, from all sizes of ships and boats. We had towels, sheets and blankets and made thousands of cups of tea and buns.

In June 1940 I volunteered for the RAF and was called up on the 10th of July. After initial training I was sent on various courses for WOP/ Air Gunner, but after a pre-air crew medical, the MO said 鈥淏efore you go any further with your training, your legs need to be operated on for varicose veins鈥�. After the operation I was posted to RAF Hawkinge until my legs were better.

In August 1940 I was with a machine gun crew to defend the airfield. Many of the barracks were bombed by the Luftwaffe, so four of us were housed in an underground shelter by the gun post.

The Luftwaffe ME109s and Stukas strafed and dive-bombed Hawkinge almost daily. Craters in the airfield had to be filled in quick to allow our Spitfires to take off and land. With our strong binoculars we could see German lorries moving along the cliffs of France 鈥� we expected an invasion any time.

In 1941 I went to courses for Bomber Command and went to Driffield, Yorkshire, No4 Bomber Command 77 Squadron, and also served with 101 Squadron stationed at Topcliffe and Dishforth.

After many frightening experiences, in 1943 I was sent to Uphaven Station, Wiltshire, to Flying Training Command, then on to Mona, Isle of Anglesey. Flying in Avro Ansons in 1944 I was badly injured in a crash and spent ten months in Bangor Hospital and Betts-y-Coed Red Cross and St John Hospital. The right leg was very bad and I had a metal plate for a knee cap so the leg would not straighten. Eventually the muscles built up and the leg, although not normal, was walkable without much pain.

In 1945 I was re-mustered to a F/Sgt Clerk provisioning and posted to New Delhi India Base HQ South East Asia Command. I also served on the SEA Welfare Committee helping RAF personnel to be occupied and entertained following the end of the war with Japan. In April 1946 I returned to England for demobilisation on the SS Andes.

This story was submitted to the site by Melita Dennett on behalf of Bill Hewson, who fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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