大象传媒

My father was a Police Auxiliary at Shenfield, Essex. I became a Police Auxiliary Messenger in 1942, at the age of fifteen. In the middle of the night, as soon as I heard the sirens and anti-Aircraft, 'Ac, Ac', guns, I would leave the house. Then I'd cycle in the dark for about a mile to the Police Station wearing my tin hat with Police on it, and a gas mask. My job was to carry messages especially if the telephone wires were down. I waited until the 'all clear.'

Earlier there'd been raids on Essex. I can remember seeing Brentwood station being machine-gunned by a Dornier 215 in 1941. Those were the early attacks. As boys we'd pick up the shrapnal. Later while I was a messenger there were at least two bombs dropped on Shenfield.

I joined the RAF right at D-Day, 6th June 1944. My brother took over the job as messanger. I was in London, initially doing accounting duties. Then at Woolwich, when I was on a wireless course, it was the time of the Vls and the Vlls. One doodlebug landed in a field at the back of my parents' house in Shenfield. It blew their roof in.

Reproduced by Ipswich Museum with Ron Hepworth's permission.

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