´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ People’s War site by Wymondham Learning Centre on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

I was 18 in 1939 and working at Briton Brush. On Sundays I delivered papers in Suton, Spooner Row and Wymondham. I had to cycle to Attleborough to collect the papers.

I was called up on 7th July 1941 and sent to Bournemouth square bashing.

Embarkation Leave

After weekend leave I was posted to Paisley for three weeks prior to embarkation leave. The three days allowed meant two days travelling and one day at home in Wymondham! During the 24 hours at home a bomb was dropped on the Lizard — no casualties.

Journey

We were on the boat for 17 days before we reached Durban, South Africa, for a short rest; then on to the Persian Gulf via Bombay. We were stationed in Abadan (Iraq) for three months. We had no supplies and lived on local plums and rice. Our utensils and cutlery were made out of old oil drums!

Wymondham Re-union in Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

I was sent to Ceylon as a wireless operator and observer and spent my time spotting aircraft and reporting movements. I stayed on a tea plantation and the tea planter’s wife asked another British man, from a neighbouring plantation, to tea. When he arrived he recognized my accent and asked where I came from in England — I replied, ‘Wymondham’. He replied, ‘Me too!’ He was Claud Semmence, and I knew his father. Claud stayed on in Sri Lanka after the war and I did not see him after I left Sri Lanka.

Malaria

Before I was posted to Chittagong, where the Burma Road started, I had a bout of malaria. I was only given nine days treatment with quinine instead of twenty-one days and had a relapse after three months. The last attack I had was 19 years ago.

Stores

I was a storekeeper for a while on the Burma-Indian border and supplies came from Madras to Chittagong. I then spent time in Karachi in India (now Pakistan) then moved to Lahore where supplies were plentiful.

Home

In September 1945, after 3 years and 9 months away from Britain, I was posted to Shipdham, Norfolk. Before the war the furthest I had travelled from Wymondham, was Gt Yarmouth! I went back to work at Briton Brush when I was demobbed in July 1946, after being issued with new shoes, civilian suit, mackintosh, trilby and full set of underwear!

My younger brother by 18 months, Alan, had been in the navy escorting convoys in Russian waters. He went down with his ship.

My brother George, who was 13 months older than me, survived. George served in the R.A.F.. When we saw each other after the war I didn’t recognize him, as we had not seen each other for so long!

I married Eva Patricia in 1949 and we had a son in 1954.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.