大象传媒

.I had to go on a three week course from here to:-
Flamborough:- To Butlin's holiday Camp the construction of which was not quite completed, and like the landladies of Blackpool Mr.Butlin was not satisfied with what he was getting for the use of the place and the materials petrol etc. he was getting to be able to complete the place that otherwise the job would have been stood until the war was over.
He as I have said was also milking us poor erks, because every batch of blokes that came in when they left had what was termed as Barrack room damages, and was assessed with one of our officers and a Mr. Butlin Rep. We never got to see if there was any damage before we moved in, and I know for a fact that I bought two sinks. ( For I was to visit again later, and pay for the very same sink.)
We were here for three weeks training on the ground mounted 'Hispano Canon' a weapon usual mounted in the wings of Fighter planes But we were going to use it for Airfield protection and the idea was to use it like a hose pipe, we stipped one down and built it up, went through stoppages and procedures did drill till we dropped, then finally we went out onto Flamborough head and tried out our skills against a drogue towed behind a plane that was flown by what I could only believe was a suicide freak. A kamakarzi pilot at least tries to take someone or something else with him. Once back with my unit at Hornchurch, I was sent as a stand in for a bloke that was sick at:-
Croydon:- it is hard to believe that this was London's main Airport before the war. The area No 3 terminal buildings and car park at Heathrow would just about cover the whole airfield, I was glad when I could get back to my mates and the cinema job. However it was not long before the whole Squadron as a complete unit;- Pilots, fitters, office staff, cooks, and ground defence, even our own Padre. Were sent to Black pool again, this time to be kitted out for tropical climes complete with pith helmets.
We all had Jabs galore, some were deadly and blokes were dropping like flies, of course there was one or two passed out before they had had it. These were quickly pounced on by a medical orderly that was primed and ready, and before you could say Jack Robinson, the bloke that was down had got an arm full of jabs, almost before his eyes were shut. Having been kitted out and being at the mercy of the Blackpool mercenary population for about three weeks, The Draft that was to have been to Madagascar was cancelled, and we handed back in all our gear. ( The Jabs they let us keep ) but instead of them posting us, they kept us to top up other overseas drafts that may be a body or two short.

I was there three months, paid once a fortnight broke after three or four days, while Black Pool folks continued to milk every penny they could, as if we were tourists, The mean Scot rates 9 to Blackpool's 1 out of 10 in the Generosity stakes as far as I am concerned, That is why I have turned down every opportunity I have ever had to visit the place since.

The only pleasure I really had in the time that I was kicking my heals here was when Lillian came over from Oldham for an evening trip with her mother, I was flat broke as usual Lillian had nothing, it was raining, and cold so we sat in an air raid shelter on the sea front wrapped in my ground sheet to try and keep warm. We found that as in the song " I've Got My Love to Keep me Warm" on it's own, on a wet windy night, in an air raid shelter with no heat, is not sufficient. I did manage to visit her in Oldam once though. I was as happy as a lottery winner when my posting came through To:-
Manston:- on the Isle of Thanet, Kent actually, down near Margate was the next Aerodrome I served on. This was a very active station, It being the closest to the Continent, it was constantly used by crippled aircraft, and the maintenance personnel had a full time job of patching up almost every type of allied aircraft that was flying at that time, a lot just wanted fuel to get them to their home stations, some wanted minor repairs to make them airworthy enough to get home, and others had to be split up and sent home on low loaders, to be dealt with. Not much fun here for the fitters, but for plane spotters it must have been paradise.

I had a leave from here too, and I slipped up badly, when I got home I was asked: " When have you to go back" and I gave a day and date, and put my papers away, the day before I was due back I had a horrid tooth ache, and went to the Dentist to have it extracted.
That night I got my travel warrant out and nearly had a fit, I should already be back, that meant that when I did get back I would be twenty four hours adrift. Jankers were looming in my face, how could I have been so stupid. When I got back to camp the next day, " It was an all day job." when I booked in at the main gate. I was automatically put on a charge to see my commanding officer the next day.
It was late so I went straight to bed only to wake up in the middle of the night choking, but I wasn't it was the tooth socket that had started to haemorrhage, and a large clot had formed in my mouth, I put my handkerchief on the floor beside the bed and spit the clot onto it, along with several others.
I was awakened by the corporal, who asked what the hell was up, I told him I had been like this for two day's, that was why I was late back off leave, and he said you are supposed to be up on a charge, but you had better go on the sick parade first, I'll tell the sergeant where you are and why. as a result I got off. wow.
It was at Manston that I learned another valuable lesson of life, We were on that sacred square of every station known as the parade ground, drilling, when the Station Warrant officer came over to the drill Sergeant, and asked if he could address us.

Of course there is no one on any station with more authority except the Station C.O. and I think he has to ask permission to do certain things, so the sergeant said of course sir.
The Station Warrant officer addressed us thus: " I need a chauffeur for the officers Mess, hands up anyone that has knowledge of this occupation" It certainly sounded like a cushy number, and one man shot up his hand, "Step out here beside me," said the Warrant Officer, then addressing us again he said: " I need three more, can anyone drive a car, van or lorry."
There was about six hands went up this time. "Oh, good," he said picking the three biggest of the six to join the chauffeur. " I want you," he said pointing to the chauffeur "To go with these three to the Sergeants mess where there is a hand cart waiting, With the aide of your three companions you will carefully get the piano out of the mess, load it onto the hand cart, steer it safely to the officers mess and install it, they are having a due tonight and theirs is bust."

Lesson:- Never Volunteer For Nowt.

The time came for another posting this time to the north, but not anywhere near home, no such luck, it was up in Scotland to an airfield near to:-
Ayr:- We marched it to our new airfield it was a fair stride but it could not have been more than two miles. There was no Squadron based on this Airfield it was just a satellite for Prestwick, that could be seen on the sky line, everything was here though, and if Prestwick was out of action planes could land here be serviced refuelled and take off. The village close by was both very friendly and generous, completely opposed to all the tales you hear about the Scotch folk and all were made welcome to the village hall for the Sat. Night dances, and there was always plenty to eat too. I have never had a wrong word to say about the Scots since my stay here, and when the time came for us to leave here, we marched as a unit to Ayr station, and the whole village tuned out to cheer us on our way, and a bonny lass or two with tears in their eyes.

Strange that I can not remember the name of the village. Well no not really, I cannot remember the names of the lads that I served with, or the sequence of the stations I served on, or the dates that I was there, however the things I do remember even if not in right sequence, are better down than omitted. It was from here that I got back in touch with your mum if you remember, it is in her book, and she stayed over an extra week, to be sure and meet me.

It was here too that I had another lucky escape, almost every one was out this Sat. night, the village dance or the pub, or in Ayr itself. and the Orderly Officer and Sergeant came round the huts like the old Press gang looking for three men for "Guard Duty" Two on and Four off through the night, Hours that is. A Special job.
Three top secret planes "Lockheed Lightning Twin Boom Fighter planes" had just flown in from America Via Greenland. I was doing my two on and it was past one in the morning, a brilliant bright moonlit night, but chilly.
I was tired my legs ached, I had not seen a thing move, so I got myself comfortable out of sight sat down on the inside of one of the planes landing wheels,
I did not intend to go to sleep, just rest, but the next thing I knew was a voice not five yards away saying: " Where the hell can he be Sergeant? Were the hell is he?" and with that they walked away round the other two planes, As soon as I dared I crept out and circled round in the opersite direction, then challenged 'Halt Who Goes There' 'Duty Officer came back the call' 'Advance duty Officer to be recognised' said I still quaking, Where have you been asked the duty officer suspiciously. "I was over there sir" I said pointing:, " and I saw you approach the planes but you were in the shadow, so I circled round keeping you in sight until I had the moon light behind you before I challenged, Then if you had run I would have been able to shoot you." "My - My, " said the duty Officer giving me a quizzical look " We have a smart boy here Sergeant, Its a good job we didn't run. Keep up the good work lad." he said as they strode off, still wearing the quizzical look

But my excitement for this guard duty was not entirely over, we were stood down at six a.m. and I went into our Nissan hut and stood by my bed , and started to eject the five rounds out of the rifle magazine by operating the bolt and flicking the ejected rounds onto the bed, I was doing it fast, when there was a very loud bang and everyone in the billet was wide awake and out of bed before the corrugated sheets of the Nissan hut had stopped vibrating.

It appears, I was later informed by the armorer that examined my rifle, (It was busted in the mag, area and there was a bullet stuck just inside the muzzle) that the fourth cartridge had a thick rim and the ejector claw did not fit over it, so in stayed in the barrel, and when you tried to ram the fifth cartridge up, the tip of the bullet acted as a firing pin, firing the fourth cartridge, and because the breech was not locked the fifth one exploded too, hence the cordite burns on your face and hands, and the cuts made by the pieces of brass and the fifth bullet.

I had to be taken to the first aid room, and after they had done there bit I was taken to Glasgow hospital for there was a bit of metal in my right eye that our first aid attendant dare not mess with at first they tried with a magnet, but the metal was brass, They got it out though, and you can still see the scar on the back of my right middle finger where the bullet went through.

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