大象传媒

The wartime experiences of William Hunter Turford.
Born on 17th August 1904 in North Ormsby, Middlesborough, brought up by his aunt - my husband's grandmother, Hannah Ashburner in Haverigg a village in then Cumberland.

He was given the nickname of 'Turf' because there was already a William in the family. He grew up in the family with four Ashburner boys who were all very sporty but Turf was mechanically minded and soon learned to drive.

As work was hard to find when he left school he was sent back to his father in Middlesborough. He was the mayor and it was throught that he would be able to find Turf some work. He became a chauffeur and later worked for Middlesborough corporation on the refuse lorries.

He married and bought a house in Middlesborough.

In 1939 he enlisted in the RAF reserves and went every week for training at Thornaby airfield. His number was 747421.

He was called up in September 1939 to Usworth and worked in the armoury, then Ashington were hewas put into cleaning sick quarters. He even had a job of washing dishes, anything to keep his head down.

Eventually it was discovered that he would drive and he was given the job of moving ammunition around the country. After two and a half years he was made a sergeant.

Turf was almost sent to Singapore and almost sent to Norway, but in 1943 he was sent to Greenock to join a convoy which sailed first towards America then changed course when out at sea and headed for Freetown, then Captown, Durban and Bombay. Then he went by train to Calcutta where he stayed for two weeks.

He was promoted to Flight Sergeant, based at Chittagong and detailed to do convoy work mainly carrying petrol. He found himself in Imphal when the garrison was surrounded by the Japanese and besieged for three months. During this time he was told that his wife had died.

He was taken ill with dysentery and flown to a hospital in Calcutta to convalesce. He was anaemic and had to eat as much raw and cooked liver as he could - he never wanted liver again!

He went by train over two days to Bombay from where he was repatriated by hospital ship back to England. They were able to sail the quick way back through the Suez Canal and arrived at Southampton.

After recovering his health he went back to work for Middlesborough Corporation and eventually became the transport manager for the refuse department. His wartime experiences gained in the RAF organising men and transport coming in useful.

He lived until he was 92 years old and finished his life living with us, the next generation of the Ashburner family.

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