大象传媒

I currently work for the National Trust at a property called Stowe Landscape Gardens which is near Buckingham. We recently held a 1940s weekend and as part of the research for the event I interviewed Ken James who is currently a National Trust volunteer at Stowe Landscape Gardens near Buckingham.

Ken recalled his days in the RAF to me. 鈥淚 joined the Royal Air Force in June 1943, a few days after my 18th birthday, having volunteered and been sworn in some months earlier鈥�.

Ken recalls 鈥淎fter initial training of square bashing, I was posted to London for technical training as a wireless mechanic. Six months at South-East London Technical College on basic principles followed by four months at No 7 Radio School in the museum complex in South Kensington鈥�.

鈥淎fter completing the cause I was posted to RAF Fern Hill, Shropshire, where I worked on aircraft radios of various aircraft including the Miles Master, North American Harvard鈥檚 and of course Spitfires! In 1945 I was posted to RAF Gatwick where I worked on transmitters and direction finding installations鈥�.

After the war Ken was not immediately demobbed. 鈥淚n 1946 I went to RAF Lubeck in Northern Germany, again on transmitters for a while before going to a small detachment on the Baltic coast. There I looked after the radio transmitters on the Air to Ground firing range and bombing range. Together with radios or High Speed Launchers used on Range Safety duties together with providing Air Sea Rescue facilities for the Baltic鈥� says Ken. 鈥淚 was demobbed from there in 1948 with the Rank of Corporal鈥�. And as anyone who ever served in the Forces knows, you never forget your number 鈥� 1720358 Corporal James Sir!.鈥�

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