大象传媒

To illustrate the extremes to which ex soldiers would go to ensure that they were in the correct place at the beginning of World War Two to be called up:

1. Mr Joe Lester (my great uncle). 2. Mr John (Jack) Henry BYRNES (my grandfather)

Joe Lester*1, lived in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, was caretaker-groundsman of local bowls and tennis club.
Married Winfred Lester (nee Gilson) (1905-1988) sister in law of Jack Byrnes
John (Jack) Henry BYRNES *2, 1900-1992 (91), of 30 Halton Village Buckinghamshire married to Daisy (nee Gilson) 1903-1984. (80)

*1 Joe Lester was a reservist in a Tank Regiment in September 1939, having taken the Jack and Daisy Byrnes and family home to Halton Buckinghamshire on 2/9/39 in an Austin 7 motorcar borrowed from his employer, he drove back to Holmes Chapel to receive his reservist call up papers that day (3/9/39) and was with his regiment that evening, he went on to serve in the Middle East campaign.
*2 Jack expected as a reservist (he had served in the Coldstream Guards 1919-1927) to be called up at the outbreak on World War Two, the family had been holidaying with the Lester's at Holmes Chapel in Cheshire. Joe Lester also a reservist in a Tank Regiment in September 1939, borrowed an Austin 7 motorcar from his employer to take Jack and Daisy Byrnes and family home to Halton on 2/9/39. Jack duly received his reservist call up, but the RAF had them cancelled deeming his position a "Reserved Occupation"

Holmes Chapel Cheshire to 30 Halton Village Buckinghamshire on the pre motorway roads was a tiring one day journey, such was the determination of both men ready to receive their call up papers that this journey was undertaken

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