大象传媒

My name is Mr Cyril Rowland. I was born on the13th May 1920. I lived in Liverpool Street, Salford. There were 4 in my family. My father worked as a clerk at the Royal Exchange Assurance Company, King Street, Manchester. My mother was at home. I went to Seedley Council School, Salford, later going on to Pendleton Grammar School. I started work aged 14 and a half, in the offices of Fine Cotton Spinners, St James Street, Salford.

I do not remember hearing the declaration of war. I was called up in 1940 to The Royal Signals. I did my basic training in Yorkshire and signals training in Glasgow with the Post Office. Towards the end of 1941 we boarded what had obviously been a cruise liner and sailed for South Africa. We did not travel in a convoy, but we stayed close to the coast of Africa, because of the threat of U boats, we were chased into Durban harbour by a U boat. We stayed in Durban for a few days before resuming our journey, eventually disembarking in Bombay, travelling on to Abatabad, Rawlpindi, through Afghanistan, Poona and into Iraq. I served in the area for 3 years. We worked in teams of four. All messages were sent and received using Morse code.

I also became attached to the signals section of the legation based at the Teheran Conference between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin. I met Anthony Eden the then foreign secretary. I also served in Egypt, in Alexandria. I was recalled home, flew from Cairo to St Morgan in Cornwall. Given 3 months leave, I returned to my office job.

I was recalled to Towyn in North Wales, given a new uniform. Via Ostend and Belgium I arrived in Hanover, Germany. I was billeted in a beautiful 4 storey house, one of the few that had not been affected by the bombing. Hanover was a mess, I did not meet any of the population. I was demobbed in 1946 and returned to my job where I remained until I retired. 鈥淚 understood Morse Code at the time; I could not do it now!鈥�

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