大象传媒

Bob Thurman, now living in Silsoe, near Bedford, joined 225 Field Company, Royal Engineers as a Sapper on 22nd April 1939. He had become bored with his job as an articled pupil to a firm of architects in Birmingham. It was his 20th birthday.
Training took place on one evening a week at the Drill Hall in Holly Lane, Erdington. In August 1939 he went to Bulford Camp for two weeks training, learning how to use explosives, sapping (tunnelling), and bridging. It was on the family holiday in Cornwall afterwards that he heard news of the general mobilisation on the radio that all members of the Territorial Army must report immediately to their Units.
On return home he changed quickly into his uniform, which was identical to that worn during the First World War, with brass buttons and puttees, before being driven to the Holly Lane Headquarters. The accommodation for the Company of 5 Officers and 244 other ranks was in tents on the Sports ground of Fort Dunlop with meals taken meals in the Drill Hall. When War was declared the Company became part of the Regular Army.
On September 11th. the Company left Birmingham and moved to Faringdon in Berkshire, in a collection of requisitioned vehicles some of which were totally unsuitable. In some cases, they were without a windscreen. At Faringdon those who were under 18 were posted - elsewhere and replaced by 32 Cockney reinforcements, who had been conscripted to do six months National Service as from 18th July 1939 as decreed by the then Minister of War, Leslie Hoare Belisha. In his spare time he contributed verses and jokes to an entertainment group that put on concerts for the general public. After one concert a reporter asked if his verses could be printed in the local paper.
On October 15th the Company moved on to Wallingford on Thames for bridge and pontoon training. Handling wooden pontoons on a river in flood was very tricky even with the eight rowers on each side of the pontoon and 14' long oars. Having only one change of clothing and nowhere to dry things meant that often wet clothes had to put on the following morning. Sometimes bridges were built in gas proof clothing and gas masks which was particularly uncomfortable.
The Company returned to Faringdon on November 11th for field work training, spending days digging trenches and deep dugouts, exactly as they had done in the First World War. Each man was given a length to dig (probably 8') and had to dig down to - 6'6" over half the width and less over the other half, so that there was a firing step. The Sergeant had what was known as an 'A' frame which was the exact shape that the excavation had to be. After learning to dig trenches the next task was digging anti-tank ditches on Marlborough Downs with picks with picks and shovels. The work was a little easier as the sub soil was chalk until it rained heavily and then water ran down the hill and into the ditch. Eventually the digging was abandoned and replaced with lectures and route marches in full pack and carrying rifles, which in his case was No 167.
Preparations for embarkation began in December 1939 with tetanus and other injections and half of the Company being given leave on 16th December with the other half allowed leave over Christmas.

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