大象传媒

Submitted by John Absolon.

As it is now nearly 65 years ago, I have looked back to 1938 - 39 and recalled my experiences during that period.

In England, from 1937 on, there had been a feeling of impending war with Germany - the Rise of Hitler, the expansion of Germany - Rhineland 鈥� Austria - Sudatenland - the Danzig corridor - Munich - the Spanish Civil War and the Italian expansion in North Africa and Abyssinia.

So on 1 June in 1938 I put my age up (from 15 to 16) and enlisted in the local Territorial Army Unit, the 6th City of London Rifle Regiment (the Cast Iron Sixth). As the fear of air attack was high, a number of TA units were converted to air defence from infantry. The Sixth became the 31st Searchlight (S /L) Battalion Royal Engineers (Sixth City of London Rifles).

The unit moved from Farringdon Street, London E C, to the South London suburbs. Three drill Halls were built: 324 and 325 Coys with Battalion headquarters at North Cheam, 326 Company at Merton, 327 Coy at Hackbridge. (By 1939 the Battalion was up to full strength.) By mid-1938 the tempo quickened.

Annual camp saw the Battalion at war stations in Bedfordshire, the then expected line of attack was from North Germany on the North Sea coast. With some experience of Cadet Corps and OTC at school - one afternoon a week was devoted to military training - I needed no initial training and soon was going much more than a 15 year-old would normally do. As most recruits usually had no knowledge whatsoever of military training, I had an edge and became a 2i/c of a Searchlight detachment practicing mobile training and target engagement as No 6 in command of the sound locator and No 1 on the Lewis Ack Ack machine-gun.

After annual camp the Battalion exercised its right to march through the City of London, flags flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed - the salute being taken by the Lord Mayor of London A vivid memory at the Church service after the parade was of the Colonel putting a 10s note in the collection plate. The privilege of marching through the City of London was only given to regiments that had their origins in the Trained Bands of London, formed in Middle Ages. I believe there are only three such units: the Honourable Artillery Company, the Royal Fusiliers and the City of London Rifle Regiment

The Munich crisis and mobilization - a phone call to report for duty. I was working for a friend who supplied me with a car and driver to take me home. Putting my kit together, I rushed to the Drill Hall but it was empty! THE UNIT HAD GONE!! At 15 years old all sorts of dire punishments ran through my head, from 鈥淟ate on parade鈥� to 鈥淎bsent without leave鈥�. Standing in the empty drill hall I thought I could hear voices from Battalion headquarters offices. With trepidation, I knocked, out came Captain Morris the Adjutant, now for a rocket, "GOOD MAN! You're first on parade. Here's half a crown - get yourself a drink". Relief!

I was given a list and told to take a taxi and call out the men from it. There were several taxis outside (obviously ordered by phone). The London taxi driver said, 鈥淲here鈥檚 your list, mate?鈥� And we set off on our task. When we returned people were beginning to arrive at the drill hall.

As troops arrived, they were formed into detachments. By 11pm I was away with the first detachment as the No 6 2 I/C. We were in one of the training equipments. A TSM-PE with 90 cm Searchlight Mark 3**Sound Locator and AA Lewis Gun. We drove independently through the night to our war station, north-east of London in Bedfordshire, and by dawn we were ready for action.

After a week and "Peace in our time" we returned to the Drill Hall and demobilised. Unfortunately, my friend was killed during unloading of the equipment, possibly the first casualty of the Second World War, and as I was only a few feet away, this was my introduction to the realities of war.

My pay was a shilling a day, plus 拢5 mobilization pay - probably including a deduction for 鈥渂arrack damages鈥� as well...

During the winter and spring, tension rose and we continued training with evening parades and weekend camps. The unit often deployed in the evening for air co-operation, setting up equipment in local parks

In spring 1939 annual camp was cancelled and the unit was mobilized for a plan called 鈥楥ouverture鈥�. This plan mobilized AA units for partial manning during August and September 1939. The unit spent a month during August on war stations in south-east England (Kent, Surrey and Sussex). But that is another chapter in the life of a 15 year old in 1938 鈥� 39. What were you doing at fifteen?

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