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When I look back to my life in Middlesbrough, I sometimes find it difficult to accept that at my present age of 85 years, all what has happened to me.

I was born on 25th. August 1918, at 22, Norcliffe Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, the son of Mary Shackleton, and Thomas William Munson, whose trade was a Blacksmith. My early education was given at Lawson Infant’s School, and at the age of eleven, I passed what was the called the ‘Eleven Plus’ examination, which gave me entrance to Middlesbrough High School.

The first job I took was as a Junior Clerk in Middlesbrough Town Hall, which pleased my parents, and in a way made me the envy of the rest of the family, including my brother Walter and two sisters Joan and Elsie. At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, along with many others, I enlisted for the Army, becoming a private in ’The Green Howard's’, and later was transferred to ’The Royal Army Corps’ as a trooper. For a while I served at several army units in Yorkshire, which meant when I could, I could use my leave to visit home.

It was during this time that I made friends with Eddy Gaynor, who came from Scarborough, our friendship soon to be broken, when we were needed abroad. He went to France, and I departed by boat for North Africa. Somewhere along the way in North Africa, I became separated from my main unit, and under orders of the powers that be, found myself on another boat en-route for Italy.

At this time the campaign was about to climax in Italy, and one day while walking near the base, I was met by my past Sergeant, who greeted me with the words, "Munson, where the hell have you been, we’ve been looking for you!" After explaining the circumstances he retorted, “Well come with me, I’ve got just the job for you!” Within 24 hours I found myself transferred to my original unit and promoted to Pay Clerk, my experience at the Town Hall had come in useful after all.

Italy seemed nothing but rain and mud, for me, but in my new job I was posted to a large house, where I worked and slept, typing, filing, and keeping records of my unit’s operations. It was my job to ensure that documentation, along with Pay Books, was kept in order. A highlight was receiving parcels from home, and letters from Audrey, my wife I had forgotten to mention. We had married some weeks prior to my enlistment. Nearby were the towns of Riety, and Foggia, and at one point I found myself crossing the country to Bari, on the East Coast.

The Yanks had beaten me to Italy, and entertainment facilities were much better for them, but with their co-operation, the local cinema could show some good films, and keep us in touch with what was happening back home. Going to the cinema was an experience in itself, because with only one projector in the hall, we had to wait while the operator showing the film had to thread-up each consecutive reel. The audience was always patient, not like they were back home when the film broke. They would stamp their feet in ‘The Gem‘, and whistle like mad at ‘The Pav’.(‘ThePavilion’).

After a while I was promoted to Corporal, which I remained for the next three years. Completely out of the blue one day, who should visit our camp but Madeleine Carroll, the film star, who at that time had enlisted with the Red Cross. This star-struck youngster recalled seeing her on the silver screen, as she returned my salute, and left the room. Madeleine was born in West Bromwich where after some stage experience; she then went into films. During the Blitz on London, she had a sister killed, and later took up work for UNESCO. She was married four times, one of her husbands being film star Sterling Hayden.

On reflection, I believe I was luckier than most of my comrades. However, what I first thought was to be a brief period, later turned out to be for six years service, but I have no real regrets.

After the war was over I returned home to my family in Middlesbrough, and mother continued her work in service, for the wealthier people of the town. My old post at the Town Hall was waiting as promised, and I remained there for a couple of years.

During this period I continued to support my local cinemas whenever I could, becoming more interested in musicals which took one out of the ’doom and gloom’ of the War. Nearby lived Eve Becke, who sang with Louis Levy and The Gaumont - British Orchestra. Even today I can relive Eve’s lovely voice singing “Yours and Mine”, ”You Couldn’t Be Cuter”, and “Now It Can Be Told”, thanks to modern technology, and the Compact Disc.

It was sometime later that I took up a job working for The Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, (later to become the DHSS), where I became a Section Supervisor, until my retirement. The fruition of my travels had taught me much, and the comradeship I found was sometimes overwhelming.

As for Eddy Gaynor, we never did meet up again which I regret, and I later learned he had been killed in action in France. Eddy’s name is engraved on the War Memorial on Oliver’s Mount, overlooking Scarborough. In October 2001 I visited the site, but found myself unable to view the plaque, so I sat nearby offering thanks for our brief friendship. I reflected on the times we had shared together, of our worries of what lay before us, then the unknown.

I occasionally regret the six lost years of my life from my family, but now at 85, I laugh when my friend tells me how he believes that someone above, has taken these things into consideration, and those six years have been added onto the present. Who knows, stranger things are true about life..........

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