大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War website by Doreen Bennett on behalf of John David Evans, the author and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My War in the North Atlantic to South Pacific.

My father died when I was 12 years old, September 1938, from trench fever. He served in the 1914/18 war, which was supposed to be the war to end all wars. My mother was left to pay her way on 10 shillings a week widow鈥檚 pension money.

I left school when I was 14 years old and instead of taking on an apprenticeship which paid 14 shillings and sixpence a week, to help my mother I took on a job with a coal merchants Woodhouse and Son, and bagged and delivered an average of 8 tons a day all for 22 shillings and sixpence for a five and a half days a week.

When I was 15 years I joined the Kings Own. A Home Guard unit based at Yorkshire Street Drill Hall. In 1941 I was discharged because I was reported as being too young.

At sixteen I joined the Auxiliary Fire Service and served as a messenger at C Division, Albert Road, Blackpool.

Two days after my 17th birthday in 1942 I joined the Royal Marines at Dale Street, Preston, Lancashire. I did my training at Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth and was drafted to join HMS Formidable which at that time was in Dry Dock in Belfast at Hartland and Wolf Dock Yard.

I served as a gunner, watch keeper in the Flight Deck Party and finished the war as an R M Orderly to Vice Admiral Sir Philip Viah, spending some time ashore in Winyard Street Barracks, Sydney. The Admiral鈥檚 staff was on the first floor.

Then we joined 鈥淚ndifalable鈥� for victory tours in Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand.

In 1946 I re-joined the HMS Formidable and returned to the UK. I then did one more trip to Sydney, and then returned carrying war brides.

I was demobbed in July 1946 having served less than 4 years but had been on 鈥淔ormidable鈥� 2.5 years sailing the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and the China Seas.

But now 60 years on we remain 鈥淭he Forgotten Fleet鈥� but God Bless you all. 鈥淲e will remember Them鈥�.

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