大象传媒

Chapter Two
The Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm)

I had to attend a place in Walthamstow for medical and educational tests, I opted for the Royal Navy and fortunately passed all the tests with high marks. Two weeks later I received a Travel Warrant and instructions to report to the RN training centre a Hereford; there I was formally enlisted and given the service No. FX94967.

HMS Duke at Hereford was like a holiday camp to me in that although we put in a full days training every day but still worked reasonable hours, on the civilian contracts I had worked up to 100 plus hours a week, that was over a seven day week with one weekend off every six weeks or so, the exception to that was at Gretna where the old Presbyterian influence was very strong and we were not allowed to work on Sundays, not even for the war effort.

At HMS Duke I was made a class leader and was responsible for the good conduct of 12 other bodies, that made me the equivalent of a Leading Hand, it was accepted well by the rest of the intake, I think most of them were happy that they had not been lumbered with responsibility, it all worked out well. One thing I did not like was that I was enlisted as a Stoker 2nd class when I intended going to the Fleet Air Arm. I soon discovered that all potential tradesmen went in as Stokers until they passed a trade test. I spent 5 weeks at Hereford where basically we were taught to do what we were told when we were told ; I then went to Portsmouth to go through the trade test; that involved doing a few things I had never done before but as long as one showed willing there was a lot of help given. I passed.

The next move was to the Isle of Wight to a drafting station, HMS Medina that was from April to July 1942. At that time an enemy invasion was still considered a possibility so we were all issued with Rifles which had to be carried at all times; that was fine until one chap was refused compassionate leave and used the rifle to blow his brains out, the rifles were recalled and not issued again during my stay. One break from normal routine came in June, the local farmers requested help with haymaking, and the idea was that we would take our own food and the farmer would provide cider to wash it down, our farmer did not even provide water so from then on he had to do his own harvest work.

Mid July 1942 I went to RAF Hednesford to start aircraft training. Basically an RAF station Hednesford had an RN wing with RN personnel, it was run as an RN station except for using the RAF hangers and training equipment, most of the instructors were Fleet AIR Arm but a few were RAF.
The idea at Hednesford was to give us the full 3 yr. RAF apprentice course in just 6 months; it worked very well and by the end of January 1943 I passed out as an Air Fitter Airframes.

It was a good time at Hednesford, we worked hard but also played hard with quite a few visits to Walsall Town Hall for the Saturday night dances , sometimes missing the last train back that meant a very long walk back to camp. We were also well known in the local Pubs in Hednesford and Cannock although our pay did not allow for excess booze. Most of the time at Hednesford the weather was kind to us and I spent some very pleasant evenings with a young lady in the WRAF, all I can remember now is that she was known as Bunny and that she came from Inverness, she was training as an airframe fitter but in the RAF section, we were at the same stage of training so when we had 鈥渉ome work鈥� we did it together and spent a lot of time just talking.

Next move, late Jan. 1943 was to HMS Waxwing, a drafting station at Dunfermline. That was the best move ever as it was where I met Georgina Rae who has now been my wife for 59 years.
It was a very short visit to Dunfermline, just one week before a trip back down south to HMS Daedalus, the Fleet Air Arm headquarters at Lee on Solent.

At Lee on Solent I went into the Dispersal Unit; that was the main air workshops section where Squadron aircraft were taken in for modifications and major repairs also new aircraft were flown in from the manufacturers and prepared for operation. That was where I learned to apply the lessons of Hednesford. It was very interesting as we dealt with a wide variety of aircraft and jobs

Lee was a very pleasant place, the accommodation was good, the food was good and working conditions were good. One factor I enjoyed was the monthly Church Parades, I managed to get to most of them, there was a parade in the barrack square then a march to Lee Parish Church led by a Royal Marine band. Music for the service was by the string section of the band, after the service the Marines formed a jazz band and provided entertainment in the NAFFI.

On occasions I used to go to Portsmouth but it did not become my favourite place.

As the Dispersal Unit was at the far side of the 鈥淒rome from the barracks, and I was likely to be called out at any time, I decided to apply for a Transport Licence so that I could use a vehicle from transport pool rather than walk about a mile late at night. To get the licence I had to pass the Navy driving test; that was a nasty shock to the system ,as the licence covered all types of vehicles the test covered all. There were a few vehicles I had never been into before but somehow I managed to pass and the licence formed the basis of a civilian licence after discharge.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Becky Barugh of the 大象传媒 Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of John Gilbey and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Gilbey fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of John's stories:

• People鈥檚 War according to John Gilbey 鈥� Chapter One
• People鈥檚 War according to John Gilbey 鈥� Chapter Three
• People鈥檚 War according to John Gilbey 鈥� Chapter Four

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