大象传媒

This story has been put on the website by 大象传媒 Radio Cornwall CSV producer Nina Davey on behalf of the author Joe Ainley. The author understands the site's terms and conditions.

It was late 1942. I was on a training course for Airframe Maintenance, to qualify for air artificers, my basic trade engines at No. 6 School of Technical Training at Hednesford RAF. This was a 6 month course with generous weekend leave.

I got in touch with an Auntie Emma who I'd never met in Manchester, my Dad's hometown. On arrival having a deep suntan and sporting the Africa Star Ribbon just issued, wearing white cap cover, badge of foreign service. Having served 19 months in Egypt HMS Grebe, I was treated like a hero!!! They even opened the pub up specially for me.

On boarding the return train at Picadilly Station to return to No.6 S of TT via Birmingham I sat next to a pretty blonde in a 'blackout compartment' ie lights wartime about 18 watts. I commenced to 'chat up' the blonde. "Oh Egypt! The anus of the world - it stinks! Awful people - sell their sister for 50 piastres."(10/.) etc... A large hand (size of a smoked ham) gripped my knee from across the compartment! "WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY ABOUT MY COUNTRY?!!! WHO IS IT WHO RUNS ROUND ALEXANDRIA BLIND DRUNK? WHO CORRUPTS OUR CHILDREN? WHO BOMBARDED ISKANDRIA FOR PAYMENT!" etc...I had dimly assessed the two guys opposite as Irish building workers! The only fit able bodied navvies travelling in those days of control.
"I'm not talking about Ireland" I said "I'm talking about Egypt." "That is my country" says he, and I see a broken nose, cauliflower ear etc. Sudden silence, what now? I spluttered apologies, deathly silence! At Stafford the two men opposite departed having to duck their heads to exit! "NEXT TIME YOU TALK ABOUT OTHER MAN'S COUNTRY YOU BE SURE OTHER MAN NOT THERE!" I clutched a bottle of Guiness
given by my beloved newly found auntie and passed it to my fellow passenger, a RAF corporal - glug glug, says he "I thought you were a dead man then! I saw him at Belle View arena - that was 'Ali the Strangler' Champ of the World!"

That was the nearest to death I'd been in six and a half years of WW2. I now laugh at it and never denigrate any nationality. A life's lesson. Of course it needs detailed support of the ambience of the time to recreate the drama of the incident!?

Postscript - a two minute resumee cannot really capture the intense drama of a 90 minute journey in a confined compartment charged with such volatile tension. Sixty years after I still sweat at the memory.

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