- Contributed by听
- JohnFromHull
- People in story:听
- Charles William Tye
- Location of story:听
- Kingston-upon-Hull
- Background to story:听
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:听
- A2726228
- Contributed on:听
- 09 June 2004
My father's war started improbably when he was about 18 in 1911. His father was a volunteer with the East Yorkshire Regt volunteer brigade and Dad wanted to join as well. His father advised him that it would be better if he joined a unit that would give him some useful civilian skills and so he went into the RAMC. In 1914 he was mobilised immediately on the outbreak of war and was scheduled to go to France with his unit. For some reason he did not go and maybe saved his life as the unit was at the scene of the first gas attacks in 1915(?).
He actually went to Greece and joined the front where violent fighting had been going on. Until he arrived! He actually only saw one day's action and that from a safe distance and then the war in Greece calmed down and he spent the rest of it looking after soldiers with malaria and dysentery.
In 1939 he immediately volunteered for the First aid service and was sent to a post near home; he spent every Friday night of the war thereafter at the 'Aid Post'.
Although we had over 1000 air raid warnings during the war, there was only one on a Friday night, and there were no casualties at his Aid Post after he arrived about 7.00pm.
He always claimed he had a charmed life and as soon as he appeared on the scene, war stopped!
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