大象传媒

My World War II Experiences
by
Frederick John Cole

Part 1: The Start of World War II

This is the start of a story planned to reveal my personal experiences of being in the Air Force during World War II. I am going back to just before the Christmas of 1938. I was sixteen and waiting for the results of my examinations. When they came through I was lucky to have passed the 鈥楳atric鈥� that, in those days, was the level necessary before taking any University Degree course.

Anyway, with the help of my father I found myself with a job almost immediately working in the Registrar鈥檚 office at the Technical College on Normanton Road in Derby. I remember it well. There I discovered that I was also entitled to a day off a week for part time studies; so after considerable discussion I opted to go for the 鈥楤atchelor of Commerce Degree鈥�, largely because my father was adamantly against me going into engineering (I won鈥檛 tell you what he said about all the engineering apprentices - that would be another story altogether!) The college year didn鈥檛 start until the September of that year. The intermediate degree was three years and a further two years to complete the final degree. So, in the meantime I was offered 鈥榝ill in鈥� courses and lectures whilst waiting for the September to come around. When September finally arrived, two things happened.

The first was my seventeenth birthday; the second was the commencement of Word War II! This left serious question marks on my planned training and what the future held. I opted to continue working and spent one day and two nights a week studying.

During the course of the war time years I had all sorts of experiences from fire watching to walks home through smoke screens and all the various happenings that went with hiding Derby from any visual contact from the air. I remember hearing the planes going over the top of Derby en-route to Coventry the night of the big blitz. Putting aside these, which were rather traumatic experiences in themselves, I continued studying until my nineteenth birthday.

On my eighteenth birthday I immediately volunteered for the RAF for flying duties and sure enough, I was called to go to Birmingham where I was interviewed. All sorts of tests were carried out including a full medical and before I knew it had received a letter from the air force saying that I was to keep in contact. In the meantime I continued working for my degree. When the results came through in the May of 1941, I passed the 鈥業ntermediate Degree鈥� and almost immediately got a call to report to the RAF.

This signalled a complete change in my life and introduced me to all that went with the military service. I remember having my case packed and travelling down to London to stay in a big hotel that was not far from London Zoo. I booked in and met all my fellow travellers. We shared four to a room and after introductions were paced through all the 鈥榮pit and polish鈥� of RAF routine. We were kitted out, had dental inspections, medicals and were given a series of 鈥榡abs鈥�. It was not too bad. We would march to London Zoo for our meals and dined in the Zoo dining room that was opposite the monkey house! Well, the monkeys must have had a 鈥榖all鈥� every day seeing these idiots queuing up to get some 鈥榞rog鈥�!

Before I know it we are sent to Newquay in Cornwall and once again it proved to be a complete change of lifestyle. On arrival in Newquay we found ourselves in a fairly large Guest House, right on the front by the sea overlooking a small island. We had a room each and ate our meals in the apartment block - we ate well! There were pilchards from the local fishing fleet for breakfast and lunch - even dinner was punctuated with pilchards! In fact getting the bones out became the art of perfection.

During this time we had lectures on flying and learning about all the aspects of the RAF etc., further medicals and also reported to the dentist. Much to my horror when the dentist saw my teeth and all the 鈥榟oles鈥� that had been patched up and filled, he decided in the interests of being able to fly and withstand all possible pressures I should have them removed! So right from that point on I had a small dental plate that fitted to the back of my lower jaw. I always think back on that because that set of teeth lasted me right through until I was fifty odd years of age!

We did the training and our square-bashing, marching up and down the front. This continued for quite a number of weeks, I think eight in all. During the course of that time we were in and out of the sea, bathing and enjoying the beach. The bathing was great and needless to say we naturally bumped into several ladies during the course of our time there. The one lady I met that I can remember clearly was the daughter of a London stockbroker. I remember her being very bright and intelligent but a bit 鈥榯offee-nosed鈥�. The only other occasion was when I met dear Dot and that was in itself an interesting first encounter!

One day I was walking with a chap called Jack Davies I had got to know well in the Air Force. As we were walking past two ladies, well they were girls rather than 鈥榣adies鈥� I suppose; one of them shouted 鈥淛ack!鈥� It turned out they were both from Hereford and knew Jack. That evening we went to a dance in the village school hall and to my surprise found myself dancing with Dot , the other lady who had been with Stella. We had a wonderful dance and a wonderful evening and I remember so clearly that our last dance was the 鈥楢nniversary Waltz鈥�.

After that meeting, I saw Stella and Dot going down to the beach and enjoying themselves. It was coming towards the end of the week and Jack had been moaning to me that he had had dates with Dot and she kept letting him down. As it happened I was out for a walk one day and saw her coming along the front and decided to talk to her. After we had been chatting for a while Dot said, 鈥淥h but I don鈥檛 want to date Jack, I don鈥檛 even like him鈥�. Anyway it ended up that we went out together that evening and had a wonderful time! I can鈥檛 quite recall now whether it was walking back that evening or the following day, but before Dot and Stella left to return home Dot and I walked along the beach and past a bookshop. As Dot passed the shop she said she had forgotten to pick up the book she had asked them to keep on one side. Unfortunately for Dot the shop was closed - so of course I immediately stepped in and said 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about that, I鈥檒l get the book for you and post it on to you鈥�. The effect of which, of course, was an exchange of addresses and, if I remember correctly, a photograph at the same time! I duly collected the book and sent it to her and needless to say, started a correspondence.

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