大象传媒

By 1937 both the old radio and gramophone got the boot when Dad forked-out good money for a beautiful combined cabinet job - the modern radiogram. The old battered records still needed the little silver needles though, and while we kids could use the turntable, the multiple radio knobs were taboo for a year.
However, by the time WAR was declared the rules were 'outflanked' and it was daily proving its great worth and would become utterly indispensible. Plainly, war without radio was now unthinkable, if not impossible.

My brother was particularly keen on radio matters for at 13 1/2 years he aldready had positive plans for joining the Navy. Hence he was very skilled in self taught morse code and semaphore, devoured all newspaper articles regarding naval affairs, and was ever eager for more at radio News time. And when he wasn't studying military and Navy manuals he was busy learning the multitude of halyard flag symbols used for passing messages or sorting the ropy knots and twisty splicing.

Very soon after the WAR began our Royal Navy took a very serious loss when a U Boat torpedoed the aircraft carrier Courageous off southern Ireland. There was great loss of life together with the full complement of aeropolanes on our country's very doorstep. Then soon after came the disastrous news that our great battleship Royal Oak had also been torpedoed in the Scapa Flow anchorage; the impossible had happened; and Hitler, overjoyed with the U Boat captain, presented him with heavy medals.
Bob was somewhat glum about the naval catastophies for such should never have happened. And if our news readers were playing down the implication of the disaster, then the German broadcaster known as Lord Haw Haw was capitalising with all the vigor he could muster. His job as Germany's chief propagandish was to exagerate the bad into making matters worse and turning any molehills into big mountains.
Propaganda had long been a ploy of war, and, although some people laughed and made mock of Haw Haw, it can't be denied that he was good at his job. Propaganda can be regarded as both poison and medicine though, and I'm sure it was illegal to listen to him; his claims of German successes - true or false - could easily undermine peoples' morals. We couldn't lie successfully with Haw Haw playing with counter moves.
However, his nose got pushed out of joint when before Christmas three of our cruisers caught up with the German battleship Graf Spee in the south Atlantic. Now with the Navy showing what British might and metal could do, Bob's already chubby snitch got its first 'lift' of the War. He was delighted with the news, and listened avidly for the few days involved as the Graf took respite in the port of Montevideo. Bob was pleased enough to push aside his world map and dig out his favourite old record and begin repeatedly whistling the 'South of the Border down Mexico Way....' The 'scuttling' outcome of the River Plate battle wasn't quite what everybody wanted, but at least we saw it as a Naval victory. Bob settled for that, for on land there seemed no WAR to speak of.
The Germans were busy though for they needed to re-locate all their armour and guns used in their Polish campaign, back to the western fronts to face us and the French army. Winter then came early - before Christmas - so nothing could much happen, for the snows were deep, if not even. And I remember, it well.....

The first April week of 1940 saw both Bob reaching his 14th birthday and our return to Chaldon. The cold snowy winter too had melted away and spring was both in shoe and the air. Bob was in love with a beaut as well as the sea; and while one was shores away the other was but a school seat. However, the Germans made the first spring move and installed themselves into Norway while our intending forces were still filling boats in Scotland. Hurriedly the Navy rushed forward to save the day at Narvik - where Warspite and destroyers gave the German navy a good hiding. Our somewhat slow army then made some progress to snatch back this important northern objective. Other events were then to overtake matters, and our forces in Norway were unfortunately out on a limb. Things must change.... and those expecting another Exeter, Ajax, Achilles, performance would be disappointed.

With the Norway interventions having sucked-in our big carrier units to help counter the German airborne moves, the leftover heavy snow hanging on late only added to our troops and support difficulties, while Junkers transports leap-froged happily over their heads. Things were not going the soldiers way or the Navy's, for Jerry bombers flying from good airfields could cope with the weather. Clearly our days were numbered in Norway.

Seeing as they were winning hand over fist, the Germans now opened their 'action' in the West 4 days ahead of my 13th birthday. Now things would move very quickly and our radio News was proving a boon to Bob with his maps. He had the fighting fronts within his grasp as well as keeping tabs on Naval affairs developing up North. He didn't look at all happy with matters, while at school the 'beaut'got under his skin.

On my 14th birthday, with the Germans seemingly moving forward on all the Low Countries fronts, our air force took a real trouncing by losing half the bombers sent to support the French bridge battles. Already half our planes were gone and defeat hung in the air. Most of our troops were in Belgium, and with the communications 'shot' and language difficulties there seemed to be chaos, for German armoured thrusts was splitting the allied forces in two as they charged at good speed for the Channel ports. Soon, with no air support and poor military leadership, our troops with backs towards the sea, headed for Dunkirk beaches.

The story reaching us regarding the rescue of thousands of soldiers from the Dunkirk beaches by little boats and family launches gathered together in great haste, really intrigued my brother. And like many lads keen on sea adventures he'd have loved the opportunity to be involved: there's no doubt his talents would have proved an asset too, for few adults could match Bob at either morse or semaphore - be it night time or daytime. Yes, Bob armed with a torchlight could have directed the fleet destroyers and, with dots and dashes, led the boatloads of tired men back across the sea. Bob wouldn't have been caught napping either!(A lad of Bob's age actually took part in the small boats rescue!).

Boys in the past regularly sailed in the tall wooden ships of our Navy, both as cabin boys and full-blown deckhands - Lord Nelson among them.

With several destroyers among the total of ships and tiny boats lost at Dunkirk along with the many men and countless vehicles, guns, tanks and aeroplanes, our politicians took fresh grasp of the matters and made Winston Churchill our new WAR leader. Here was a man who knew about war, and how to rouse the people.

The beginning of June saw the last boats leaving Dunkirk, and soon after, to new orders, troops began pulling out of Norway. Aircraft released from the Belgium and Holland sectors could now reinforce the northern groups to step up attacks on our retreating men and ships. Bob was keeping up his strong interest in this theatre of operations for the Navy was taking casualties in the cruiser force. We had Gladiaor and Hurricane fighters ashore too, flown in from our carriers. The news was disquieting as we became aware - with Haw Haw's help - that another evacuation was proceeding under fire.
As calls for Local Defence volunteers now held high sway in News broadcasts, so Bob and I redoubled our efforts in morse communiation. Being a bit slow, I needed chevying. He had rigged himself a morse tapper, so my ears had their part to play. Now he fixed a long string between two cardboard cream cartons to represent telephone ear receivers. By keeping the string taught and tapping on one carton the sound is heard in the other. Hence now we could morse the dots from one end of the garden to the bungalow. Simple; if you morse fluently?

Tuning in for the News at Six, we hear the shocking news that our aircraft carrier Glorious has been sunk while returning from Norway. Unbelievably, the ship sailed with only two destroyers as escort, ahead of the main convoy. Having taken on board a dozen Hurricanes flown from an ice aerodome, her deck was too cluttered to fly off a standing air patrol - which was madness, for the Germans had several big warships on hand or at sea. Hence she was spotted by the Sharnhorst and Gneisenau whose great guns quickly disposed of Glorious, with tragic loss of life and planes needed for the coming Battle of Britain. Bob was furious.

Luckily Glorious' Captain was killed in the action, or he should have been shot. The Germans and Haw Haw were delighted of course, for carriers were very necessary Capital ships to Britain. They could hardly believe their luck: after falling over themselves to get at and sink the Ark Royal - the big, new prize - another drops in their lap.

Now it was time for the French to call an armistice and Italy to enter the WAR. When in the first World War she was our ally, now with Mussolini in office we are enemies. Such were the twists of War.

It was next the turn of the Anderson shelter to take up residence in the back garden. And we didn't even have to get our hands dirty. It was there when I came home from school. Bob nodded his approval later, for he was always slow in getting home due to bird watching.

With the Anderson dug in next to my onions and cabbages, it gave alternative food for thought, for with Britain now standing alone, much of the radio talk was about the strong possibility of the Germans taking ever longer steps to cross the Channel. So 'invasion' was foremost now in people's minds and we consequently had to adjust lives and outlooks. Rationing was already with us, but these foods would have to be further cut back on. We will soon be starving. Ships were being sunk by the dozen in the Atlantic, taking food and wark tools to the sharks and Davy Jones. Due to losses, our Navy ships were stretched to the limit. It was a good job the Americans could supply more and more of almost everything or the Germans might come ashore at 'our' Bexhill.

With Bob evermore preoccupied with his Caterham interest he spent less time at home. He'd become of age, so to speak. Soon it would be summer holiday and time for him to leave school; time to earn wages. Churchill and Hitler were daily sniping each other - one in Paris sightseeing and the other in Whitehall.

By July the lull resulting from the Dunkirk clash of aerial might was now getting into gear in the Channel. Shipping strikes mainly and picking on the Dover balloons. Barges and assorted boats were said to be congregating in the French ports for the talked of invasion purposes. But like the Canadians, Bob wasn't taking the matter seriously, no more than he had about the Anderson. It was idle talk to him. Satisfied that it was ready for occupancy if needs be, he was happy to return to his book reading or maps. He was gleaning much from his newspaper readings though, for the Italian army having backed off from the French frontier, was making moves in Libya, East Africa and Malta. This is the new battle area of the Navy for the Italian fleet was a force to be reckoned with. Bob knew where a lot of our capital ships were based, and already a few clashes had taken place. Malta too was experiencing its first air raids and, with little or no air defence as regards fighters, like our position in North Africa, it was badldy needing vast reinforcements. So with much going on in other places, Bob with his tactical thinking mind, didn't have to give thought to the 'invasion' talk abounding here yet.

With the Battle of Britain starting its first phase on July 19th when our coastal convoys came in for bomber attention, and seventy flew west to Falmouth and Swansea to hit shipping and railways - and killing more than 30 people - it was both time for Bob and Haw Haw to sit up and take notice. With us claiming thirteen Jerry planes down for the loss of six of ours, then the business of talking to secure a 'peace' deal must be beyond hopes. It was time to revise our home defences and prepare for WAR on Kenley and the Barracks.

Bob F G G TT
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