大象传媒

From the Spring of 1943 I was posted to RAF Castle Donington now Nottingham East Midlands Airport.

Me, a newly qualified DMT (Driver, mechanical transport) from No4 MT School Morecambe. After some months at Waterbeack waiting ot get onto the MT Course.

CD was a satellite airfield to Wymeswold No 108 Operational Training Unit. Both were wartime airfields, not long open, not all the services i.e. water, sewage and sanitation were installed.

Each section, that is Armoury, Cameras, Flights, Flying Control, Sick Quarters etc. had to be supplied with a vehicle and driver from MT as not everyone could drive then unlike today.

Domestic needs had to be catered for as in coal and coke supplies, S & S (sanitation and sewage) also requiring vehicle and driver, and a duty driver who worked from MT on jobs such as the mail run to the local Post Office. One duty always down to a WAAF, never an airman, was what was known as the 'Bombay Clipper' and its escort of flies, that is, the Sanitation and Salvage wagon.

Not all Sections were connected to the sewage system. The vehicle used for this duty was a 'Carrier Bantam', a low backed wagon with a cab and small wheels. Before the war this type of vehicle was used by local councils as dust-bin lorries, the back was covered by a canvas cover on a frame with open sections for emptying the 'D' shaped dust-bins mostly filled with ashes from people's open fires.

For the required task for use on the air field for this particular duty, the flat back was loaded with large oil drums full of disinfectant and some empty ones. The crew were ACHGDs (Aircraft Hand General Duties) four or five of them in the charge of a Corporal Smith, a regular airman who only had one eye, what happened to the other eye, we never found out.

After completing the morning round with a full load, it was drive carefully down to the Diseworth cross roads, turn right up the slope. Not far up on the left there was an opening into a field. A cart-track led up to a brick built square tower with an entrance on one side. Then full drums were carried in and emptied, presumingly, I think, down a deep pit. I don't know for sure as I never went in to look! The back of the wagon was then cleaned down ready for its next job.

Then we all went into the airmen's mess for dinner. In my case, after I had delieverd the vehicle back to the MT yard.

Later in the day, the same vehicle with the same body of men, was loaded up with goose necked flares ready for laying the flare path on which ever runway was being used for night flying.

I could tell some amusing incidents which occured during the morning's work but perhaps I had better not. Like wise tales that heppened on the flare path laying.

Incidentally, I don't remember any complaints, letters to the papers or petitions objecting to the noise made by Wellington Bombers as they were revving up their engines either for maintenance or going up for take off and recurring day and night or on 'Circuits and Bumps' during those years!

This story was submitted to the People's War Website by Christina Cazalet of CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Dorothea Wilkes and has been added with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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