大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer from Northumberland on behalf of Irene Robertson (nee Dunn). Mrs. Robertson fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions, and the story has been added to the site with her permission.

On the outbreak of World War Two, my Dad, John Ross (John) Dunn, was medically examined for service in the Army, and graded 鈥淔鈥�. This, in his own words meant 鈥淣. B. G. for anything but a desk job鈥� and that as a civilian attached to a Regiment. At the time, he was in his mid-thirties, having been born in 1904.

The Corps to which he was attached was the Royal Engineers and, very fortunately, he was assigned to a section in Edinburgh, our home town. As, therefore, he did not require billeting he returned home, to 4 Belhaven Terrace, Morningside, each evening from a more or less 9 am to 5 pm clerical job. What Mother, Aggie (Agnes) Robertson (nee Ross), and I did not know for many years, following a test Dad had proved his aptitude for crosswords, anagrams and figures. He was working for D. C. R. E. (De-coding, Royal Engineers) in one of the small satellite stations across the country between Bletchley Park and Edinburgh Castle, which was the base of operations for Scottish Command. This Station was located in a large old Edinburgh mansion house in the Grange area.

4 June, 1944 dawned and Father reported for work as usual that morning, to be told that all communications with the outside world, apart from military, were suspended until further notice. Armed guards were posted at all doors as a twenty-four hour shift system was introduced. Camp beds were installed in the basement for rest periods although, over the next few days, such became almost non-existent.

As the world knows, 6 June, 1944 became 鈥淒-鈥� for 鈥淒eliverance-鈥� Day. Three days later, as the need for secrecy decreased, Father and his colleagues were allowed off-duty for home visits, baths and fresh clothes! As he opened his front door, a furious wife threw a packed suitcase at him, saying 鈥淭ake that to your fancy woman!鈥�. It slowly dawned on Dad that Mother had jumped to the wrong conclusion regarding his unexplained absence. 鈥淏ut Aggie鈥�, he said, 鈥淲hat about D-Day?鈥�.

鈥淎nd what the H**l had D-Day to do with you?鈥�, she answered

I wonder if she ever believed his explanation!

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