大象传媒

I was called up in 1940.
I was a clerk on special duties, attached to the intelligence section. My job was to prepare information to brief air crews and I provided maps and details fo targets. I also supplied "escape aids" where compasses were concealed in various places including in buttons. I worked in Bimbrook in Lincolnshire for about two years where I was corporal in charge of a section.

One day, the education officer called together a small group of people and suggested that we run a "wall newspaper" in the airmen's mess. Paper was very scarce so by putting it up across the wall, everyone could read it with very little paper being needed. I had access to obsolete maps and so it was often printed on the back of these. People were asked to submit articles for this and a new one was produced every month. I did a good deal of typing up of this.

On another occasion, I was asked if I would like to have the opportunity to fly in the group commander's personal Gypsey Moth. I said "yes" and flew with him to the H.Q. where he got out, conducted his business and then flew back. I sat in the plane the whole time and not a word passed between us. He was too high a rank to talk to the likes of me! I still, to this day, have no idea why I was invited and, despite being in the RAF, it was the first time that I had flown. I felt rather sick and someone commented when I got out that I looked rather green!

When the war ended, it was decided that all ground crew should be given the opportunity to fly, as passengrs, over to Germany to see what had happened to it. I went in a Lancaster bomber, which was uncomfortable as there were no seats - we all sat on the floor.

The trip was very unpleasant for two reasons. Firstly, I felt sick as we were flying fairly low over trees etc. and secondly, I saw all the terrible destruction and realised what I had been taking part in.

It wasn't until after the war that we had the full picture of what had been going on, particularly in Dresden and Hiroshima.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.