大象传媒

Glynn's wartime memories have been recalled by his brother Gerry Howe.

What a home-coming it was when he eventually got leave in 1944. I remember it well, even though it was sixty years ago. Not only was he fit and well, he was laden with presenters which we had not seen for the last five years. I had never owned a watch, yet I was given this, to me, a magnificent 鈥淎ctive Service鈥� wrist watch. It had luminous paint on the hands and hours and was water resistant! The watch is still in my possession 鈥� and it still works, although the face has clouded some what. Mother was very embarrassed, she was given her very first pair of silk pants matched by one of these 鈥渘ew fangled鈥� garments called a 鈥榖rassiere鈥�.

Dad was given a beautiful new shirt, with a collar attachment. Furthermore, the shirt had buttons from top to bottom. Up to that time, men鈥檚 shirts had three button holes and were drawn over the head to be put on. Each shirt had a front and a back stud hole. One would push in the stud and to it attaches the collar. No self respecting Englishman would be seen out without a collar and a tie! At least not in the 1940s. Collars were changed daily, shirts about twice a week!

There were also bars of chocolate and sweets in silver paper tubes! The weekly ration of sweets, for civilians at that time, was 3 ounces, butter was 2 ounces and sugar 4 ounces.

At that time I had left school and started work in the offices of the local Council, I was required to 鈥渄o my bit鈥� on two nights a week as a Dispatch Rider at the Air Raid Precautions Control Centre. I had been taught how to ride a motor cycles and was part of a team who escorted ambulances carrying wounded civilians and troops from the local railway depot to various hospitals in my area. Just my luck, on Glynn鈥檚 first night home, I was on duty. Never mind, for the next week he was able to regale me with tales of the unbelievable reception he and his ship mates had been given during his training in Canada.

One such story recalled the time when he was travelling to or from Edmonton. When the train got to the spot he and his friend wanted, they got off. No one seemed to be about. Eventually they asked a man for directions. He enquired how they had got there. 鈥淲e travelled on the Trans-continental express鈥� they explained. Only to be told that it doesn鈥檛 stop here. In other words, an express train had made a special stop for two young English sailors! Where else would that have happened in the middle of wartime?

I can now understand why the TAG members and their families have such an enduring fondness for their Canadian hosts.

Read the first part of Glynn's story at Glynn Howe - Reporting to Duty and Glynn Howe - Off to Sea.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Jim Salveson of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of Glynn Howe & Gerry Howe and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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