大象传媒

Life was apparently settled when Arthur married Gladys Spacey on 21st December 1935 at St Mary's Church, Pype Hayes near Birmingham. Gladys moved from her home at 370 Holly Lane and Arthur from his home in Pype Hayes Road to set up a new home very near by at 6 Alman Road. Arthur now spent much more time with Glady's friends and family riding motorcycles then driving cars visiting relatives around the country. One such friend was Richard Shuttleworth of the now famed Shuttleworth collection. It was to be the start of a new relationship with Dick Shuttleworth. He was a brave but somewhat reckless young man who liked life in the fast lane. Dick was a keen racer driving Alfa Romeo cars and even the winner of a Grand Prix. Dick and Arthur would drive up to Bedford in his car at high speed round the winding country lanes and stop off in the town for a drink. They would visit the nearby hangers at Cardington where the R101 airship was housed.

Stories tell of the exploits of Dick Shuttleworth and Arthur in their dare devil enjoyment of life.After the war broke out, contact was lost so it was not until after the war that we learnt he had been killed in a flying accident in 1941. The memory of Dick lives on in the village with photos and momentoes around the walls of the Hare and Hounds public house but his name lives on however through the wonderful collection of planes and cars at the Shuttleworth Museum nearby. A place nostalgicly visited recently by Arthur. Richard's name also appears together with just a few others on the base of a memorial cross in the centre of the village.

It was not long after Gladys & Arthur married that World War 2 broke out and Arthur, keen to see more action volunteered for active service. He broke the news of his enrollment to his wife who in turn told him she was pregnant.

Not long after Harry his younger brother also joined up together with their step father's son, Gordon.

Dunlop where he worked as a driver did offer to keep Arthur in a reserved profession but the spirit of risk and adventure was greater. The four years he was to spend in the army did not detract from his service which meant that after retirement he was able to record over 50 years of continuous employment with the company.
Whilst away at training camp in Dumfries, Scotland his first son Anthony was born on 21st August 1942. Army training was to see a relocation to Aldershot where his driving skills came to the fore. Harry drove tanks and Arthur learnt to drive heavy trucks and even a tank transporter as the walls of Winchester barracks may still bear witness. He managed to continue with his enthusiasm for rugby playing for his battalion but soon found the opposition more aggressive than those of his earlier school days.

Shortly afterwards the family was split. Harry went to the Isle of Wight where he formed a band for the officer's mess. Finally he joined the tank division and was to see action at the D Day landings.

Arthur left to fight in the Artillery with Montgomery鈥檚 8th Army in North Africa. He recounts many memorable stories which had a lasting effect on his life.

The War was a wonderful adventure but it had its darker moments for Arthur. Malaria struck putting him in a field hospital and since Whiskey was the only medicine available it gave him a taste for the amber nectar which would be passed on to sons and grandsons. Arthur still recalls vividly the traumatic experience of seeing one of his army colleagues die. Major Harry Gom had been a close friend during many of their war escapades but one fateful night their task was to act as spotters for the enemy guns. A careful drive through a minefield bought them to a small hut in which they took cover. During a lull in the shelling Harry took a short walk outside to answer the call of nature but shortly after leaving Arthur was shocked to hear a nearby explosion. Thinking the barrage had restarted he rushed outside to find Harry lying in a pool of blood. He had trodden on a mine. Caring not for his own safety Arthur lifted Harry back into their truck and at break neck speed he drove back through the minefield to the safety of his troops. Breaking radio silence he called for help and they were both rushed to an emergency Hospital nearby. His brave efforts were to no avail as the medic in charge shook his head breaking the news that nothing could be done to save him. It was the moment when the reality and horror of war came home to Arthur, a reality which was to earn him a Distinguished Service Medal but one which would remain with him for the rest of his life. Gladys knew Harry's wife and had to go and console the widow.

Gladys brought their young son Anthony up alone during the war and it was over 3 years before Arthur was to see Anthony again. Gladys moved back in with her parents, Sidney and Emily who had moved to 207 Foley Road West, Streetly, a safer area away from the bombed city of Birmingham. After that dramatic night of bombing in Coventry, a family who had lost their home were rehoused in Arthur鈥檚 now empty home in Alman Road.

Arthur saw active service through the North Africa campaign through Monti Cassino in Italy and on to Greece before finally returning safely from the traumas of war to re-establish his home, Arthur discovered that the new family refused to leave their home in Alman Road and so a court case ensued. Winning the eviction to the pleasure of both parties, since the other couple had to be rehoused by the council, Arthur and his wife returned to their home in Erdington, Birmingham.

After the war, Arthur returned to Dunlop and took to the road again as a test driver. In his new found job which was a far cry from that of his early youth, a test driver's work took him regularly all over the country driving hundreds of miles every day.

This is only a brief introduction to Arthur's wartime memories. He is still alive and healthy at the age of 90 and recalls vividly the many events of the war which he is only too happy to recount at the slightest invitation.

This brief extract was written by his son Malcolm whose website www.evanshistory.co.uk contains many more family details.

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