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When I was in the Air Training Corps, (so I was about 15, 16, 17) we went to what was called the ‘Helen Wills School of Dancing’ which was at Temple Fortune in Golders Green. Quite a few lads used to go, and we used to go about twice a week — Tuesdays and Thursdays - in between our training. We had a liaison between the Aida Foster School of Dancing which is in Brent, and we had an arrangement that once a month, we would go on a Saturday evening to their school and the following month they would come to ours. A number of the youngsters were there, we were all pretty youngsters, but there was one young girl that took my fancy. I must admit I took her to the pictures a few times, she was quite a few years younger than me, but she was a lovely girl. That came and went, and I went into the services, so I said goodbye. But that little girl was, you may have heard of her, Jean Simmons. She lived on the Pennine Estate, between Hendon Way and Claremont Road.

How she got on was the ‘Aida Foster School of Dance’ was closely linked to the film industry, and they wanted someone for an appearance in ‘Tom Brown’s Schooldays’, and she fitted the part and she went on from there. I can remember she sang a song called ‘let him go and let him tarry’. She’s about three years younger than me.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Bill Kendall and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Bill's stories:

• A White-Faced Inspector
• Chipolatas and Chips
• Doody
• Given a bit of cheek
• High-Tailed it home
• How it all began
• I was BKFJ434
• In a split second timing
• Oranges and Lemons
• Rotten Bananas
• Waste not, Want not
• It was coming straight for me
• Using more of my nine lives
• Tiny and Shiny
• Free post
• Time just came and went
• No. 1 London

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