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‘The Day War Broke Out’

These were the first words of a famous monologue by Rob Wilton, a North of England comedian, who helped to keep up smiling at an alarming time in our lives.

This is one of my strongest memories of World War II. We were unbelievably HAPPY! Dig out old photographs of the period and look at the smiling faces. The entertainers were in a different class from those we see today. Humour, for instance, was funny rather than filthy. Swearing happened then, as it has always done, but look at a book written then — even about the Services or a battle situation and see that the swear words are replaced by known alternatives or even left blank. It was assumed that the readers knew the facts of life — now, the authors think we readers are thick!

A message relayed to the ministers meant that he announced the outbreak of War from the pulpit. Everyone went to Church then, so the Churches were quite full. Quite soon after, the church halls were taken over for Army use.

A few days short of my 12th birthday, the 3rd of September 1939, was quite a momentous time for me. I was due to start Secondary Education at Gala Academy and I was joining the Boys Brigade. Big events for me!

At School we had war lectures and gas masks were issued with practice in using them. Out sports ground was broken up and those who applied were allocated allotments with loads of advice on growing food for home use — work but fun too!

Our BB met in Glendinning Terrace School and many walked the 1-2 miles to attend and home again in the pitch dark black out. One of our officers was an officer in the fire service, so when Volunteers were required a Messenger (with bikes) four of us applied. We received 2/6 per month as bike maintenance and had duty watches with the men as well as practices usually on Sundays. We also learned all about knots and rescue, which came in handy for BB Badges and later in Naval Service.

Air Raid shelters were speedily erected throughout the Town - a large one in what is now Bank St. Gardens and another, where the fire station now stands. One night, returning from the BB, the sirens sounded — it was the bombing of Clydebank and the planes few over here — in I popped to the Bank Street shelter. I was the only one there, so I went home.

Old Tweed mills and warehouses were commandeered by the Ministry of Food as storage for tinned goods. A good Office was set up in Bank Street. The LDV, later Home Guard, drilled and practised as did Air Raid Wardens and Red Cross First Aid Workers. WD Ritchie, Director of Education set up Galashiels Service Club, which met in Room 9, by the gym of Gala Academy. They did various things for the war effort, notably collecting and cleaning Sphagnum Moss for wound dressings.

For the troops in town, the YMCA operated a Canteen, and ladies from local churches in the East Church Hall — now St. Ninians. It was mostly sandwiches and sausages in rolls and sometimes music. Sunday nights saw the creation of a cinema in the Pavilian Cinema — manager Mr Currie - also a conjuror and entertainer.

When out organist died, I briefly became a very young church organist and, while practising one night, a very tall soldier came in. He introduced himself as Pte. Paul France, who had been organist and music teacher at St. Mary;s, West Kensington, now in RAMC attached to KOSB. Introduced to my parents, he became a regular visitor to our home. There were three organists in this RAMC Company. The other two were Dick Rishwick and Dick Burton. The first from Ely Cathedral, the other a LLB. While here they each gave a recital in Melrose Parish Church on successive Sundays for charity. Soon after they embarked the troops for a spell, then brought them back — to Hawick. While at Hawick the organist died at St George’s and the three soldiers took on the job — the CO. seeing to it that one was free each Sunday. So lucky me — I got more lessons on St George’s organ. We later learned that Paul French became a vicar in the South of England and Dick Fishwick came back to Hawick as a Church of Scotland minister.

The wireless was very important at home and in Gala Groom’s Relay Radio, a local land line system was in most houses. Theatre organs, dance bands, orchestras and variety shows predominated. Among the best shows was ‘Monday Night at 8’, ‘Happidrome’ and our favourite was ‘hi gang’ with Beke Daniels, husband Ben Lyon, Sam Brown and the Greene Sisters. ‘Music while you work’ was heard at 10.30am and 3pm each day with bands and shows in between. ‘Workers Playtime’ was a lunch time show and Sandy Macpherson was the main organist at ´óÏó´«Ã½. The greatest musical effect of the time was due partly to the kind of music written and also the sound of saxes and clarinets in a ballroom. It was like a huge comfort blanket atmosphere — while the world outside was trying to blow itself up.

The Czech Army was in Gala for a time — they were well received, being as we thought, very like ourselves, quiet and well behaved. And they had a marvellous Big Band — a la Glen Miller!

The Poles, when they came, were rather resented as ‘ladies men’ for pinching all the girls — and when the Canadians came they rightly or wrongly, quickly gained a reputation for thieving and were said to have tried to sell our fire engine.

The HLI made a great impression when they arrived, marching into Town behind their pips and drums and all in their kilts. The Maxwells Hotel became local HQ and part of Scottish Command, while the ATS were quartered in Woodlands.

Tanks and Bren gun carriers regularly rolled through the streets and made a terrible mess of Buckholm Hill, ranging almost to Ladhope, which they used for training purposes.

Despite rationing, we were never conscious of being short of food. Perhaps this was down to the ingenuity of Mothers and wives, because they could all cook — and we all seemed to be remarkably fit.

As members of the 5th Gala BB we were very lucky — for we never missed our annual camp right throughout the War. One year it was just a weekend but the rest were full length. Few others can say that. When the Army Cadet Corps and ATC were formed, we lost some boys to them, but somehow the 5th Gala grew stronger than ever.

My Dad, then an insurance agent, was often tired, as he was a member of the Royal Observer Corps, and manned the local centre in the Corn Exchange for several hours through the night on his duty watches.

Wartime behind a pharmacy counter meant making ladies’ cosmetics from ointment bases for face creams and hair creams for men from various oils and gums and cough sweets were quite popular as they were ration free — but scarce.

Galashiels had a very good Invisible Mending Shop — a victim perhaps of its own success, for it closed, when not many people could find it!

Curiously, he the War ended the day they called me up. If they had held on a little longer, they’d probably have won.

(Collected by SBC Museums)

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