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This is a story told by Mr Ronald Watson of North West Wales.

"I was born in Penmaenmawr but when war broke out in 1939 I was 23 years old and living in Rhyl. I was working as a Legal Executive at the solicitor’s office, but volunteered to go into the Air Force. I was called up for the Brigade of Guards, but I had already arranged to go to the RAF.

I travelled to various places during the war, including Cairo, Telaviv and Malta - it was very pleasant. I was married when I went into the war but kept in touch with letters, and later with airmail as I was posted to South Africa. But when I came home from the war I found out that my wife had been associating with an Army Major, and immediately divorced her. I suppose I lost one wife because of the war, but met another.

I met my second wife in Dumfries, where I was instructing Canadian officers coming over into operations. She was also working for the Air Force, and we soon married in Dumfries.

I remember Dumfries and South Africa as being the good times, but then as we got seriously into the war, it became quite bad. This was when we were in Malta, where we were under constant attack — it was a matter of life or death.

But I must say that I’m glad I went to the war and didn’t stay at the solicitor’s office!"

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