大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sarah Cooper at the AGC Museum on behalf of Colin Metcalfe and has been added to the site with his permission. Colin Metcalfe fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

As the war progressed, little changed militarily around Reigate, though SE Command HQ was established there, Monty being GOC there at one stage. He was reported to have had the staff out on cross-country runs. Later, during the preparations of D-Day, one carriageway of the A24 (between Dorking and Leatherhead) was closed-off, forming a drive-through vehicle maintenance and preparation base (something similar was done on the Winchester by-pass).

Rationing got tighter (2 books at the Co-op, 2 at Sainsbury's so as not to miss out on anything) - how did the housewives cope? Chaps left the Grammar School for the forces and in a few unlucky cases a few months later their names were read out as casualties at morning assembly. More women teachers joined the Grammer School staff. There were the big set-piece National Savings weeks- Salute the Soldier, Warship and the rest. We cadets, of course, always forming part of the parade. A familiar community target was 拢5,000 for a Spitfire. There was not a lot of good war news, though I recall being at the cinema when a hand-written slide was projected, advising that 'we' had taken Benghazi during Wavell's successful campaign against the Italians, soon to be reversed when the Afrika Korps arrived. Around Reigate there were more Canadians, but we saw no Americans. On rare trips to London there were plenty of them to be seen in the West End and around Rainbow Corner.

The arrival of Grandpa Reed was mentioned earlier (part 1). He was a very, VERY, high-class gentlemen's hairdresser. He would occasionally depart for Scotland to cut the hair of the Duke of this, or Lord that, returning with a salmon or a haunch of venison. But his prize client was the Prime Minister, yes Mr Churchill (it would be ungracious to speculate on the challenge of locating the hair to cut). Telegrams would arrive calling for him to attend at Downing Street at a given time and date. It caused quite a stir in the Post Office when Uncle Tom handed in the pre-paid form. I have, framed, a letter of condolence from Churchill of January 1945 when my grandfather died. I suppose the big man could have done without having to find a new hairdresser at that point.

Of course we followed all the war news on the wireless, listened to JB Priestley's Postscripts on Sunday evening, and watched the Movietone News at the pictures. On the other hand we were well shielded from the sharp end of the action. In 1943 (I think) I saw a B17 flying low, northwards, followed a minute or so later by the explosion as it hit the top of Reigate Hill - another 40 feet and it would have cleared it. A few years ago a proper memorial to the crew (who were all killed) was dedicated in a moving ceremony that I attended.

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