´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by a volunteer from CSV/´óÏó´«Ã½ London on behalf of Alan Walter and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Walter fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

At the outbreak of war I was just twelve years old, but by May 1945 I had been in the Army some six months. Schooling took place during the blitz, when many hours were spent in air-raid shelters and education was on alternate-week basis. I joined the Air Training Corps around 1941. I was in No. 78 Squadron, which was part of the Wembley wing. Various pageants connected with the war took place at Wembley stadium and as Wing Marker I was privileged to march alone onto the hallowed turf to await the formation of the pageant around me. As my 18th birthday approached, I volunteered for the Air Force, but was eventually rejected as their casualties after D-Day had not been as high as expected. I was therefore called up by the army and in early November 1944 I found myself for the first time north of Watford, being stationed at Redford Cavalry barracks in Edinburgh. In due course I was posted into the Highland Light Infantry (me, a genuine cockney!) and after primary training was transferred to Aberdeen. On VJ day in August 1945, blood poisoning put me in hospital. On discharge in October, I was transferred into the Gordon Highlanders and served the rest of my service until demobilization in March 1948. With the ending of the war, kilts were reissued and my connection as a cockney Scott started which remains until this day. In 1950 I was introduced to Heston and District Scottish Association and met the girl who was to become my wife in 1954. It was the kilt that clinched the matter, as she has always said that she only married me because of it…

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.