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.

One of the earliest public preperations for D-Day was the appeal for holiday snaps and postcards of continental beaches. I don't have any recollection of anticipation, though there must have been. One now largely forgotten marginal aspect of the invasion was the Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme. This was Eisenhower's idea, to foster comradeship amoung the three main nationalities of his force. It was to be broadcast by the 大象传媒, but with resident bands from the USA, Canada and Britain, and similarly, presenters from the three countries. The American band was Glen Miller's of course. Big sister Jean was one of the two British presenters seconded by the 大象传媒 (she had been doing this sort of work - Forces Favourites and general continuity - since March 1943 on the General Overseas service). Of course I knew nothing of the AEFP before D-Day. The service had been running on closed circuit for several weeks before June 6th. Once it went live there was a tremendous kudos that my sister was working with Glen Miller. Incidentally, she did not like him - a cold perfectionist, not the cuddly James Stweart figure of the biopic.

With D-Day arrived the V-1 'Doodlebugs'. Reigate was not on the direct path from launch sites to London, but some, mis-directed or 'winged' did come our way. On the first night my father was called out to his Home Guard post. There was a report of mass breakout of German PoWs, and no doubt other rumours. Pa drove to Dorking with his loaded Great War Webley .455 on the seat beside him, determined to "take one with me" if stopped. He could see the exhaust flame of the occasionall V-1's ram-jet engine overhead. My mother and I took shelter in our Morrison shelter for the night. My closest encounter was when I was out walking with two pals a couple of miles SW of Reigate. When the engine of an approaching Doodlebug cut out we 'hit the deck' of course, then feeling the shock of the detonation perhaps half a mile away we stood up. The blast wave was highly visible passing over the standing wheat in the fields. A few weeks later on the allotment on Sunday morning there was talk of the mysterious 'gas main' explosions - the code name for the V-2 rocket. The area was denuded of troops by then - they were all in France.

Eventually in May VE Day arrived. In the evening I went to London with my parents, to Buckingham Palace to shout "We want the King" with the many thousands gathered there. The Royal Family came out on the balcony a number of times, though I don't remember in what strength, or whether Churchill was with them. It was the end of the blackout.

At VJ Day I was at my first Army Cadet Camp. This was in the grounds of Charterhouse School at Godalming, under canvas, in bell tents. One particular memory of that camp was of an Ulster BQMS attached as an instructor. He was patrolling the mess tent, full of impressionable youngsters, on a day on which bread pudding was on the menu. He exhorted us to enjoy our lovely plates of afterbirth! We were allowed to go home for one night with the VJ celebrations, which I did. I had been on guard the previous night, so was pretty shattered, and had missed breakfast, thus contriving to faint on Guildford station. However we made it home. There was a big bonfire in the square by the Old Town Hall, and dancing in the street.

And that was it! My war, such as it was, was over. The family unscarred, and we were on the right side.

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