大象传媒

Staffs County Council libraries, on behalf of the author, have submitted this story. The author fully understands the rules and regulations of the People's War website.

I started work in August 1939 (age 15) at an engineering company in Stoke-on-Trent. I became a messenger in the Air Raid Precautions around 1940 which was after I had witnessed the bombing of the North Staffs Royal Infirmary which was what encouraged me to join them. One night in 1941 incendiary bombs rained down on our sector. One had pierced the roof and ceiling of a terraced house. My colleague operated the stirrup pump and I climbed the stairs and pointed the jet at the source of the fire which was soon doused.
Later I joined the Air Training Corps which was new at that time. In 1943 I joined the Air Force (UT Aircrew - under training) - Very proud of our white flash!!
I first went to the Aircrew receiving centre at Lord's cricket ground. Then I moved onto No.2 Initial Training Wing (St. John's College, Cambridge). I then moved on to Elementary Flying School (Marshalls) which was a grading school to assess pilot aptitude (12 hours flying time on Tiger Moths). I went to Canada on the Queen Elizabeth via New York to No.8 Bombing and gunnery School, Lethbridge, Alberta (Ansons). On completion I went to the Air Observers School, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Ansons). I was awarded my flying badge and sergeants stripes here - Bomb Aimer!! Then onto No.4 Observers Advanced Flying Unit, West Freugh. Whilst there I did one flight as a navigator during which I landed on the Island of Anglesey. Then onto No.26 Operational Training Unit at Wing (near Leighton Buzzard). Here we "crewed up" which was just going into a room and deciding who you wanted to fly with. Training was navigation, bombing, gunnery and fighter affiliation (Wellingtons).
We then went to No.1667 Heavy Conversion Unit in Sandtoft (Lancasters). Here we did a flash light (simulated bombing) of Green Park, London. The target indicators were on the ground. We then went onto 12 Squadron, Wickenby - Lincs (Lancasters). First time we flew was 23.4.45 and surrender was 7.5.45. We always put operations and night flying into our log books in red ink. My only operation was on the 11.5.45. It was called Exodus I. We went from base (Wickenby) to Mellsbroek (Brussels). Here we picked up twenty four prisoners of war and landed them at Dunsfold and then went back to base.

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