大象传媒

I was in the Fifth Battalion of the Royal East Kents. We were trained in the Dover Drill Hall, along by the seafront. I went home each night, living at Longfield Road, Dover. On 8 May 1939 I had joined up the Territorial Army, and was called up in October, being told to go to Hawkinge Aerodrmoe nearby. There I learnt Anti Aircraft Skills. From there I went to the town's Western Docks -- onto cross Channel ships, carrying troops into unknown territory.

One incident I remember shows how things have changed medically. It was 1941, and I found myself on parade at Crieff in Scotland. I was doing drill, and suddenly I fell over -- "hit the deck"! I would have been 19 or 20 years old at the time. An ambulance took me to hospital in Glasgow, and it turned out I had acute appendicitis. There were no injections to ease the pain -- only gas and air!

Still, there were compensations. The care was very good, and the nurses were very pretty! I was in there eight or nine days. I missed my mates -- but it was actually a good break. I made a ful recovery. The battalion went out to the Middle East in the end -- I was one of forty or so left behind. I was then sent to North Africa via Liverpool as part of the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry -- it was tough having to make new friends.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN ADDED BY JOHN YOUNG OF 大象传媒 SOUTH EAST TODAY ON BEHALF OF FRANK MARTIN. MR MARTIN UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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