大象传媒

This story was submitted to the people war Website by a volunteer from Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life on behalf of J. Luckman.

J. LUCKMAN

During the war and a little later, a comedian 鈥� the name I cannot recall, always started his act by saying 鈥淭he day war broke out鈥�.

Well in 1939 I was an apprentice at a general stores 鈥楾he best in Devon鈥� called Waltons. It sold everything, hardware, furniture, soft furnishing, carpets, etc, everything really.

Anyway, I was there in 1939, and at 14, really didn鈥檛 appreciate what changes were to come. We apprentices (bound for 3 years) had a good time or that was really what we thought would happen.

In 1941 I joined the Police Auxiliary Service messenger similar to the ARP warden messenger. Then we had to attend lectures on procedures to be adopted in the case of enemy action over the city.

Approximately 40 鈥� 41 males had to join a pre-service unit and so I joined the Air Training Corps (ATC) so with RA.M.S. and A.T.C. all my time was taken up, any spare time was taken up with Boys鈥� Brigade. Late in 41 I volunteered for the R.A.F. and joined in Sep 1942, just about the time the Italians gave in. Must have heard that I had joined the war effort.

From the time of enlistment to Oct 45 I travelled the U.K. quite a bit. During my square bashing (drill, etc.) duration of about 6-8 weeks (mind a little weak on times). Our flight having been issued with rifles (unloaded of course) the day before we were detailed for crash guard in a dense wood miles from anywhere (so it seemed). We stayed all night guarding a crashed Wellington with empty rifles, hoping that dawn would be early, some hopes. We finished that tour of duty and enjoyed explaining to our mates back at our billet our experience in the 鈥榡ungle鈥�.

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