大象传媒

I had started night school in 1939, during my last year at school. We learnt what to do when the air-raid warning sounded (quite exciting), also evacuees started arriving. In January 1940 I was fourteen years old. I started my apprenticeship at W.H.A. Robertson as a mechanical engineer. The factory was sited where Priory Motors are now. We were on this site throughout the war. I was working eight and a half hours daily in the small parts division, shown how to look after two different automatic machines, later working a Capstan lathe. After 9-12 months I moved to the heavy machine shop. At fifteen years old I was operating a small horizontal boring machine. All machines were driven off one line shaft. Gradually I moved to bigger machines. During this time I was working on all sorts of equipment for the steel works, and also work came in for the war. To mention two items I worked on - doors for tanks and also crankshaft cases for invasion barges.
At this time I became old enough to be called up for the forces, but as I was in a 'reserved occupation' I carried on working on essential work. When the war finished in 1945 men returned to the factory from the forces, I was released to do my 'National Service'. At first I was apprehensive about this but I have never regretted my two and a half years in the R.A.F. I returned to my former work at W.H.A.Robertsons for a further 28 years.

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