´óÏó´«Ã½

The Beginning

Whilst I have tried to tell the stories of my own experience in the Royal Air Force Marine Craft Service, this followed the early months of the war, which was declared in September 1939.
At the time, there was never any doubt in our minds that we were going to win — although obviously the Germans had the same belief.
The company I was working for — Geo. Monro Ltd — formed their own branch of the ‘LDV’, the Local Defence Volunteers, later to become the Home Guard. We were drilled and trained by a man who at one time been in the Indian Army. His name was Fred Pilley, and he took the job very seriously — unlike some of us, especially when we were issued with wooden rifles! Nerveless, the make believe weapons helped us to train in anticipation of the real thing which followed at a later date. When the LDV were made into the home Guard, we were thrilled to be issued with uniforms of the Middlesex Regiment and some rather outdated Lee-Enfield 303 rifles.
May I take this opportunity of putting a few things right about ‘ Dads Army’ as it has become known. The older men were, for the main part, old soldiers from the Great War of 1914/18, and needed little training as far as rifles, bayonets, and other weapons were concerned. They were also able to teach us youngsters a few things about drill and marching.
There is absolutely no doubt that if the German invasion had succeeded these men would have given a good account of themselves, despite the way they have been mocked under the guise of entertainment.
Look, if you will, at the photograph of my own father, William Allen, together with an uncle of mine — Harry Murphy — taken during the years of the Great War. (My Father is standing.) He was twice wounded during the conflict, but remained proud of his regiment and service till the day of his death. Can anyone doubt that such men as these would have provided magnificent service had the occasion arisen?
My Dad, who served in the 1914/18 war in the Dorsetshire regiment ( 6th Battalion) became a Sergeant in the Home Guard 1941/5, and served until the end of the war
As a lad of seventeen, I can recall being a member of the Home Guard unit detailed to ‘attack’ the power Station at Brimsdown. During the ‘attack’ we were accompanied by lots of small boys who were all better trained than we were in playing Cowboys and Indians as we crawled along the pavements — hoping to be unseen!
I can also recall being used to distribute gas masks to the civilian population, including the ‘concertina’ type of gas mask holder for babies. It was the latter that made me realise the wickedness of war.
I can still be embarrassed by the memory of ‘Presenting Arms’ to a Senior Army Officer at an ordinary bus stop, when a simple standing to attention would have sufficed. In fact it was in some ways a relief to receive a summons to report to the Royal Air Force, following my enlistment in the RAF Volunteer Reserve.
Having passed my initial medical and acceptance at RAF Uxbridge, it was then that I felt ready for ‘my’ war!

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