大象传媒

On the third of September 1939 my brother, John, had arranged to marry Gladys and I was to be his best man.

Two days earlier, after a gigantic military build up, Germany had invaded Poland. It was at last realised that Hitler had to be stopped even though we were ill prepared to do so. Germany was warned to withdraw from Poland or else Britain and Germany would be at war.

The morning of the third arrived and at eleven a.m. The Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, announced on the radio that Hitler had given no reply to our demand to withdraw from Poland and therefore we were at war with Germany.

Shortly afterwards the AIR RAID SIRENS sounded due to an unidentified aircraft and my aunt Edie had hysterics. It had been expected that when the start of the war had been announced bombing of the cities would commence immediately.

The wedding cars didn't arrive and, when we enquired, we were told they had been commandeered to deal with emergencies and we had to walk to the church.

Gladys was taken to the church in a car driven by a kind neighbour. The ceremony and reception took place without further incidents. Later the happy couple left on their honeymoon.

John and Gladys had just eight months together before he was called into the Sherwood Foresters Regiment of the Army. The following year he was sent abroad.

By May/June 1940 Germany had already invaded Austria, Holland Belgium and France. Italy had joined the war on Germany's side - things were beginning to look very bleak indeed. Churchill said the battle for France had ended and the Battle of Britain was about to begin. Everyone began to take the war very seriously, the period of phoney war was over. Even so, there appeared to be little doubt among the British people that eventually we would win through.

Then came my turn to serve, I joined the RAF, at Blackpool, on the 6th August 1940.

They gave me a slip of paper that stated "1309181 AC2 Farmer ACH/GG CofE 2/- (10P) per day". This translated into - Number, Rank, Trade (Aircrafthand Ground Gunner), Religion and rate of pay.

Then followed fourteen days of marching up and down the promenade, left turns, right turns, about turns etc. A trip to Blackpool football Ground and we were equiped with uniform and all the military gear including a housewife (mending kit) and field dressings. Another trip was to Blackpool swimming baths for a swim or shower. This was much enjoyed.

Vacinations and inoculations followed until our arms felt like pin cushions. We lived in boarding houses together with holiday guests and thought perhaps the RAF wasn't so bad after all. Particularly enjoyed being asked by a father if I would take his wife and son to see a show on the pier and he provided the tickets. Expect he rather liked the idea of a quiet pint somewhere.

Due to a gammy ankle my drilling prowess wasn't as good as they expected and I was told to stay in the boarding house during
the grand "Passing Out Parade." Wasn't a bit upset, in fact, I rather enjoyed the rest.

Then I was posted to Yatesbury, in Wiltshire, as a Ground Gunner. These were recruited for the defence of RAF Stations. Yatesbury was a Radio Training School where they trained Wireless Operators and Mechanics for both air and ground duties. Within the station there was another, highly secret, station where men were being trained as RDF (RAdio Direction Finding), later, Radar Mechanics.

Radar was the secret device which enabled our fighters to be directed to enemy bombers as they appoached this country, during the Battle of Britain. There was a shortage of aircraft at the beginning of the war and it would have been quite impossible to maintain regular patrols around our coasts. During the Battle one of the main Fighter stations defending London - Hornchurch - had the first Squadron to be equipped with Spitfires but not until the year before the war started. During the Battle, at one time, they were reduced to only one serviceable aircraft.

We were required to do 24 hour guard duties, nearly every other day, in place of the Radio and Radar trainees to allow them to concentrate on their studies. We also learned other aspects of military life such as unarmed combat, aircraft recognition, stripping down machine guns and clearing stoppages, bayonet practise, grenade throwing, rifle firing, etc.

One day on parade we were invited to step forward if we wanted to be Corporals. Two or three did and one of them was eventually to become my 'Hut Corporal'. Little did I know that, sometime later, I was to cross swords with him.

For our two shillings a day, we were on duty for 24 hours a day. Soon learned that if I stayed in camp during free spells there would be extra duties like unloading coal, whitewashing coal dumps to prevent pilfering, moving furniture,etc.

On the first free weekend, I decided to hitch-hike to London, on the Great West Road, eventually reaching Reading. Walking through the town I met up with another airman (a complete stranger). We walked along together towards the outskirts of the town when we were stopped by the Home Guard (Britain was expecting a German invasion to take place at any time.

Was asked to produce my pass, which I didn't have, then my identity card which hadn't yet been issued, then my Identity discs which I had but had not been engraved with my name or number. At this stage my companion said he would vouch for me as being from his camp. The Home Guard asked us where we were going and when we said "London" he told us to hang on a bit and he would stop a lorry!

On this occasion, or possibly later, I reached Hounslow West and started to make my way across town by the Underground. I was surprised to find an Air-Raid was in progress and many sections of the line had been put out of action. This meant changing from one line to another, several times, until I reached Aldgate East station. Leaving the station, into the dark of the blackout, I heard a car start up across the road. Upon investigation found it was a Police car and, not having a Pass, walked on by. A policeman leaned out to ask if I wanted a lift to which I replied "Yes" then he asked me where I was going. When I Answered "Leytonstone" he said "You'll not get through there, because outside Bow Station has been bombed, I'll take you part of the way."

He took me to Hackney Marshes and at this time the anti-aircraft guns were firing at the German aircraft, shrapnell was falling all around me and making a constant tinkle,tinkle' sound on the road. Being my first experience of an air-raid I was unsure what to do, should I run and find shelter or should I lie down on the ground and wait for things to quieten down.

I decided to walk home and ten minutes later there was a flicker of car lights in the distance, (cars had blackout masks on the front lights to stop them from being seen from the air). As the car approached I waved a white handkerchief but as it came close I could see it was a Taxi. As it slowed down, I told the driver to go on as I had no money and he growled 'jump on'. Jumped into the luggage compartment beside his seat and he took me home.

Arrived home around 1.30 a.m. and for some time, knocked on the front door. Eventually my mother came up from the shelter, which was in the back garden and opened the door. As soon as she saw me she said "Have you taken French Leave? - Go back, go back". Perhaps she thought I had tried the Air Force and didn't like it very much. She was shrewd my mum.

Later that day I had to leave to be back at camp by 10.00 p.m., it seemed a lot of travelling for a few hours at home.

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