大象传媒

I was six years of age in the June before the Second War broke out so when it came it seems to have been hovering as it was no great surprise. They had even built air raid shelters and the rest of the things didn't take much organising before we had restrictions and rationing. My father was a Post Office Telephone engineer who served in the Royal Navy during the previous war. He went through the Battle of Jutland. He was fifty and volounteered to join up again for submarines. The Post Office would not release hima as his work was essential. He did go to Plymouth at one time to put the telephone system in order after their devastating blitz. Whilst there he saw the great boxer Joe Louis doing a tour of the American bases. My father said he was wearing the uniform of a sergent. My father was a member of the P.O. Home Guard unit and I remember he carried a rifle in his van should it be required against invaders. I rather spoilt one the practice manoeuvres he was engaged in at our local golf links. I took all my mates down to watch them.

My mother carried on throughout the war doing what all ladies did as their part of the fight. Making the rations go round. She was engaged in munitions at the R.N. Cordite factory Horton Heath during WW1 which meant she was making the cordite for my father to use in he big battleships he served on. My sister was working as a supervisor in the the Pavilion Ballroom and well remembers the Home Guard blowing up Bournemouth Pier during a Tea dance without warning. As the ballroom overlooked the pier from a few yards one may imagine the upset that explosion caused everyone in he area at time.
Another incident comes to mind involving sister Sybil. At her Wedding in 1942 a German plane flew low over the scene at the reception when the Photographer was taking the photos. Of course he immediately swung camera (which was a plate type) up to snap the hun. he got rather muddled and then ran out of plates thus unable to take the Wedding Portraits as he should have done. My mother wasn't very happy about it and told him so." Blow the Jerry " she said.

TO BE CONTINUED

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