大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War Site by Three Counties Action, on behalf of Patricia Griffin for Hubert George Griffin, and has been added to the site with the permission of Patricia Griffin. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

鈥淲hat did you do in the Great War, Daddy?鈥� This was a cry often heard in the 1920s but did not apply to me, other than while playing soldiers in 1915, a cyclist knocked me down causing much blood to flow but otherwise receiving attention from kindly ladies, who gave me sweets and the like.
However, while looking through collections of photographs recently I realised that some use was made of my time in the 1939-45 troubles.

I had volunteered for service in the Navy and the Air Force but was at that time above the age required and in any case my work was considered to be of national importance. I did what I could in Civil Defence which took up considerable time outside working hours, but being interested in photography I wanted to make use of this hobby.

In early 1939 I had bought a Zi Ikenta camera second hand for 拢14.10s.0d which was one of the most modern and easily handled. I was also using a single lens reflex 3.5鈥� x 2.5鈥� plate camera.

The Luton New local agent, Mr Bell, asked me to record a wedding at the parish church, which I did as their own man had been called to the forces. This was followed by further requests, not always successful and I sometimes had to apologise to dissatisfied brides.

Photographic materials were not easy to obtain but an advertisement in the Amateur Photographer called for volunteers to take 鈥淪napshots from Home鈥� for the YMCA, and they would make film and printing paper available for the purpose. The idea was to help soldiers stationed in North Africa to keep in touch with their growing families. The men would fill in a form near their base which would be sent to the London HQ who, having a list of volunteers would send the request to the nearest photographer. I had in all about 30 to 40 such calls from Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Stewkley and many villages.

I had to write to the family to say that I hoped to call on a certain day and would they be prepared! I could not use petrol and had to depend on buses and I particularly remember going to Luton on a very hot day and having walked the full length of North Street, finding no one at home. But this was not usual and sometimes several families had got together to make the whole job worthwhile.

I received several letters from the husbands and sons, some of whom had not seen their babies. One mother, whose son had been killed in action, had received his personal effects including the photographs he had received, and was most grateful. The whole scheme was most uplifting in those terrible days.

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