大象传媒

鈥淭his story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Jan Hewett, a volunteer from 大象传媒 Three Counties Action at the Glen Miller Concert at Twin Woods on behalf of Bill Bandy and has been added to this site with his/her permission. The person fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.鈥�

Name: Bill Bandy
Location: Althorp/ Chelsea
Title: Look, Duck and Vanish.

When war broke out in 1939 I was 15 years old. I was working at the LMS, that was the London Midland Scottish Railway, and I volunteered for the LDV, which stood for Local Defence Volunteer, later known as the Home Guard. LDV for us stood for Look, Duck and Vanish鈥�. We were attached to the Northampton Regiment and known as the Church and Chapel Brampton Home Guard on the Spencer Estate at Althorp. I spent 2 years in the Home Guard and then went into the army. Into the Infantry, The Northampton Regiment.
We spent 6 weeks primary training at Britannia Barracks at Norwich and then moved down to the old cavalry barracks, Nelson Barracks. There I was taught to drive Bren Gun Carriers, which carried 2inch mortars. In 1943 we moved to the racecourse at Northampton, No 2 Infantry training centre. I was then posted to Sloane Square in London, where we used a house for an office and were put into Chelsea Barracks overnight. I had met my future father in law in a pub at Wood Green. That night we had the worst air raid over the Chelsea area that anyone could remember. I was asleep in the barracks by this time and no one could wake me, as my future father in law had dosed me up with whisky and beer.

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