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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Sarah Housden of Norfolk Adult Education’s reminiscence team on behalf of Ronald Jackson and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I was a pilot during the war, with Fleet Air Arm. I liked being in a plane. You could see all around, and above, and there were mirrors which reflected what was behind.

I came from Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, which was close to lots of airbases. I had an older sister and a younger brother. My sister was also in the Forces — she volunteered very early on.

Mother stayed at home during the war. We had a lot of vegetables growing in our garden, so we didn’t struggle for food. We had a largish garden — big enough to grow food for the family. I remember eating lots of fish and imagine that we had a plentiful supply, living near the sea. Mother used to go shopping in Grimsby and buy lovely fresh fish, straight from the sea.

I was young at the outset of war, twelve or thirteen. I don’t remember the start of the war too clearly, but do remember later on when I had to carry my gas mask. I saw the war very differently when I was young to how I did later on. I don’t think I was much concerned with it at the start, but later it became a reality. I was glad to be in the Forces because it gave me status.

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