大象传媒

I was living with my parents and an older sister in South Norwood, London SE25 when war broke out and I remained there until I was called up toward the end of 1942. I chose to serve in the ATS, had my medical in Victoria on 2nd December 1942 and entered the service one week later, being detailed to become a Ledger Clerk in the Royal Army Pay Corps.

The building in which I was billeted and that in which I worked were within easy reach of each other in the Finsbury Circus/ Finsbury Square area of the City. I remember drilling and drilling at 0600hrs before breakfast; within a year I had been promoted to Sergeant and was responsible for drilling the new intakes myself.

Whenever possible I availed myself of the PSOP (Permanent Sleeping Out Pass) facility which enabled me to stay overnight at home in South Norwood but I had to leave early the following morning to be back on duty. The working day itself was spent in the office of the Pay Corps where I was concerned with personal matters relating to servicemen, including those on active service overseas, in particular the allotment of their pay to any dependents. If any problems occurred there was always an officer attached to the section to whom someone could refer.

This was the pattern of my day throughout my service with the following exception: one day the AOC detailed a group of us to report to 39 Park Lane for night duty. Our task was to man a PMBX (Private Manual Branch Exchange) switchboard in the basement of the building requisitioned for the duration. I had no experience as a telephonist nor was I given any training on site; the job had to be done and one simply had to get on with it! I do not remember any blunders so I suppose we learned the ropes very quickly. We were not there for very long anyway and retuned to the office in the City. There I remained until, transported on the back of an open army lorry to Aldershot, I was demobbed on 10th June 1947.

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