大象传媒

THIS IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE UNPUBLISHED MEMOIRS OF ROBIN DENYER. THEY HAVE BEEN TRANSCRIBED LARGELY AS WRITTEN FROM HIS DOCUMENT, "FROM GOFER TO GONNER" BY JOHN YOUNG OF 大象传媒 SOUTH EAST. MR DENYER UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

It was not easy riding a bicycle in the blackout. Pot holes abounded, especially where a lot of military vehicles used the roads, tanks, heavy lorries, etc. If you came across a convoy on a night movement, it was a case of "Get off the Road!" -- they drove with NO lights (except the first in the convoy, who had a head masked headlight.) The rest all followed the little white light showing the white painted differential casing. You can imagine what it was like on the build up for Normandy in the South of England. A lot of damage was done to the roads and properties along the side of the road. Remarkably, not a lot of people were killed or injured, though.

At one period I had an Acetylene lamp on my bike. The times I was shouted at by an ARP Warden or a War Reserve Police to "put that light out!"! It used to flair up like mad through the vent holes if I hit a bump or pothole, because it would send a big dollop of water down on the carbide, and create such a pile of gas. Mind, it was a bit uncomfortable for me as the rider, seeing that I had dropped handle bars at the time! They reckoned I would attract German Bombers. As if! At that period, you could get Carbide, but no gas lamps, or battery lamps, and no batteries at all.

Amongst other things, I was a keen angler for a while. But my membership of the Haslemere Angling Society was shortlived. I used to go with a Mr Ernie Strudwick, who lived a few doors from us. His wife was a "fishing widow", as he was so enthusiastic about the sport.

There I was, on my bike, rod tied to the crossbar, and my "tackle" in the saddle bag (along with sandwiches for the day) following up the rear of that little group. The only time I caught anything was on the River Arun or the Rother, near Pulborough, some fifteen miles from Haslemere. It was a large eel, which had entangled itself in some tree roots where we couldn't get at it, and had to cut the line, to rub it in a bit. But as soon as we cut the line it swam away, line, float and all.

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