大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Sutton Coldfield Library on behalf of A.L.Wills. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

In 1939 I was 12 years old, living with my parents and younger sister in a very rural community in mid-Dorset, in a small village called Turnworth, population approx 60. Just about every family worked on the large farm of over 1000 acres which was very labour intensive.

The broadcast by the Prime Minister, I did not hear, but can remember all were talking about 鈥淲ar鈥� shortly afterwards. There were at least 5 veterans of the 1914-18 war living in the village. My sister Peggy who was in service at the 鈥淏ig House鈥� said 鈥渟he, with the other dozen or so servants were gathered in the big hall when the master of the house announced the news鈥�. She remembers some of the older staff quietly sobbing.

Not too many months after the most able bodied men had joined the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV), later to become the Home Guard. Freddie Bowles became the Air Raid Warden, Leonard Tory became a Special Constable. My father and I , Sam Carter and Mr. Anthony, (the chauffer at the big house) enrolled in the Auxiliary Fire Service. My official designation was that of Part Time Messenger.

Originally we had one small axe, then a bucket and stirrup pump, 18 months later we were issued with a pair of boiler suit type overalls, a beret and a pair of Wellingtons. Our first pumping appliance was a 鈥渇our man manual pump鈥� which had extending handles.We had some hose and and a branch. We used to practise on occasional Sunday mornings in the stable yard up at the Big House. I was always the branchman because this position included some running about with the hose.

By about the end of 1942 our pump was replaced with a Coventry Climax two wheeled portable pump which was towed by one of the cars owned by the Squire. Hence the early inclusion of the chauffer in the team. I can never remember going anywhere with the trailor pump. We did however attend a few lectures and demonstrations at the next village of Winterbourne Stickland on how to deal with incendiary bombs and the use of fire extinguishers. Once I remember attending a Sunday afternoon church parade in the next village when all the local voluntary associations turned out. We even had the local brass band to lead us.

No bombs were dropped on our village, the nearest being about 2 miles away and we never dealt with any type of fire. At night many enemy bombers were heard overhead, several searchlights tried in vain to pick them up as they were on their way to targets to the North of us, returning an hour or two later. By day in 1940 the peripheral dog fights of the 鈥淏attle of Britain鈥� were witnessed. A spitfire crashed nearby killing the pilot.

One September morning in 1940 at about 0715, a pair of thatched cottages in the village caught fire, the cause was the most likely to have been a smouldering beam. Our unit was still very much in it鈥檚 infancy and therefore did not attend although the villagers did give some assistance in removing some of the furniture. The houses were a total loss.

I do not suppose our efforts made any contribution to the war effort but at the time we all felt we were doing 鈥渙ur bit鈥�.

In 1943 I joined the Royal Navy. After the war I was given a certificate for my service with the AFS/NFS.

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