大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from S.Glos Library Service on behalf of Albert Gibbons and has been added to the site with his permission.Mr Gibbons fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

"I was employed by Post Office Telephones at a large RAF communications centre.I was training in my second year as a P1 (Probationary Assistant Engineer) at the time, working on large telephone and telegraph switchboards that relayed long distance through messages for the Services.

I was called up in 1942 and started training for Line Mechanic Grade 2 in Royal Signals.This training was interrupted by sickness but in 1943 I qualified as Line Mechanic A2.I later qualified as an A1,the highest Trade Level for other ranks in Royal Signals.

I joined a Signals Group consisting of line mechanics,linesmen,drivers and a cook under the command of an Officer.We were part of 13-Lines of Communications-Signals.We were sent to Lille,France on D-day +100.
We took over a cable communications centre where we controlled long-distance through circuits to Brussels,Paris and other places whilst the German advance towards Calais,Boulogne and the UK continued.We were using Army equipment.
From Lille I was transferred to Nijmegen in the south of Holland on a similar job though there were only 2 of us to man this Repeater Station which contained Dutch equipment. However the canteen facilties were excellent,run by a civilian volunteer organisation. Whilst one of us slept the other manned the station.The alarm bell was loud enough to wake us up though this seldom happened.
On VE night the town went wild and the 2 of us took turns to go and join in the celebrations.
After a short time I obtained a transfer to the Army Education Corps.I stayed with this Unit until I was de-mobbed then returned to Post Office Telephones."

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