大象传媒

My earliest memory concerns 1937/8. We were living in Woodlands Road, Leytonstone almost opposite to the 鈥淪tones鈥� entrance. Around this time when my father, together with Uncle Les (Atkins) and Len Taylor, joined what was then the Auxiliary Fire Service. In later years I realised that this was in response to an appeal made by HM Government for civilians to enrol as volunteers in preparation for war by joining, and training, in one of the civil defence organisations.

I remember many Saturday afternoons when my mother, brother David and myself went to various places to see competitions between various fire station volunteers. Competitions like:-
aq) Who could set up a standpipe, run out a hose, turn on the water and hit a target in the quickest time? This was done individually, in pairs and in teams.
b)Who could arrive, unload a pump, connect to a water supply and hit a target most quickly?
c)Who could use hook ladders to scale a building, enter a window and bring a dummy down safely using a 鈥渇ireman鈥檚 lift鈥�?
I remember many visits to the Fire Station (Captain Hall was the officer in charge) where we learned to play snooker and billiards on the big table on the first floor 鈥� and have the chance to slide down the brass pole! Best of all were the parties at Christmas, some of which had photographs in the 鈥淟eytonstone Express and Independent鈥�

In Spring,1939 we went to see a big display of all the local civil defence units 鈥� Heavy Rescue, Street wardens, Ambulances and Fire Service 鈥� which was held at what later became the Clapton Greyhound track. The A.F.S was to become the National Fire Service early in the war and Dad and Uncle Les served in it from 1939 until 1945. Dad became Station Officer at High Road Leyton (close to the railway bridge). Uncle was at Queens Road, Leytonstone until about 1942 when he was transferred to Abbey Road, Stratford. That station was, I think, destroyed in 1943 while he was off duty and I remember seeing him the next morning with relief.

It was at about this time that we were issued with gas masks and that the parts were delivered for our Anderson shelter. A large hole (about seven feet long and five feet wide and two feet deep) was dug in our back garden; the corrugated and curved panels were erected, bolted together and the excavated soil piled back on top. Later, dad was to construct a small porch, lay a concrete floor and install three bunks. I do not think we children thought of it as anything other than a suitable place to play!

On Friday, 1st September,1939 a friend of my father, (Mr Gerber, who lived in Vernon Road, Leytonstone) collected my mother from Connaught Hospital, where she was recovering from an appendicectomy (as it is now known) and took her,my brother David and myself down to cousins of one of my parents who had a cottage near Great Baddow, near Chelmsford, and it was there that I hear Neville Chamberlain on the radio tell us that we were now at war with Germany. That was on Sunday 3rd September, 1939 and I had no understanding of what was to follow.

Malcolm Pettit 鈥� 29.3.1930 鈥� to date
Chichester, PO19 5PH

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