大象传媒

My war began I believe on the 29th. of September 1938.On this evening I was walking home from a Boy Scouts meeting,our troops meeting place was in a derelict cottage situated near the old church of St.Laurence in Northfield a suburb of Birmingham.I was looking forward to my treat of a penny fish and a pennyworth of chips from the local fish shop. On reaching the main road (Bristol Road)I noticed that there was much more activity than usual.There were Costers with their barrows lining the road and lots of paper sellers calling out about Mr.Chamberlains meeting with Her Hitler.
After that things seem to telescope a little,both my elder brother Philip and my uncle Arthur were both in khaki having joined the Territorial Army some time before.There was the issuing of Gas Masks from my school,which at the outbreak of war was to my delight,closed and turned into a reception center for refugees from the city and the expected bombing.My Mother like many more was busy with her sewing machine making blackout curtains,and Father was busy digging a hole for the expected Anderson Shelter.After erection the lower half was lined with concrete and Father broke up our old upright piano to make bunks for it.We were to spend many nights in it when the air raids began.
When my uncle Arthur returned from Dunkirk he told us 'they are coming and we have nothing to stop them'.I joined the Army Cadets.Wearing the badge ot the Royal Warwickshire regiment and based at the Austin Motor Works we studied and trained for War Certificate A which when acquired would allow us to join the regiment of our choice.A vivid memory of that time was of a weeks camp held together with hundreds of other cadets at a training camp under canvas at Stockport-on-Severn.It could I think be best be described as organised chaos.Irate Farmers scanning up and down the ranks for the culprits of some prank or other usually accompanied morning pardes. At off duty times some of us would do the long walk into Stockport where we would fill our ever-hungry stomachs at a forces canteen there.I have a vivid memory of masses of Bats swooping over the canal feeding.Back at the unit we also did weekend manoeuvres with the Home Guard.
As the air raids progressed I also joined the local CD post and after completing training gained my three page identity card,uniform,tin hat and CD type gas mask. I remember watching the big Coventry raid while sitting on our kitchen roof.There was a great red glow in the sky,flashes from the guns and bombs with searchlights weaving through the sky.The next day at the Wardens Post they were asking for volunteers to go to Coventry. We messengers were considered to young to go however.The post was situated behind the Community Center and boasted a Snooker Table which we took full use of.
There was a Barrage Balloon manned by the Womans Auxiliary Air Force situated at the bottom of our garden.On some nights the sky would be peppered by flaming balloons as static electricity sparks caused the Hydrogen to set fire.Sometimes there were tragic consequences as the balloon caught fire as it was being lowered and fell on the site.Not on our site thank goodness.
It was between VE and VJ day when I met Joan. She had had a more traumatic war than I,having been made homeless and injured during the air raid on Birmingham on the 11th. of December 1940. We were married in 1948 and are still together to this day.

E.R.(Ted)Davies 31st.December 2005

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