大象传媒

This story was added to the People鈥檚 War site by Sarah Housden of Norfolk Adult Education鈥檚 reminiscence team on behalf of Peter Scott and was added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

In 1938 I was twelve years old and can remember that there were tanks lining the road at Northolt Aerodrome. I used to cycle there with a friend to see them. During the war our family holidays were at Nazeing in Essex. One year the owner of the farm where we stayed met us with a horse and cart because he was short of petrol.

In 1942 I went into Barclay鈥檚 Bank in Greenford where a Mr Watt was Clerk in Charge. There was a great shortage of petrol and whereas in the past it had been normal for trips to be made to another branch two miles away once a week in a van, it became usual with the petrol shortage to make the journey by horse and cart. Security in those days was not at all tight!

In 1945 I was called up and went to York for three weeks drilling in the January. Then it was on to Winchester, followed by Skegness. One of my jobs there was sweeping snow off the sand! From there I went to Leeds and had to do guard duty at Headingly Cricket Ground. They then sent me on a clerical course in London to teach me to type, and from there I was sent to Egypt just before the end of the war. There I saw sand storms galore, the pyramids and the Sphinx.

I was back in London for both VE and VJ Days, and saw everyone celebrating in Trafalgar Square.

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