大象传媒

Eager to join up I gave an incorrect age by saying I was eighteen. I was accepted by the RAF and did basic training at Cardington, Bedfordshire. From there to Kirkham where I learned to be an armourer and a Leading Aircraftsman. Manston in Kent, which was in the thick of the Battle of Britain, was my next posting. This was station where fighter squadrons from all over the south came to be re-built, re-fuelled and re-armed, to take off and fight again.

'Planes were fitted with 20 mm Hispanos and 303 Browning machine guns and when there were dog-fights expended shells came hurtling down, adding to other dangers. The turnround of fighters was unbelievably hectic and we worked non-stop until the day's action was over. Soon I was sent to Biggin Hill, which was equally busy, then after a while, in 1942, I was posted to Egypt.

Our convoy was enormous and suffered losses enroute. It took twelve long agonising weeks to reach Africa. As we boarded ship in Scotland, we were given a ticket which determined our sleeping accommodation, The choice was the deck, mess-table or a hammock. My place was below the ship's water line and the close explosions heard were thought to be torpedo hits but were actually depth-charges exploding.

Fresh water was in short suppy and the soap issued was supposed to be able to lather in seawater. The idea was good but resulted in us feeling sticky and unwashed. Personnel were packed like sardines and the threat of submarines made for an unpleasant voyage.

Our station was Al Bella and we worked in conjunction with Montgomery, some miles behind our lines. Hurricans were carrying bombs at that stage, so were backing up the army's progress. There was a lot of aerial activity, with enemy bombers trying to eliminate our airfields and our fighters trying hard not to allow them. The most distressing part was when the pilots didn't
return. Some were from 'planes I'd worked on and couldn't help feeling it as a personal loss. Casualties were heavy on both sides but mine was a job worth doing and, in spite of living in tents for over three years, we all had to get on with it. Through the Battle of Britain to the war in the desert it was never easy, but I am now a proud owner of the 1939-42 Battle of Britain Star and African Star.

When the war finished, I went to East Africa, ready for demob. Because I was a trained plumber and heating engineer my release came through within twenty-four hours and was posted back to Britain, as part of a plan called the 'Re-building of Britain'. I registered with what was then the Labour Exchange in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, and worked for builders who needed a plumber/heating engineer.

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