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Rev'd G. Michael Pearson.

World War II Memories

In 1940 my family evacuated from the Yorkshire coast to Castleton NRY. I was in the Wolf Cubs. Our Skipper was Captain Northcote CA.

In the cubs and scouts we signalled by red and yellow Semaphore flags. At nine or ten, I was a competent signaller.

The Local Defence Volunteers, LDV, (pre the Home Guard), used to train in the field behind the Downe Arms pub next to where we lived. At one time I was asked to train the LDVs signalling by flag, but in Morse, not Semaphore.

After church on a Sunday morning, I would go in my uniform to the pub next door and stand in front of the men with my back to them with my blue and white flag. I would take them through the alphabet whilst Capt Watson C.O., checked that they were following me correctly.

I am not sure that all the men had flags. They certainly had sticks and hay forks, as well as a few shot guns and .22 rifles.

I remember one evening when the troop split up into two parties and we went to opposite sides of the dale to signal Morse by flash light to each other. It was a total fiasco. The men always adjourned to the pub after practices. I went home to bed.

At the age of, say 10, I made a contribution to the war effort — and thought nothing about it.

Michael Pearson.