Family Memories War

Introduction

Introduction

The years from the end of the 1^st World War on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the eleventh month in 1918 until 3 September 1939 were those of recovery by our country and its inhabitants both mentally and physically. The recovery had not been totally completed before the maelstrom of 1939-45 overtook the countries of the world. We still had memories of the horrors endured which had left an attitude of peace at any price, exemplified in the policy of Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister in those days at the crucial time. Unfortunately this attitude was a fact known to our future adversaries and as history relates led to incident after incident leading up to the point of the far and no further. Many in the country had attempted to form Anglo-German friendships in their sincere hope that relationships would improve. Pacifists abounded but to no avail. So once more we accepted the challenge and the years which followed were the demarcation between former ways of life and those of today. Morally standards have changed and materialism has become an end sought by the majority.

I had reached the age of 27 when hostilities commenced, a clerk at the Birmingham Electric Supply Department. The future in the expanding business looked good but prospects were denied over the war period, which lasted until demobilisation in 1946, at my age of 33. A fresh start had to be made.

Many of our staff were members of the Territorial Army. These were immediately posted to the Forces. Although a no volunteering rule was imposed several left for the R.A.F. Official requests for R.A.O.C personnel resulted in several departing for that branch of the forces. With myself working on civilian pay duties the R.A.P.C. became my destination.