It was a summer evening in 1942. On the previous Sunday morning on parade the whole of "B" Company had been told to report on the following Wednesday evening for an inspection by the Battalion Commander, a Colonel Paterson. This rang a bell for me, I worked for the same man at Charles H. Pugh Ltd. (Atco Mowers). At 7.30 on the due date there I was, pushed on to the front rank by my mates, having been silly enough to tell them of my problem. The Colonel came along asking questions from various members until he got to me. He stopped dead in his tracks and said " I know you! 9-oclock tomorrow morning, my office, explanation" The following morning he told me I had to get out of the H.G. as I was only 16 years old and so I replied "Does that mean all my mates as well? " The answer was "YES".
Two weeks went by. The Company C.O. realised that he had lost a lot of members of his Company and so we were all told to report again and not to mention the incident in the future. I left the firm soon afterwards and so all was well.

During the summer of 1943 I was still a member of "B" Company, 39th Battalion Warwickshire Home Guard, stationed at the Girls School, Finnemore Road, Bordesley Green. One Saturday night we were on manoeuvres around the Marston Green area. Having done what we had set out to do and being near the then "Elmdon Airport" at 5 a.m. on the Sunday morning the Sergeant of my platoon said "Let's see what the defences are like on the airfield." We then approached the place gingerly, about 30 of us, but soon found there was no need for caution of any kind. We went over the perimeter fence with ease and just walked towards the main building with not a soul in sight. All around us were petrol trucks, aircraft etc. - all the paraphernalia of an airbase in wartime. Not one person did we find on guard duty. Yes, you are right in thinking they were all in bed, they were fast asleep with not a care in the world, what a cushy number! We did realise that it could be the Fleet Air Arm there as one of the runways was in the shape of an Aircraft Carrier Deck. There was quite a panic when we woke them up, " Don`t tell anyone" was heard a few times. Our sergeant had to report it but we heard no more about the incident. I wonder if they did!

Would young men do it today? Work long hours and then do a night on Guard from 20.00 to 06.00 hours and then be at work for 08.00 for another hard day’s work, and that was for 3 bob a night (15p). I must add though that some of the best years of my life were during the war.