Here we go..
Just before Xmas 1940 I was posted to Stratford upon Avon for "Square bashing" and more jabs. It was'nt too bad as we were billeted in the "Shakespeare Hotel" and, although we were six to a room that was normally occupied by two, it was warm and comfortable and we started to meet up with our own kind, fellow pilots u.t. and now entitled to the white "flash" in our forage caps that denoted that we were amongst the "elite" chosen to train as future pilots. I lost count of the time that we were marched by Anne Hathaway's cottage but it was still a grand feeling and was usually accompanied by the rendering of "Bless 'em all" sung to march time. We were getting pretty good at drill by now and it was wonderful news when we were given leave and told that we would be notified where to report for the vital Initial Training that was the six weeks ground course that had to be passed before proceeding with our flying training. I never got my leave because before the alloted day, about thirty of us were told that we had to report immediately for our course which was starting shortly in Aberystwyth, North Wales at No 6 I.T.W.
(Initial Training Wing).
The journey from Stratford to Wales was long and laborious. Train journeys in those days were always dotted with uncertainty as to when...and where ! ..your train was going to end. The carriages were packed and as everyone had a kitbag to lug, which could not be put up on the racks there was hardly room to breathe in the corridors let alone the compartments. The only lighting allowed was a very weak blue bulb in each compartment which made reading impossible and shed a weird light on the crammed airmen, soldiers, sailors, Waafs, Wrens and Th'ats as my fellow Lancastrians fondly called the girls of the ATS. To make the journey more difficult all the Station names had been removed from the platforms to make life more difficult for the expected Jerry invaders.
By now we had made some friends amongst the vastly assorted mass of would-be fliers and were hoping that we would not become separated.
When we eventually arrived in Aberystwyth around midnight in early January 1941, we were all surprised to find transport awaiting us and lots of very nice girls handing out steaming mugs of cocoa and tea.
A lot of us ,who were told that we were to be called "B" Flight ,were billeted in "The Marine Hotel" and once again, we were pleasantly surprised at the good accommodation that was awaiting. We were between six to ten to a room depending on the size of it. We soon found out that the food was good and rationing did not seem to have hit that part of Wales because eggs and bacon were on the menu at least twice a week. The Marine Hotel was right on the promenade and we were out there by seven thirty every morning after breakfast for P.T. and ...yes..Drill. from 9a.m. we were in the requisitioned classrooms of the local schools and were straight in to the courses of Navigation, Meteorology, Radio (Morse code and minimum of eight words a minute to pass.), There must have been more subjects but the course lasted six gruelling weeks and around 75% of the class of B Flight passed with the requisite percentage . I think that it was around 80% but am not certain. Navigation was the stinker especially if, like myself, Maths was not your strongest subject. The end of the course soon came although it lasted the regulation six weeks. Then came the anti-climax. We were told that ,due to the very severe winter , the Primary Flying Schools were way behind so we were sent home on two weeks leave. By now we at the beginning of March and it was not until the end of April that we were sent home on what we were told was embarkation leave for an unknown destination where we would receive our Flying courses.
I cannot actually grumble because we were all promoted to L.A.C.s (Leading Aircraftsmen) and were paid the princely sum of six shillings and sixpence per day with all our meals and accommodation paid for. When I tell you that our daily programme for nearly eight weeks was the usual breakfast at 0730, Roll Call and P.T. unti 10a.m. and then we were dismissed for the rest of the day and we would pour in to Aber and have another huge breakfast of eggs bacon and chips for 10pence. 12 pence to a shilling, twenty shillings to a pound and you could buy a lot of braekfasts with 6s.and 6p. a day. Ask Grandad to translate how much that was ! There was a huge mountain (or so it seemed to us ) at the end of the promenade and a variaation on the usual PT was to run up and down Heart Attack Hill, as we called or even worse names. A lot of very healthy eighteen to twentyone year old
young men were then let loose on Aberystwyth. It was not too bad because London College for Girls had been evacuated to Aber so there were plenty of dances and other "pursuits "to pass the time . On those very fond memories I will leave you for now... Oh yes. One thing still sticks in my mind. We were given extensive Medical and Dental care, all the time we were at Aber. The Dentist was quite an old man.. at least thirty something and I can remember him saying to me "I am too old to fly but the least thing I can do is to see that your teeth last you all of your life. In those days nobody lived to the ridiculous ages of today but he didn't make a bad promise to me at least. I think that I had most of mine until about seventy , which was the expected span...Threescore years and ten... I wish...but that's another tale.