My memoirs
Chapter 10
Heaton Park Manchester
This was where we were to learn our fate as to what aircrew category we were to become, also where, in the world we would carry out our training. A few would stay in the U.K. but the majority would be sent overseas under the Empire Training Scheme Plan, to South Africa, Rhodesia, Canada or America. During my stay at Heaton Park I was billeted out with a family living in a small semi detached house on the outskirts of Manchester. Mr and Mrs. …….. and their son. On my arrival I was read the house rules. That's Faithers chair so you don't sit in that, you can sit there! Now in the morning you have a choice, Faither, as it was pronounced, uses the bathroom between ten to eight and eight o-clock he will bring you up a cup of tea at seven thirty, you must use the bathroom either before or after him.!!! Well it all sounded a bit funny but it worked very well, we never got in each others way and everyone knew the system. Faither was a very nice man, completely henpecked and Moother ran the house with a rod of iron all five foot nothing of her. When she was in a temper Faither and Son used to hide in the shed at the end of the garden and I used to make myself scarce until the steam stopped coming from the roof!!
We used to go into camp each day and hope that our turn had come for news and it was common knowledge that the landladies would know the details of ones posting long before it was announced to us. We would regularly be taken to a cinema which we filled and have to listen to a whole batch of names being read out L.A.C. Bloggs selected for Pilot training and posted to Rhodesia or wherever, eventually our turn came. We were quite sure that Chas would become a Pilot having soloed at Grading School and that my chances were slim. However, surprise surprise Grogan for Pilot training in the United States and C. Blythe for Navigator training in Canada. Well what a nasty temper he showed that day and I felt very smug as I told him I was confident all along and knew he didn't have what it takes to be a Pilot, but with a bit of luck and if he worked hard he might get to be my Navigator.
In fact, I met up with Chas again at Moncton and learned that although he had been posted to Medicine Hat in Canada for his navigator training, for some unknown reason has training was changed to that of pilot and to prove it he had his wings. We had a good party together but I never saw him again after Monkton.