Walter, your Posts are absolutely captivating ! - such things are the lifeblood of this our wonderful Thread, and exactly what Cliff Leach (RIP) had in mind when he started it seven years ago. (I'll be putting a lot of blue boxes in my replies, as I've just been told how to do it, and it makes interjected comment so easy), So:
Danny42C, I think we're definitely birds of a feather in more ways than one.
Spot on ! You in London, I just outside Liverpool, we were running on parallel tracks in the December of 1940. And now, you've signed on the dotted line and your troubles have started. No matter.
Many of the Air Cadets became messengers for the Home Guard, Tom Wills and I included. We felt terribly important, dashing about on our bicycles, dressed inover-large khaki denim uniforms and equipped with Lee Enfield .303 rifles
You were lucky to have rifles ! (did you have any ammo ?) As late as June '41 at ITW, I was standing guard at night with a pick-helve.
On 5th December, I presented myself to the Aircrew Selection Centre in London.
Beat me to it by a fortnight (I was at Padgate)
I was selected for pilot training. I went home on Cloud Nine, having decided that I would like to enlist immediately rather than wait to be called up about six months later, when a flying course would be available.
This may have been a mistake. Although I enlisted two weeks after you, I took the "Deferred Service" option and was called in on May 24th (exactly five months). Could it be that you were so useful as sweated labour (AC2/GD) that they hung on to you for a few extra weeks ?
My RAF fate was sealed!
My clear recollection was that it was sealed with a florin - was that right ?
but I was issued with a pair of second-hand boots
That was a bit much ! They issued me with a s/h jacket (often wondered what happened to the original owner), but as it fitted, and obviously " had some in", I did not look like a sprog.
Keep up the Good Work,
Cheers, Danny.