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In 1939 the first job I had was on a farm and I earned 11s 8d a week. When I'd been there several mo ths I got 4d a week raise in pay.
In the 1939/40, I helped to build RAF Swinderby and I earned £2 5s a week. The first Squadron there was Polish. They had the Fairy Battle aeroplanes. In 1942 they moved up. They got bombed on time and lost 3 or 4 planes.

We later went to RAF Scampton to extend the runway there for the 4-engined Lancaster bombers.

A land mine dropped on top of Waddington Chursh and wiped out the centre of Waddington. I was on my way to work and had to go all the way around becasue of the state of the village centre.

I used to see all the planes coming back from the raids. They were often shot to pieces. One time a plance came back but landed right on top of the bomb dump and blew everything sky high.

The Airborne Division were temporarily stationed at the Nursing home in Basssingham and at Thurlby Hall. They suddenly disappeared and we later found out they had gone to Arnhem.

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