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I was born on 7th December 1926 and lived through most of the war in Ipswich, Suffolk. I left school in December 1940 and apart from a couple of weeks working with my Father at Notcutts Nursery I worked in Price's Shoe Shop on the corner of Tacket Street and Lower Brook Street, Ipswich.

In those first weeks of work a bomb dropped in Holywells Park without an air-raid warning sounding. The bomb drilled about 40 feet into the ground without exploding and when dug out went on display in Christchurch Park.

The dangers of war are often recalled, but this was also a time of excitement. As well as my time at Price's ending when I was called up in December 1944, my time in the Air Training Corps (ATC) also came to an end. I can recall looking into the sky upon leaving the shoe shop when a number of B17s in groups of 50 passed over. There were about 250 in the sky at once as they gathered over Suffolk before carrying out their mission. It was not unknown for there to be 1,000 forming up at a time.

Joining the ATC in 1942 meant that we attended week-long camps at various bases. Rattlesden was a USAF base and they used to carry out 'practice missions'. They flew in B17(G)s and allowed us to accompany them. If you asked, the Yanks would just tell you to "get a shute on". They took up about 17 planes at a time, fully armed and with full crews and we all had throat microphones (picking up vocal chords) to communicate. The crew included 2 waist gunners, a mid upper turret gunner, a chin turret gunner (in front of the bomb aimer) and a ball turret gunner who had two guns. What a fantastic feeling to sit in the tail gunner's position during flight!

The camp at Coltishall was run by the RAF from where they flew Beau Fighters. This was later than when a Polish wing had flown spitfires.

At Stradishall the RAF flew Stirlings. This was a conversional unit to train pilots from twin engined versions to the newer four engined variety. They used to do circuits and bumps and the danger and excitement increased as these were night flights. It was known for German fighters to infiltrate this far inland and shoot down planes carrying out this work. I knew of a plane coming down with fellow ATC cadets on board, but they were OK as the undercarraige gave way on landing and nothing worse.

The Sutton Crash Drome was another location for camp and it had a runway of 2.5 miles long and very wide. It was specifically designed for any aeroplane to land when damaged and in danger of crashing when landing. Planes could come straight in off he sea and could be dealt with however damaged they were. This was also the aerodrome used for the glider assualt on Arnhem. Gliders known as Horsa's or hamel cars were towed up by Halifax or Dakota (DC3) planes. This site also 'talked down' a German plane which thought it was landing 'at home'. They tried to destroy the plane on landing on realising their mistake, but the plane was taken intact.

The flying I did from Martlesham was in a Walrus, which was a seaplane with its propeller at the back. This was a joint RAF/USAF base, having earlier in the war flown spitfires and hurricanes.

I got no flights at the Chedburgh camp and otherwise during this time lived in Windsor Road Ipswich, frequently spending the night in the air-raid shelter at the bottom of the garden.

My call-up in 1944 meant I had to join the Army and spent the next two years in India. I had applied to join as air crew the RAF in June that year, but unfortunately did not fit the bill. My application and medical took place at Cardington in Bedfordshire.

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