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I was in the Fifth Battalion of the Royal East Kents. We were trained in the Dover Drill Hall, along by the seafront. I went home each night, living at Longfield Road, Dover. On 8 May 1939 I had joined up the Territorial Army, and was called up in October, being told to go to Hawkinge Aerodrmoe nearby. There I learnt Anti Aircraft Skills. From there I went to the town's Western Docks -- onto cross Channel ships, carrying troops into unknown territory.

One incident I remember shows how things have changed medically. It was 1941, and I found myself on parade at Crieff in Scotland. I was doing drill, and suddenly I fell over -- "hit the deck"! I would have been 19 or 20 years old at the time. An ambulance took me to hospital in Glasgow, and it turned out I had acute appendicitis. There were no injections to ease the pain -- only gas and air!

Still, there were compensations. The care was very good, and the nurses were very pretty! I was in there eight or nine days. I missed my mates -- but it was actually a good break. I made a ful recovery. The battalion went out to the Middle East in the end -- I was one of forty or so left behind. I was then sent to North Africa via Liverpool as part of the 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry -- it was tough having to make new friends.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN ADDED BY JOHN YOUNG OF ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ SOUTH EAST TODAY ON BEHALF OF FRANK MARTIN. MR MARTIN UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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