- Contributed byÌý
- actiondesksheffield
- People in story:Ìý
- Gordon Hill, Frank Hill, Otto Mountcastle, Joe Curtis, Anderson Brothers, Fred Jow, Edwin Keeton, Miss Ward.
- Location of story:Ìý
- Woodhouse, Sheffield.
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:Ìý
- A5492568
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 02 September 2005
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Julie Turner of the ‘Action Desk — Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Gordon Hill, and has been added to the site with the author’s permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
Title: A Messenger Boy
Names of People in Story: Gordon Hill, Frank Hill, Otto Mountcastle, Joe Curtis, Anderson Brothers, Fred Jow, Edwin Keeton, Miss Ward.
Location; Woodhouse, Sheffield.
When the War started in 1939, I was 8yrs old. At the age of 11 — 14yrs I was a messenger boy for the Civil Defence at Woodhouse. The areas that I covered were between Woodhouse Mill and Normanton Springs, which I covered riding a bicycle.
They were Normanton Springs Chapel, (Wardens Post), Woodhouse West School, Sheffield Road (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Guard), a small building near Endowed School Room, Tannery Street (Rescue) and the Fire Station, Cross Street (it is now Lloyds TSB). This station later moved to Market Street, Woodhouse, East School, Station Road. The infants’ was converted into a hospital where there was a small team of nurses. Miss Ward was a Nursing Sister, in charge of the first aid team. The Police Station, Station Road (where the siren was mounted), Co-operative Hall, Furnace Lane, Woodhouse Mill, the (ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Guard). The final one was (Warden Post) Retford Road, Woodhouse Hill.
I had to deliver messages from Station Road H.Q. to all the posts mentioned. My father, Frank Hill was a Section Leader in the rescue, his second in command was Otto Mountcastle, and other members of the team were Joe Curtis, who was on the Sheffield Council and also a guard on the railway, the Anderson Brothers, Fred Jow and Edwin H. Keeton (local undertaker) was an ambulance driver for the first aid.
When I was 18 in 1949, I was called up for the army. I was in the K.O.Y.L1 and served in Malaya for 2 years during the emergency. I am now a standard bearer for the K.O.Y.L.1 Association (Sheffield).
Pr-BR
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