September 3rd 1939.

I was sat in the kitchen of our house in Sheffield when Neville Chamberlain made his momentous speech declaring that 'We are war with Germany'.. Little did I realise, as a 6 year old, what an important moment of my life it became.

 

It was a warm sunny day. I was playing with some marbles on the back window sill of our small ground floor flat in South London, while my Mum was chatting to our neighbour. When the air raid sirens were demonstrated, all the neighbours came to their doors/windows. Even though I was just approaching my fourth birthday, I still had a sense of how serious the occasion was. No one was laughing or joking, they, in the main, had seen it all before, and only 20 odd years ago.

2BM

 

My Grandfather was in the Merchant Navy during and then after WWII, he died about 20 years ago, but thinking back on the times I don't think that he and my Grandmother would have met at that stage. He was overseas at the time.

My great uncle was a Shipwright PO, based in Devonport, and joined the Exeter almost immediately.

 

Are you telling us you joined This Man's Navy in 1948/49? 8O

That makes you even older than Hig!

In fact you're old enough to be Sniffy's dad's grandad! 8) ...and my mother's baby brother! :twisted: ...Skin! :wink:

 

On 3 September 1939 I was MINUS 24!

 

Thats a 'negative'. I joined February 1951.

 

old enough to be my grandad 8O

 

Here's Granny as a baby matelot.....

 

I had a black hat.

 

I had a blacker ba**ard! :lol:

2BM