Youngsters that lived during those times, depending on their parents of course, were very well read as there was not much else to do during an air raid unless like father, who sat on the  doorstep reading the paper by the light of the flames or searchlights etc., until a bomb blew him in the house half way up the stairs. This shook him up but did not injure him, windows smashed, shrapnel entering the house through the windows and going through the front room ceiling into the front bedroom. They was souvenirs kept by Dad, much to Peters chagrin.

      Another disappointing event was finding a live incendiary bomb and not being allowed to keep it. It being of a new type that had to go to London for examination or so the air raid wardens said. When the Humber Hillman a opened branch factory in Pontefract Yorkshire, Dad was chosen to go and help set it up,  they took over part of Wilkinson's Liquorice Allsorts Factory. This entailed moving schools, learning a new dialect, and in six months it was broad Yorkshire much to the ire of Mother. Chewing on liquorice root until taken away by the teacher and having the rare honour during the war of having Pontefract cakes and liquorice allsorts once a week. The set up being over the family returned to Coventry, still being bombed, only not as frequently as every night.

      Lived in Radford, on the outskirts of Coventry just in time to get bombed out of another house. Attended Frederick Birds grammar school after passing a scholarship. On completion of grammar school joined the Humber Hillman as an apprenticed draughtsman, which half of the time during the week was spent in Coventry Technical College. Those days one worked five and one half days a week. Two years of that and the wander bug bit as most children raised during those times were unsettled and looking for ways to vent their anger at the world for treating them thus, so, the Navy beckoned. Parents were not happy but they had the humanitarian spirit to realize that perhaps this was the answer to the wanderlust.

      On completion, in 1948 I went to HMS ST. JAMES for training as ship's company, although still a boy seaman, (passed for a chief). These were exciting times on the ST. JAMES, visiting Gibraltar, North Africa , the West Indies and Washington D.C. 

      Here I entered the first Sioux division and was excused from the parade ground after four days with the GI saying that perhaps the wrong one was teaching. Seamanship school for two weeks, thrown out of there and stuck in school to learn to convert pounds shillings and pence to cents and dollars. In addition completed the Basic Education Test (BET), the Canadian  Intermediate Education Test (CIET) and started the Canadian Higher Education Test (CHET) graduating with the first Haida division to HMCS MAGNIFICENT for training.

     On completion was posted to HMCS NOOTKA and over to Korea. I returned back to Canada in 1951 and most of the crew were drafted ashore for further training and a number where promoted to Leading Seaman. Whilst in the NOOTKA I was recommended for "CW'' (commissioning warrant) candidate, which was not followed up in Stadacona. Completed "TD'' 2's course and drafted to HMCS COLUMBIA which was being commissioned on the west cost at Burrards in Vancouver. This being the first ship fitted with "QHBa" ,the  yanks thought that they had met with wizards due to the Canadians using their ears, as well as their eyes and consequently could recognize movement of a submarine before the "CRT'' showed it.

      After a very pleasant sojourn in "the gem of the ocean'' returned  to Stadacona for Trade Group ones course. After successfully completing the "TD'' l's course l was drafted to HMCS PORTAGE. It was during this draft that my Petty Officer 2nd class rate (PO2) was bestowed and volunteers were recruited for submarine service.

      I joined submarines being the 2nd draft departing Canada 3rd January 1955 (a group of 80 men) arriving in Gosport early in January. As a Petty Officer 2nd class, could not be drafted to a boat as a Control rate so I was delegated as "TI'' and so to more training in Dolphin. 

      The first submarine was HMS TIPTOE for sea training then to  Adament then posted to HMS TABARD. As "TI'' on the TABARD there were some hair-raising adventures like refusing to routine the "fish'' during a storm,  not done. A trip to Gibraltar, if one is allowed to talk about those things yet,  then to Bermuda with a shaft problem. After this I was posted to Adament as spare crew. I did not look after the troops after 15:30 as they were watching Bill and Ben the Flowerpot men on TV, not quite expected of a boy from Ganges. 

      After this I was drafted to the HMS ALCIDE which was in refit in Birkenhead, she was to become part of the 6th squadron in Halifax. Great times where had with the squadron and nice people where met, both aboard and ashore. At this time two and a half years had gone by so I  returned to General Service. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Took a Torpedo Anti-Submarine Instructor's (TASI) course and failed. What's this mortar mark ten stuff?? Next draft was to HMCS LA HULLOISE, another tremendous ship and again recommended for "CW" (commissioning warrant) candidate. Also was rated Petty Officer 1st Class aboard. Coming off LA HULLOISE to join the instruction staff in Fleet school for the next two years, then to the CHAUDIERE. While aboard the CHAUDIERE, I became a Scout leader and Rover leader and assisted my spouse with a cub pack.        Aboard the CHAUDIERE  we formed the only Rover crew in one of Her Majesty's Canadian Warships with a Rover crew of twelve young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty two.

They did their required hike in Trinidad and had many good adventures in the West Indies, Finland and in Newfoundland along with other Rovers.        Back to Stadacona and then to HMCS ST. LAURENT. This draft ended abruptly and under a cloud, as during a punch up with a fellow member of the mess that issued the epithet "Kipper B*****d'' his cheek bone got broken. In 1969 l found myself posted to CFS Shelburne but instead of being a punishment post it proved very enjoyable and lasted until 1974 when I retired after twenty five years RCN  time and two years Royal Navy. While in the service, I took various courses at the "Queen's" expense that were related, but not entirely to my trade. They were St John's ambulance First Aid Instructors course, at Borden, Ships Divers course in Granby and various swimming courses given at Stad to bring me up to the level of  instructor in

 Small Craft, Royal Life Saving, Swimming Instructor, Red Cross and National Lifeguard instructor and examiner. 

      In addition to being a Cub, Scout and Rover leader having the distinction of leading the only Rover Scout crew aboard HMCS CHAUDIERE. I also Instructed first aid to civilians and Naval personal alike and became the President of the Nova Scotia Underwater Council and a qualified Professional Association and Diving Instructors, (PADI) instructor. 
      This all led up to being telephoned three months prior to retiring to be persuaded to enter the competition for a director of the Sports Federation of Canada. Easter weekend 1974 was called to Ottawa for an interview, then on the Monday asked when I could start work. After a brief  haggle with Admiral Boyle, I could put in for early retirement in April and probably be out in September. The admiral was retiring in May didn't like the idea so I  left the service on 15th May 1974. First I attended my daughters graduation from dental hygiene from Dalhousie and commenced work in Ottawa two days later. 

      This position lasted two years, when the position became available to the National Sport and Recreation Centre and they lobbied to take over the position. They won as they had an in with the Minister of Sport and Recreation. Off  to Marathon Ontario and I took over the running of a brand new pool, but that ended when it was found that the expectations were more than one man could handle, so back to Ottawa. 

        A job opened up in Clarkes Harbour, Nova Scotia as pool manager and I became the recreation director instructing swimming, baseball, skiing (cross country) aquatics, coaching a swim team and even coaching drama. This was a pleasant two years, but ended when a fire broke out at one of the fiberglass boat building factories. It was then realized that new fire equipment was needed. 

         Then a short stint as activity director at Roseway Manor in Shelburne but the grass appeared greener on the other side so I returned to Ottawa to work for the Royal Canadian Legion as a Service Officer. After starting this a opportunity arose back in Shelburne as Unemployment Counsellor, but I had already left so I didn't qualify. 

      After this I  tried Real Estate with two different companies as a salesman "ugh"' even one of our own members ripped me off after being driven around all weekend. The so called buddy bought a "For Sale by Owner"' sign to save a few dollars. After this some desperate times, I joined the Commissionaires in 1984 and was contracted to External Affairs, now Foreign Affairs, (if only I was bilingual), spent time on relief on postings for Security Managers, then became deputy Guard Commander. During the strike at external affairs a person had an altercation with another crossing the picket line. Upon the investigation, correct facts weren't stated and I said "Bullshit" thus ending my career there. I currently work at NDHQ on a part time basis.