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Story told by Ron Austen

My father, Harold Austen, was a motor mechanic with the East Kent Road Car Company at Westwood, Broadstairs, Kent and because of the nature of his work he was in a reserved occupation and not allowed to leave Thanet. All the seats in the single decker coaches were removed and fitted with straps to hold stretchers and they were designated as a mobile ambulance company. The Garage Superintendent was made Commanding Officer, the Accountant became the Adjutant, the Night & Day Foremen were made Sergeants and because they needed a Dispatch Rider (motorcyclist). My father got the job which made him a Corporal. Since he had only recently been discharged from the RAF, where he had held the rank of Corporal, he was in fact the most qualified of all the men.

One day when they were doing rifle practice at Westgate, they heard a doodlebug approaching. Sergeant Don Pullman had one round left in his magazine and he fired it at the doodlebug. At that precise instant the engine of the doodlebug cut out and crashed into the sea. He always claimed he shot down a doodlebug!

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