- Contributed by听
- Wakefield Libraries & Information Services
- People in story:听
- Jim W.
- Location of story:听
- Upton, West Yorkshire
- Background to story:听
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:听
- A3436580
- Contributed on:听
- 22 December 2004
This story was collected at events held at the Bullenshaw Day Centre, Hemsworth , by Val Hickin, Centre Manager and has been submitted to the People's War site by Christine Wadsworth of Wakefield Libraries and Information Services on behalf of Jim W. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions and has given permission to add his story to the site.
I couldn鈥檛 go into the services because I worked down the mines at Upton, so I joined the Home Guards. We went to South Elmsall Hall to do the training which was done by trainers from the regular army. We were trained how to march, how to make up our rifles and we did regular rifle drills. We were issued with Khaki Uniforms and every few weeks we went out into the country to be trained, staying out overnight.
I got married in 1939 just before the outbreak of the War. There wasn鈥檛 much housing for young people then and we had to live with the wife鈥檚 mam and dad.
Rationing affected us all, there would be long queues at the butchers shop, but there was free food for the babies. They were given powdered milk and orange juice.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo