Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 14:54:46 GMT
In July 1942 at the age of 14.5 I joined as a boy messenger at the royal northern disrict office north london, I was issued with a uniform which included a pillbox hat the red button on the hat,it soon disappeared by the senior boys, at 5ft 4 the bicycle seen very large and the seat was lowered so I could reach the pedals and riding over cobbled and tramlines in the roads in wet weather was very hazardous.
we all did an 8hr day starting on shifts 8-4 to 11-7 a 48 hr week all for the princely sum of £1 ,When I reach 16.5yrs I was trained to ride a 250cc BSA sv motor bike,which were gear hand change ,I later had an ex-army BSA 350cc ohv and foot change in khaki with GPO and crown on the tank,all the other bikes were 250cc and had a red tank and black mudguards we used to go out in all weathers and the winter of 1945 was very bad no roads were salted during the war an ofcourse fly bombs were coming over in london during the day.
I often wonder if any of my old work mates are still about ,as an 80yr old not many I suppose, we used to have our 40 minute lunch at the british restaurant.one of our lads sadly was killed in accident with a car at a crossroad . an also some of the older boys went in the army and were killed during the invasion of france only 19yrs, I got called up in 1946 and did 2yrs national service in the RAF, I finished my time working for BT planning cable net works on RAF Bases in norfolk.it was very nice seeing the tornados take off ,I was one of the lucky ones.
John Ansell
we all did an 8hr day starting on shifts 8-4 to 11-7 a 48 hr week all for the princely sum of £1 ,When I reach 16.5yrs I was trained to ride a 250cc BSA sv motor bike,which were gear hand change ,I later had an ex-army BSA 350cc ohv and foot change in khaki with GPO and crown on the tank,all the other bikes were 250cc and had a red tank and black mudguards we used to go out in all weathers and the winter of 1945 was very bad no roads were salted during the war an ofcourse fly bombs were coming over in london during the day.
I often wonder if any of my old work mates are still about ,as an 80yr old not many I suppose, we used to have our 40 minute lunch at the british restaurant.one of our lads sadly was killed in accident with a car at a crossroad . an also some of the older boys went in the army and were killed during the invasion of france only 19yrs, I got called up in 1946 and did 2yrs national service in the RAF, I finished my time working for BT planning cable net works on RAF Bases in norfolk.it was very nice seeing the tornados take off ,I was one of the lucky ones.
John Ansell