Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:54:44 GMT
Memories of a Guernsey Boy Messenger
In memory of my father Martin Le Page who passed away August 2008, I include an exert from the book he published "A Boy Messengers War", in which he recounts his life during the German Occupation of Guernsey 1940 - 1945.
"I walked into the Teleprinter Room, only to find that the solitary occupant was a German. Worse than that, he had a machine-gun by his side. I stopped dead in my tracks for a second, and then realised, for he had not moved, that he was asleep, and I gently tiptoed out of the room to look for more congenial company.
When I found some senior colleagues they could only tell me that he was part of the Luftwaffe section which had arrived at the Post Office the previous evening. One of them had pushed a machine-gun into the stomach of the clerk who opened the door to their knocks, and that was the end of postal and telegraphic communication with the Mainland. Not, however, before the other clerk on duty had rapidly sent a farewell message to Central Telegraph Office in London"
My father went on to work in the Post Office for 46 years, 1939- 1984, and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal in recognition of his long service. During his career he progressed from Messenger Boy with the GPO to Controller of Posts for the Guernsey Post Office .
In the last few years of his life he enjoyed the camaraderie of the Birmingham Messenger Boys reunions and my thanks go to Keith Cheshire and Roger Green for making him so welcome.
His book is still available and anyone interested, please email Sue Bevan phil1408@blueyonder.co.uk
In memory of my father Martin Le Page who passed away August 2008, I include an exert from the book he published "A Boy Messengers War", in which he recounts his life during the German Occupation of Guernsey 1940 - 1945.
"I walked into the Teleprinter Room, only to find that the solitary occupant was a German. Worse than that, he had a machine-gun by his side. I stopped dead in my tracks for a second, and then realised, for he had not moved, that he was asleep, and I gently tiptoed out of the room to look for more congenial company.
When I found some senior colleagues they could only tell me that he was part of the Luftwaffe section which had arrived at the Post Office the previous evening. One of them had pushed a machine-gun into the stomach of the clerk who opened the door to their knocks, and that was the end of postal and telegraphic communication with the Mainland. Not, however, before the other clerk on duty had rapidly sent a farewell message to Central Telegraph Office in London"
My father went on to work in the Post Office for 46 years, 1939- 1984, and was awarded the Imperial Service Medal in recognition of his long service. During his career he progressed from Messenger Boy with the GPO to Controller of Posts for the Guernsey Post Office .
In the last few years of his life he enjoyed the camaraderie of the Birmingham Messenger Boys reunions and my thanks go to Keith Cheshire and Roger Green for making him so welcome.
His book is still available and anyone interested, please email Sue Bevan phil1408@blueyonder.co.uk