Padgate January 1944 Ac2. Wilf Wallace.

A Memory of Padgate.

At the age of 17 (now aged 90 ) I entered Padgate as a young lad for my basic training. The barrack room was long and cold with only two coal fire stoves in the room. We were a mixed bunch of young lads from various towns etc but we soon settled in to a routine. There were two Corporals in charge of our training, I can see there faces but now there names evade my memory, One name has just been recalled to me , his name was Bachelor, very strict, but fair.
Getting up early every morning when it was still dark and outside in PE Shorts shivering and cold and off for a run which soon warmed me up. Breakfast, then outside for the start of our basic training. marching, holding a rifle for the first time which was very strange
Each day was nearly always the same, we were not allowed out of camp, Eventually the day arrived when we "passed out" on our final parade Then we had our first 48 hour pass. I went to Chester to visit a distant relative..
My next posting was to Compton Bassett to train as a Wireless Operator, then to Leighton Buzzard, then to Chigwell and in 1945 to Singapore and then to Changi for 3 years. I enjoyed every moment of my RAF life, Made some good friends and I am the last "one standing" now living in Gloucestershire.

Wilf Wal