[2002] SID’S WAR

0006 - Sidney Lane War Diary 10

[this is an extract of the war diary, 'An Ordinary War', by my uncle (Sid Lane, my mother's brother) which covers Use of Radar in the Blitz]

6/2/41

Up to the present time I have made little or no reference here to the work we are doing. That is because it [radar] has been regarded as strictly secret. Now, however, it seems to be fairly common knowledge and so I think no harm can come by my making a somewhat limited entry. We are engaged in the detection of aircraft by wireless. It is a very complicated business and it is beginning to be of great value to the guns. During the day when targets are visible it is of little value, but at night its advantages are very great indeed. So it is, that most of my work is done at night and only the maintenance of our equipment is carried out during the day.

The night is split into watches or shifts and four men are constantly on duty.

The job itself is a very exacting one - I don't mean strenuous, though during a blitz it certainly can be. No, I mean mentally fatiguing. During a quiet spell you become bored stiff and it is surprising how the slightest diversion is seized upon in order to brighten things up. At the moment we are reading one-act plays and getting quite a kick out of it [after the war, Sid's 'hobby' - almost obsession - was producing plays for the local amateur dramatic group]. Then we have a little community singing or general knowledge contest - Anything that helps to pass the time.

I even bought an ocratone (that's a carrot shaped instrument with a knob on). I was quickly discouraged by the other members of the crew, but the episode led to the appearance of two tin whistles. These whistles alternately amuse or madden you, depending on whether you are playing or listening. Personally I rather fancy myself as a flautist and much to the annoyance of everyone practice frequently. I can now play eight notes of "Drink to me only" and can almost stagger through "Believe me if all those enduring young charms". This I consider to be a real triumph and most certainly worth recording.

In action the story is a very different one. The work is very tricky, depending on very close team work, and it can be very exasperating. After a few such hours one feels very much like a wet rag. If one member of the crew is irritable this feeling quickly spreads and everybody gets very cross. Things rarely go smoothly and a prolonged action is desired by no-one. When I say prolonged action I mean one lasting over five hours.

Strange to say, when we feel that we have done rather badly and we feel like cursing the instrument and its inventors, we are usually complimented on good work done. What I am trying to say is that however successful the action we never feel really happy about it. We work very hard but we don't see tangible results. Of course we console ourselves by the knowledge that A.A. [anti-aircraft] gunnery is the hardest gunnery of all. It's an absolute science and we are playing our part in revolutionising that science. And we will get spectacular results before we're finished.

29/3/41

Three weeks ago the goodly company at Raby [a small village on the edge of the country, about five miles from Birkenhead] underwent a change. We received more operators from different sites and lost Brian and Toddy. This depressed me so much that I felt unable to make a cheerful entry here to that effect. Toddy was transferred to the 103rd. Reg.: and was to be promoted Bombardier.

- Good luck Toddy -

Brian was transferred to the 107th. Reg. and was to be made L/Sgt. All the best Brian.

At the same time I myself was transferred to the 240th. Bty. and was to be made L/Sgt. In each case, be it noted, I write was to be promoted. This is because up to the present it has not happened. Some trouble with War Office Records I'm told. Well here's hoping.

This splitting up of our happy family caused considerable depression as I have already stated. We are just getting over it. It is the second time Brian and I have parted but we came together again. The army is a strange organisation.

On the other side of the picture we have our new arrivals. These include Bob [Sid's brother in law] as full Sgt., H Deakin as L/Bdr and Boydell and Warburton all of whom were at "Weathersfield" with us.

6/5/41

To continue; we settled down together and very soon all things were again going smoothly. Then it was decided to send us in small parties to the Division school at St. Annes on Sea [a sea-side resort near Blackpool] for a week's course on MkII. I was rather unfortunate in so far as my 7 days leave was cancelled in order that I should go. However I made up for that at Blackpool where we went every evening. Entertainments in Blackpool carry on much as usual, though the thousands and thousands of R.A.F. men are a constant reminder of the war. Harold [Sid's great friend from before the war] is in the R.A.F. at Kirkham and we were able to arrange a couple of evenings out together.

Sid with Harold and friends before the war

I also met Tom Ellis again. He is there at the Div. school as a limber gunner. Incidentally when I saw him he was about to appear on a charge. Being A.W.O.L. But knowing Tom I'm pretty certain he will get away with it.

On the whole it was a thoroughly enjoyable week we spent there. When we got back to Raby we found that a MkII was to be delivered there in a day or so. It duly arrived and we had the very difficult job of getting it into action. we did the job in two days, working early morning to late at night, and, when it was done, I was told that a MkII had arrived at ZZ (Meols) and that I together with Warburton and Boydell were to go there. Warburton was promoted Bdr. and I was at last made Sgt.

Well - That's how things stand at the moment.

8/5/41

I am on 7 days leave and now have the opportunity of reviewing the events of the past two weeks. Liverpool and Merseyside have had their greatest air attack, on 3/5/41. I went to Liverpool yesterday and saw the damage for myself. It is incredible and must be seen to be believed.

The death-tolls are very high. The center of the city is severely knocked about. From the Customs House to James Street and up town as far as Lewis's [in other words the whole of the centre of Liverpool] is a veritable shambles. Lewis's, Blackler's, [department stores] India Buildings, the Museum, Dock and Harbour Board [offices] are a few of the fine buildings which are now empty shells. Offices, banks, marine stores, warehouses all smashed and burnt. Night after night for over a week now the enemy bombers have continued to attack and it is truly amazing to find that our A.R.P. [Air Raid Protection, whose job it was to warn of air-raids and deal with the effects of any bombing] are able to cope with such a situation.

But they do. Fires are brought under control, rescue and salvage work commenced, wreckage cleared away, rail and road communications started again and everything possible done in order that the war production should not suffer.

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