[2002] SID’S WAR

0062 - Sidney Lane War Diary 1

[this is an extract of the war diary, 'An Ordinary War', by my uncle (Sid Lane, my mother's brother). As Sid was so influential in my life, when he returned from the war, and his experiences in the war formed such an important part of our debates, it describes events and perspectives which became just as much part of my own experience. This section covers the immediate pre-war period. As such it gives a unique flavour of the phoney war which coloured this largely unrecorded run up to the real war. More directly, the diary – overall - records the events taking place and – especially - the  views of the armed forces at the time. As such, it puts in context the crucial  contribution these later made to post-war British politics.]

Events have moved with such rapidity since Bob [his brother in law, and another of my uncles, who also worked at Prices] and I joined the TA [the part-time Territorial Army] that I think it would be a shame if we did not keep some sort of record. Hence this log.

During the September Crisis in 1938 I helped Air Raid Wardens to distribute gas masks in Bebington [Bebington was Sidney's home at that time, and for the rest of his life. It is on the Wirral, just outside Birkenhead; over the Mersey from Liverpool. It was at the time, and still is, suburban in character. His earlier life had, however, been rather more nomadic. With his parents, he had moved from Leeds to Liverpool to the Wirral, as his father (who was a teacher) changed jobs]. I have reason to remember that night. The sky was overcast and the air heavy, and as darkness fell a thick mist came in from the river. One of the cars was fitted with radio and round this we grouped to hear the Premier's speech. Standing there, in the gathering fog, listening - watching the tense faces of the others in the strange rays thrown by the cars' lights, I was struck more than ever before by the seriousness of the situation. The speech lasted some minutes and as it proceeded I became more and more conscious of a feeling of helplessness and frustration. In some way I had missed the bus.

This feeling persisted long afterwards and it led to a number of conversations with my friends as to the desirability of joining the Territorial Army. Enlistment, however, presented a number of snags, chief of which was the sacrificing for four years of our summer holidays. This was too much and (the danger of war having apparently been averted) the desire to be of more use slipped somewhat into the background.

The National Service Appeal in January 1939 again brought up the question and it was then that I made enquiries at the Bebington Drill Hall as to the vacancies in the different units. Any amount of men were needed in the infantry but this did not appeal to me and Bob made further enquiries by phone to the Anti-Aircraft Battery. He was told that a new regiment was expected to form and that more details could be got at the Drill Hall in Birkenhead. So to the drill hall we went.

We watched the existing battery at work and were impressed, but were impressed most of all by the type of chaps who were serving. There were around 80 prospective recruits there that night and these too all seemed A.1. chaps. We were interviewed in pairs by the C.O. who told us that official sanction for the formation of the battery had not yet been received from the War Office. He took particulars and asked us to turn up to the recruits drill on Sunday afternoon, 5/2/39.

In the office the following day we talked the matter over and told other interested members of the staff what we had done. We had decided to give the lead and join up. [my mother, perhaps rather cynically, later thought that Sid had in fact worked out that, when the inevitable conscription and then general mobilisation came, the anti-aircraft units would stay in the much safer environment of the UK!]

We had considered the matter very carefully and we were of the opinion that the Company might grant some extra holidays, but it was a chance we would have to take. Young Joe Lynch was the only one at that time prepared to do anything bar talk and he became a "Gunner" too. When weeks later the "Company" announced their intention of granting full leave for camps others joined various units, but even then the majority found that the sacrifices involved were more than their sense of duty would permit them to accept.

Anyhow Sunday afternoon found Bob and I with about a hundred others at the drill hall in Grange Road [Birkenhead].The T.A. do cavalry drill and Bob, who has already served four years with the Cheshire Yeomanry, was very much at his ease. I found it a bit queer, but in the weeks which followed I got the hang of it and rather enjoyed the exercise.

It was six weeks later before any real news came and each week the major thanked us for turning up and impressed upon us the fact that we were under no obligation and could withdraw at any time. Then came the official news that three batteries were to form and we were sent in batches of 50 to pass the doctor. I was in the first lot and I must admit I felt windy. I have always had a fear that due to the scars on my tummy [the results of his operations when young] the Army might turn me down.

Well I passed and filled in all the necessary papers for four years service and I became officially Gunner Lane 1450779

Two days after this I had the misfortune to break my right wrist. This looked like upsetting the apple-cart and on the Sunday I was interviewed by the major. He was very sympathetic and while asking me to turn up to take the oath of allegiance, left to me to come to the drills when my wrist was better. He assured me that I should be drafted to the same section as Bob, who had been passed by the doctor that day.Joe Lynch unfortunately was turned down by the doctor, but as subsequent events proved, this was really a stroke of luck and he was accepted by the R.A.S.C. Still he was very disappointed at the time.

On 2/4/39 we were sworn in, but before this was done the major read out a telegram from the War Office. The contents were rather a blow to most of the chaps there.  It stated that no man under the age of 25 could be accepted in the Anti-Aircraft Regiments while there were vacancies in the Field Army. This meant that over a hundred of the two hundred recruits could not be accepted. Fortunately it did not affect Bob or myself.

It is a commendable thing that nearly everyone of those turned down joined, there and then, the Field Army, as represented by the 4 & 5 Cheshire Infantry. The oath taken, we were posted to 288 Bty. and so avoided contact with a certain undesirable who was posted to 289.  We were further divided into sections and Bob and I found ourselves in Section 2 with Jack Dobson and Fred Thompson. The batteries were to parade at Birkenhead Boys' School [where I was later a pupil] at 7.45 p.m. on 17/4/39. This school was to be our H.Q. until the new drill hall that was to be built was ready.

During the next week or so we attended twice a week and were given a number of lectures on gunnery and gases. These proved most interesting and served to make us keener to get down to the real business of practical training. But as guns and equipment could not be conjured out of thin air the lectures proceeded and we found ourselves conversing in a strange jargon of semi-technical gunnery terms. About this time Tom Ellis of the stores decided to join and was in due course posted to our section. Later Arthur Harvey joined and he too asked to be placed in section two.

Bob and I were intrigued one evening by the appearance of O.B.Smythe and I sought to question him about it. Bill, though his eyes twinkled in that never to be forgotten way of his, tried to avoid the question and was saved answering by the re-commencement of the lecture. Subsequent enquiries revealed the fact that "The Old Gentleman" had been made a major and was in command of the 290th Bty. of the regiment, which is stationed at Chester - Good Old Bill.

For weeks the newspapers had been agitating for conscription and finally the Government gave way to public opinion and it was announced that youths of 20-21 would be called up for six months service and would then have to serve four years in the Territorials. This, I thought, would rather shame certain older chaps into joining the T.A. and I looked with interest to further developments in the office.

It made no difference (as I might have guessed), for those who were prepared to do anything had already joined and the remainder seemed to have satisfied their consciences that nothing was required of them.

Further announcements in the press to the effect that the Ack-Ack [Anti-Aircraft] units would also be called up caused us some pleasurable excitement, and this was later officially confirmed. We were to be called up for not less than one month. - Cheers.

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