Name: Norman

When did you join up?

I joined up in August 1941 and I went to what’s called the Air Crew reception centre which was based at Lords Cricket ground. I had not the unique distinction because everyone else had the same distinction of having an FFI (free from infection) in the Long Room at Lords. For those of you who don’t know, you have to drop your trousers for it.

When did you get out of the forces?

About August 1946

Where were you on VE day?

I was stationed at an RAF station at Charterhall, which is just across the border in Scotland, in the border country. I was doing a conversion course onto Mosquito night fighters

How did you hear the news that the war had ended?

Through the station grape-vine. I can’t exactly remember – news quickly went round the station

Have you had any contact with German people since?

A month or two after the war ended, I was stationed at Lubeck in Northern Germany for a little while and had quite a lot of contact with Germans. I remember particularly one day I was having a shave in a barbershop being shaved with a cut throat razor, cutting my throat like this and I just thought – a couple of months previously he wouldn’t have been doing that!

What do you think of Twinning?

As you know, I have taken a certain part in Twinning with Bellême. Contacts I’ve had I’ve very much enjoyed and this has given me a different impression from the stereotype image I had of them before being stand-offish and selfish and not very hospitable. I have found the Bellêmois particularly generous with their hospitality. One can only conclude really that it’s a good thing.