All this time things were going from bad to worse in Europe. We had the Munich crisis in September 1938. We had a church service and the church was packed to capacity including what is now the Lady Chapel. Then there were Chamberlain’s visits to Hitler. By June 1939 conscription for all males of twenty-one for a period of six months was introduced, and so it led to September 3rd, 1939. This was followed by conscription by age groups, first the 22s, then the 23s and so on. I was in the 23s and registered at Chorley Labour Exchange in February 1940. The territorials had already been called up. 1940 was a year none of us will ever forget. The German breakthrough, the fall of France and the evacuation of the three hundred thousand British troops from Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain etc. That was in May. Winston called for a home army of all men whatever age to form the 1,000,000 Local Defence Volunteers, later the Home Guard. As I was waiting for my call up I joined the LDV and we spent the first night on Denham Hill and a beautiful evening it was, the seventh of June and Alice’s 21st birthday. After being up all night I went home and then cycled again to Leyland as in those days we worked Saturdays till midday. In the afternoon Alice and I went to Preston where we bought the engagement ring. We then went for a stroll down Avenham Park, as it was a glorious day, but overall was the threat of invasion, for as a nation we stood alone.
The Dunkirk evacuation was a miracle and the nation thanked God for the delivery. Mr Churchill’s estimation of the number of men that could possibly be saved was thirty thousand. In the event, it was three hundred thousand. A great rear guard action had been fought enabling the men to be brought back to England in every type of craft that could be mustered. All holidays for workers had now been cancelled, as the war work was imperative. The only ones allowed a few days break were the lads who would most likely be called up. This, of course, included me. So in September Alice and I had a few days at Fleetwood. On the night we arrived back a general call to all LDV members went out. We had to report to Low Mill on Waterhouse Green, which was then the HQ for the LDV. The reason for the call up was that an invasion threat was expected any minute. We had a regular soldier come down to instruct us how to use a rifle; by that time each unit had been issued with rifles. I think a call had been made to America for the purchase of a million rifles, many of which were 1914-18 calibre.
Continue to 13. Conscription