An Ode to Granddad

An very active oldie with an assorted range of life experiences. Born into a fishing family in lowestoft. Father, grand fathers and uncles all were fishermen most of their lives. Born before WW2 so lived through many things, i.e. bombing raids, loss of my father 1942 to a mine destroying his minesweeper. Enjoyed school experiences. I say experiences because of the need to move about for war reasons, I attended school in Ardrossan, Fleetwood, Glasgow, and Lowestoft. Lived for a short time in Coventry immediately after it was blitzed. I witnessed destruction on a super scale fairly frequently. Watched coastal battles and aircraft battles in the sky above me. Some fatal to the aircrew. left school with no formal qualification. Became an apprentice Ship's Joiner for five years. Studied at the Building Department on day release and three evenings a week for five years to gain further qualifications Helped build wide range of boats. including luxury vessels, passenger cargo ships, minesweepers and Russian Trawlers. Then two years National Service in the Royal Airforce as an Airframe Mechanic. Servicing and repairing jet bombers. Flew to Norway on a special mission and experienced flying in a team of aircraft in formation team doing fly pasts over various airfields on Battle of Britain day. Ended up doing aerobatics over our own station before landing. nearly a two hour sortie. Back to the ship yard after demob. further studies. that Qualified me as a teacher. joined Nottinghamshire CC to be trained as a Craft Teacher. Spent six years working in Southwell at the Edward Cludd then returned to Norfolk and taught for 27 years at Wroxham.. Entered a car building contest and built an unusual round car that could turn on the spot. Took early retirement, and became self employed for a few years undertaking a wide range of building jobs both large and unusual. Other than all that I have a successful family of three able children.