Dick Kerr's Ladies

My Dad, Bill Tomlinson, during the last war, worked as an aircraft fitter on Lancaster Bombers and, as he was a young lad aged 27, whenever my dad and mum went to the market in Preston, some ladies, and men, used to spit at my dad AND my mum - questioning as to WHY! my dad was not on the front line.
My dad was in a 'selected profession' which made him excempt from military service.
To overcome this problem, the Management of Dick Kerrs, and the War Office,suggested that ALL young men who were exempt from military service, as their occupations were of national importance, join the TA or HOME GUARD - so long as they were in uniform!!
My dad, as he was a crack shot with rifle, enlisted at Fulwood Barracks in Preston as a Private, but was soon made up to Lance Corporal
Whenever my parents went shopping along Fishergate or Fiargate in Preston, Mum ALWAYS insisted! that Dad be dressed in his No.1 TA uniform ---- it worked wonders ----
People stopped my Dad in Preston Market and said, 'EH! lad are they on leave' and women used to say to Mum, ' Eh! lass make the most of your time with your man' -
What I find tragic about this incident regarding my dad and mum during the last War, was that people of all backgrounds were too quick to 'slag off' young men who were not on front line duty, but served the country and the commonwealth, in many other ways.
I would like to hear of other similar stories about young men and women who were in selected professions, and thus exempt from military service, but DID THEIR DUTY TO GOD, KING AND COUNTRY!

I don't know whether Dad coached Dick Kerr's Ladies, but he was a brilliant footballer, besides being a LADY'S MAN
but he hardly ever talked about the things he did during the last war, but thankfully, in the last two or three years of his life, he eventually DID talk about what he did during the war
I firmly believe that there are more HEROES at home than there were on the front line

regards

Norman

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