The Day War Began -James Annison

It was the time before WW2 started once known as The Crisis at the time I was aged sixteen.I has an interest in all things aircraft and to join the newly formed Air Cadets, somehow my father would not sign the form of agreement, I wanted to do something , the war was inevitable and then I saw the notice Messenger Boys wanted for the ARP boys with cycles would be required in case of breakdown in communications to carry messages to ARP Posts I joined and was accepted.It was a great thrill mixing with people older than me and did not consider me as a nuiscence,I used to Patrol the street with senior Wardens telling people to put the lights out when there was an exercise. At the time I was working in an humdrum job in an Umbrella factory then on that Sunday my Birthday September £rd ,There was just Dad and me at home Mum who had in August had a bay and had been evacuated to Leek in Staffordshire.Dad who was an ARP warden and myself sat listening to the radio and heard those words that war had been declared,it was now about 3pm when there was a knock on the door at the door was a policeman and he was asking for Mr James Annison, dad looking a bit amazed said yes thats me,the policeman said no its James Annison Junior, Dad looked at me I knew he was going to ask what have you been up to? its all right Mr Annison the lads done no wrong we would like him to report to London Road Fire Station tomorrow at 9am some people think that they can make use of him ,if its OK with you, go dad I,ll be Ok go on dad I can tell them Ive been called up allright then he will be there in the morning. Later that day I went round to the Wardens Post with dad ,it was in my old school and what a tale I had to tell I did not know what was going to happen . Monday off to work and up to the managers office knocked on the door and told them the tale I can,t work today Mr John I have been called up to be a messenger in the Fire Service. Into the Fire Station London Road was the head quarters of manchester Fire brigade I had never been in the place, all the engines brss shining and the bright red it was a new world and then I met this officer he was not one of the firebrigade hes was from THe AFS Auxillary Fire service he told me what I would do and he told me that I would be working at Mill Street Fire Station , this was in East Manchester and I got to know all about what happened, they were a marvellous gang of blokes but at the time it becme more boring than working in the Umbrella factory Then I got a uniform I felt proud in my uniform not a boiler a suit like my dad but a real uniform and a proper gas Mask not one to be carried in a cardboard box but in a proper gas mask carrier.I was getting on for seventeen and I was to old for a messenger and I had to leave the Fire Service I started work in an Hemming Factory , but then they wanted lads to be Junior Firemen I did not stay long in the Hemming factory I was accepted and became a junior Firman I was taufht how to use a Pump I had got to know that earlier on and then using an Hoe pipe at full pressure also I was a millionaire I was going to get a wage of Five Pounds. Life had realy started but that is another story

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