1944 and it would seem a long way to go for a cup of tea – from RAF Lissett to the NAFFI at Castle Camp Pickering, though this story begins long before that.
Two brothers from Middlesbrough,
Tom, and George Pearson would often camp at the Lawns farm in Ugthorpe near
Whitby. The farm belonged to relatives, the White family. There they met Luke
Gallon and many of this close-knit community. It was a little while later that
Tom realised that Luke had a sister, Bette.
The outbreak of war in September
1939 and Tom being the elder at twenty-two years, together with George were
signed up to the RAF by October. Both were already trained with electrical
skills through H.G. Sproates Middlesbrough and the RAF was their preferred
service. During basic training, Tom became great pals with Harry Beasley and
together they served in 185 Squadron at Thornaby and Cottesmore. Rumours of
postings were high. Harry went to Canada; George was heading to the area of
Hull and Tom was still waiting to hear.
Eventually, sailing from
Liverpool Tom arrived at Malta where he would serve three years. His service
would take him through the siege of Malta. Tom began his ground crew post as LAC
(Leading Aircraftman) servicing Spitfires, Hurricane, and anything else that
came along – including a Macchi C-202 (a captured Italian fighter plane). Tom
was promoted first to Corporal, and then to Sargent.
Hanna Elizabeth Gallon was from a
farming family of eleven and was born in Ugthorpe North Yorkshire.
Her father would call her Lizzie, though she was later to be known as Bette.
Ever a serving heart, at the beginning of the war Bette was called into nursing
and travelled to Guys’ hospital, Farnborough. Later she was to return home as
her father had cancer. Bette continued her nursing at the fever hospital Durham
road Stockton. Whilst nursing a young boy there, she contracted diphtheria and
was ill for quite some time. Nursing was not something that she was able to
return to. Her father died in October 1943.
A couple of letters from Malta to
Ugthorpe and eventually, perhaps with a little encouragement from Luke, Bette
agreed to write to Tom. They would not know where Tom was due to censorship of
mail, though it was revealed in code, (something agreed earlier) “Has Charlie sold
the two pigs” indicated Malta. Bette would simply address return letters with:
Service number, Unit, Name and Rank – Care of APO. The postal service was quite
remarkable during war time, maintaining moral with news from home. Tom and
Bette’s relationship grew through these letters.
1944 and Bette looked around for
somewhere to help. One of her sisters (Dorothy) was in the ATS. Another sister
(Winnifred) helped at a small kiosk down by the harbour side; this was part of
the NAFFI in Whitby. Several training bases were popping up in preparations for
D-Day, the Whitby Metropole hotel was just one of many. Bette enjoyed the work
at the NAFFI and was soon selected for training as NAFFI manageress. This
training was to take place at a hotel in Scarborough just off the Filey road.
Her posting would be Castle Camp at Pickering. There was a rush to get Bette
posted as more soldiers were expected at the camp. She was concerned that she
had not been shown how to cash-up, so the trainer told her not to worry and she
would be there to help on her first day.
Letters continued between Tom and
Bette, keeping spirits up. Tom’s brother-in law Leslie had attended University
with a Maltese guy and mentioned to Tom to meet up with the Valletta family in
Birkirkara; they went on to become great friends. Tom served at many of the
Island’s airfields: Luqa, Safi strip, Hal-Far and Ta-Qali 1435 Squadron. The
Island was awarded the George Cross in 1942 and Tom was mentioned in dispatches
June 1943. As the writer recalls, all
Tom’s stories were positive even though situations in Malta were hugely
different.
Tom’s RAF record sheet shows a
communications flight 26th December 1943, this was followed by a
ship home to Blighty. By June 1944 Tom was stationed at Lissett, servicing
Halifax bombers – in today’s terms, only an hour’s drive from Pickering.
I never knew who the bicycle
belonged to, but Tom would cycle from Lissett to Driffield, catching a train to
Malton and then changing trains to Pickering – goodness knows how long that
would take! I can just picture him, uniform, great coat, and bicycle clips.
Perhaps the same clips he would take off after returning from work in
Middlesbrough when I was a boy.
Now, it was on one of these
trips, that as Tom was cycling an old hare jumped up and started running ahead
of him. Tom began to cycle harder and the hare ran faster, remaining on the
road. This went on for some time and increased Tom’s speed significantly.
Eventually the hare shot off into a field and Tom arrived at the station – just
in time to board the train. Tom realised that if the hare hadn’t been there, he
would have missed his train.
13th October 1945 was
the day Tom married Bette at St Anne’s Church Ugthorpe. Harry Beasley was Tom’s
best man, and both were in full uniform. The married couple first took rooms on
Oxford road Middlesbrough. Late 1946 and
as their first child (a daughter) was due, they moved to a cottage on Marton
Moor farm. A further move to Rookwood road Nunthorpe where a son was born in late
1953. April 1954 and as Tom’s father, Edward needed care, the family moved in
with him at Warwick Street Middlesbrough. Tom died in November 1972 and Bette
kept his letters till 14th February 2008 when she joined her
beloved.
