life after 1945 No 6
Now that my National Service is comming to near its end in Novermber 1954 I am beginning to wonder what it will be like to be a civilian again,and to be able to do what I like when I like without having to have a pass,there are 4 of us due for De Mob so we decide to go around the camp together as we have to get a clearance ticket from all the sections on the camp to say we are clear from them.this has to be done before we can get our discharge papers and warrants to go home,also we have to hand back our uniforms except for the greatcoats, peak caps, and boots,the reason for this is because we shall be on call for 4 years incase we are needed for anything during those years.and need to be called up again.we must also organise a de- mob party at the local pub,for everyone in our billet or section,except for those who are on leave or duty so we all put a donation into a [ pot usualy about 5 shillings, { twentyfive new pence } this will let everyone drink as much as they like and crawl back to camp afterwards,hopeing that they will not be charged for being drunk by the gaurd house when we hand back our passes,some of the lads have been charged in the past by the R A F police,who are also stationed on the camp, and have put them on a charge.in the past, so we crawl back to bed in the billet,after a good night but three or four of the lads decide to get back on the police lads,and tell the rest of us to put out the lights in the billet so that it looks a though we have been in bed for some time, and are all asleep,the rest of us are a little concerned as to what they may do,because if they are cought we shall all be in trouble,and this could delay our demob in the morning,as we could all be put on charges of some kind,anyway we do as they ask and all get to bed,put out the lights and pretend to be asleep,when suddenly there is a rush into the billet, and these four lads rush in and climb into their beds still in their civvies,and also prentending to be asleep, a little later the military police are in the billet putting on the lights and ask us if we have seen or heard anyone or anything,we say that we were all aleep untill they came in and woke us up by putting on the light and making a noise,I hope they dont make us get out of bed because they would then see that the other boys are still in civvies that would be the end for all of us, luckly they seem to think we were genuinely sleeping after our demob party down at the pub,and they leave us alone, We ask what the lads had done,to get their revenge on them, they tell us that they had got two foam extinguishers put them facing the door of the police billet,knocked on the door and then set off the extinguisers,so you can guess what happened when the M Ps opened their door,they were coverd in white foam from head to toe. I suppose this was the reason they were slow getting around the billets,as they would have to have changed their uniforms and clear up the mess.They never did found out who the colprits were so we were safe thank goodness.
Next morning we have to collect our discharge papers from the units we visited the other day, and our rail passes home,it seems strange to realise that I am now free to return to civvie street for good.and get my old job back at the dental lab where I did my apprenticeship I will be what is known as an improver for awile,under the supervision of a senior technician,so the next thing I shall have to do is go and see my old Dental sergeon about returning to work with him again,He is very pleased to see me ,but has some bad news because he says he hasnt a vacancy for me,and although he is supposed to take me on after my National Service { this is the law } it would mean he would have to sack Eric, the senior.technician,and seeing that I have not done any dentisty for two years I wouldnt be able to do some of the work, and would be slow. also he is a married man,and has resposablities that I dont.this is a blow for me as I was hoping to get back with him.after a few weeks holliday,but instead I will have to sign onto the dole and look for another position.so this I do, but they dont have any vacanies for dental technicians on their books but I will recieve two pounds and ten shilling a week. untill I find work. I have been uninployed for about four weeks when I hear there is a job with another dentist in canterbury,so I go to see him,his practice is called Bradley and Post,and he says he will take me on as an improver so this is good news,so life is good .and I can see Angela every day and we can go out together again.Angela has decided to move to lodgings with a nice couple who live in the Sturry Road called Mr and Mrs Kennet,but they are pretty strict about time and when she should get home at night, this applies to her own doughter Freda who also has a boyfriend called Jeff so if we go out we have to make shure that we get the girls home on time,this means ten o clock, and we have to get pemission from Mrs Kennet if we want to go to the pictures or a dance,this a bit of a nuisance as the cinamas dont close untill around ten or ten thirty, and the dancehalls are open untill twelve oclock but its O K we can manage with that.Now that Angela lives where she is, I can pick her up on my way to work, and again home after work in my car.so things are great at last.
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