Fire Can Jockey

The National Service Act of 1948 decreed that all young men must join one of the Armed Services on attaining their eighteenth birthday. They came from many different backgrounds, some direct from school never previously having left home. Some had already started a career which had to be quickly interrupted, others, who were three years older than the majority, had obtained a degree prior to their call-up. They came from all points of the compass bringing with them a variety of dialects. They arrived with one burning ambition - to get airborne as soon as possible. For many their hopes were to be dashed through inability to jump the first hurdles of the selection process, for others lack of coordination brought about an end to their flying tuition, for others, sadly accidents took their toll and they did not live to complete their service. I was one of the lucky ones and this is my story.