Like many I suspect Dad's first real memories of the war were watching the planes overhead. Particularly the dog fights in the clear skies overhead. A typical 11 year old boy, Dad knew what all the aircraft were and who's side they were on! Dad enjoyed cycling as a teenager and the lack of cars on the roads in those days allowed him great freedom to cycle into the countryside. When in Hounslow dad joined the Home Guard and enjoyed duties such as bomb watching. On one occasion he was on the roof of the Heston Drill Hall and he was watching for Bombs when a low flying German plane came over and shot at him! The plane later came down near Heston Aerodrome. Getting to School could be problematic too with great convoys of trucks heading up the Great West Road leaving a perfect excuse for Dad and his friends to arrive late for school...."sorry i'm late sir, convoy sir"!