Memories of an "All Clear Boy" of G Division Metropolitan Police
When the First World War started, during the initial air raid that we
experienced, we took cover in the church hall. My sister played the piano. Up
to day tunes to cheer people up but the minister wanted her to play hymns.
The next raid we took shelter in the G Division Police Station, Kings Cross
Road W-C-1.
In 1915 I was in the Scouts that was why I became an "All Clear" bugler. When
the air raids started, the raids' warning was given by the police on bikes
blowing their whistles, carrying plackards on their chests and backs which
said "take cover".
Later on my family took cover in the coal cellar which was under the pavement
but I kept on at the police station as an all clear bugler. The scouts became
active after the raids. We went in an ambulance with a policeman and kept
blowing two notes on the bugle
I remember when a bomb dropped in Kings Cross, the amazing thing was that out
of the blue the Salvation Army came from nowhere, giving out tea from their
vans. Throughout the war we scouts collected newspapers for the war effort.
Also we went on Kings Cross railway and in our small way we helped the forces
as much as we could. We received a couple of awards.
In 1915 I think it was Lt. Robinson who shot a Zeppelin down and how we all
cheered.
At the end of the War, I and three others blew the last "All Clear" on the
steps of the police station and then my family took our piano into the street
for a knees up. Afterwards we enjoyed ourselves in Trafalgar Square until
past midnight.
In 1919 the buglers went to Shepherds Walk, City Road, London, and had a
photo taken with the Inspector of Police and a notice board saying,
"All Clear.
Boy Scouts who rendered valued services to the public during the air raids
over London from 31st May 1915 to 11 November 1918."
Then we made our way to Buckingham Palace.
In 1919 or 1920 the scouts' bugle band and girls' ambulance drum and pipe
band were at the opening of the war memorial at Euston Railway Station. Your
nan, Ruby, had a photo taken of her wielding the mace. It appeared in the
newspapers with the headline,
"The Silk Stocking Flapper".
Title |
Memories of an "All Clear Boy" of G Division Metropolitan Police
|
---|---|
Author |
Bird, Stanley George
|
Notes |
This transcription relates to notes left to me by my grandfather, Stanley George Bird (1904-1998). These were written in the 1990s. I have the photograph which he refers to in the story.
|
Item date |
1914 - 1920
|
Creation place |
London
|
Item source | |
Item medium | |
Content | |
Cataloguer |
Richard Marshall
|
Filename |
GWA_3974_Memories_of_an__All_Clear__Boy__of_G_Division_Metropolitan_Police.txt
|
Copyright |
The Great War Archive, University of Oxford / Primary Contributor
|
Digital repository | |
Contributor name |
Clive Temple
|
Contributed on the behalf of |
Stanley George Bird
|
Collection
Citation
“Memories of an "All Clear Boy" of G Division Metropolitan Police,” by Bird, Stanley George. The Great War Archive, University of Oxford / Primary Contributor via First World War Poetry Digital Archive, accessed June 2, 2023, http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/item/5698.
Permitted Use
This item is available for non-commercial educational use under the terms of the Jisc Model Licence. Further details available at: http://ww1lit.nsms.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/permitteduse