The only bit of excitement was when , in the darkness of a night-shift alongside the River Ouse, he heard a splash and a yell as someone had fallen in. With torch in hand, he managed to find a small boat and heave the man aboard. On landing at the quayside, the rescued individual disappeared, without so much as a “thank-you”, into the darkness.
Frances took Gordon’s place at the Bank and she became a ledger clerk. Working patterns didn’t often coincide and they were seldom home together.
Gordon received his call-up papers and he was required to report to the York’s & Lancaster Regiment at Kirkham, Lancashire on 15th August 1940. He remembers being greeted at Kirkham Station by a rough and noisy sergeant who opened the carriage door shouting, “Come on - get fell in - you’re in the army now!”
Their Depot was an old cotton mill and each were given a rough palliase and pillow and told to fill them with straw in the yard. What a welcome!
