ID: AA011541

TitleJohn Barton - growing up in WW2. Part 1.
AbstractJohn is talking to his daughter Sophie.
School - John went to Miss Francis, then a Convent School in Colchester, but travelling into Colchester was dangerous in the early years of the War, so he went to a private school on Mersea [ at the Nothe ]. 1941 he went to Colchester Royal Grammar School. Leaving school, John went into the Army to become a radiographer.

His father's parents were from Colchester, his mother's parents from Bungay. His father was in the Army for 23 years and in Malta during WW1 - Chauffeur to Lord Methven on Malta. After WW1 he was in the Sudan Defence Force. When he left the Army worked as Civil Servant, in Clifford White's store, motor mechanic, carpenter. He was an aircraft spotter 1937-39 but wanted to do more so went back into the Army - paymaster at Tewkesbury.

John's parents married 1925 - came to live on Mersea Island. John was born 1931.
During War, he made two dugouts in the garden as air raid shelters.

[John emigrated to New Zealand about 1959 and the interview was recorded in NZ]

John Barton died August 2016.
To see a little more about him, with some photographs, go to John Barton 1931-2016

Duration37 minutes
RecordedJuly 2015
IDAA011541

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