Demobilisation.
The Army allowed me to travel home with Maria, then return to the De-Mob Depot for release. Travelling to Watford was somewhat apprehensive for both of us but also very exciting. The scenery was just the same for me but for Maria everything was different, resulting in hundreds of questions that needed answering and explaining. Arriving at Watford Junction I was rather extravagant and took a taxi to Garston. Introductions were soon over and mother showed us to the front bedroom they had made into a comfortable bed-sit, unbeknown to us it was to be our home for the next two years. We soon settled in, both Mum and Dad getting on well with Maria, especially after we had all attended Church together at North Watford Harebreaks. Visits to Watford by mother and Maria seemed endless, Marks and Spencer was thought to be wonderful, especially for Maria as she had never seen such shops in her life.
One day of my leave was spent travelling to Hull for my discharge papers and de-mob suit. The blue issued suit will always be remembered as it was made by the British Dunlop Rubber Company who also made other “personal items” for-soldiers. A trilby hat, two shirts, a tie, raincoat plus one pair of shoes completed what the Army thought necessary. All the underclothes and socks they kindly allowed us to keep, along with one khaki battle dress for us to use as work attire.
My discharge leave was quite long due to the length of service completed, I had months due for which normal Army Pay was received. A visit to my old firm gave me a shock when I learned that my lateness in being released had caused my old position to be filled and there was no possibility of another one in the foreseeable future. Calling at the firm Litholite and Bakelite, where Harry Melville had worked before the War and to where he had returned, gave me temporary employment during the latter part of my leave, it being a waste of time not working. My work was in the Packing and Despatch Department and very soon the work became very easy with little to tax my brain. Pay was then thought to be reasonable for what I did at six guineas (£6.30) per week.
Maria was very determined to do her share so after seeing an advertisement in the local paper she applied for an interview for an office vacancy at the nearby de Havilland Aircraft factory. Delighted on gaining that position, her transport problem to and from work was quickly overcome by purchasing a second hand bicycle for her. As time went by I disliked my job more each day, to add to this the Supervisor of my Department was a Union representative. He was always missing on Union tasks, as he called them, and I gradually became the poor mug doing two jobs. Matters were made worse when he demanded that I join his Union, but to add salt to the wounds I received information that most of his Union tasks were in fact that of a Bookie’s Runner who took the bets out of the factory everyday during the firm’s time. After fighting for years nobody was going to tell me to join anything. So a few days later when I saw an advertisement in the local paper for applicants to join the Hertfordshire Police Force I became rather interested. After a couple of evenings discussing prospects with Maria, an application was sent for. On receipt of various forms and details of subjects to pass in the entrance examination, together we decided that my educational standard at the time was not high enough for me to pass. To overcome this I enrolled in a six-month correspondence course with the Rapid Results College. From then on most of our evenings were taken up with study, Maria assisting me greatly, explaining problems, checking answers and my written tests. The more I studied the greater the Police Force seemed right for me it would have the comradeship that I missed so much. After all, what did I fight for? Fairness, Freedom, and a sense of trying to keep things on an even keel for the law abider.
A Life Threatening Accident.
One day after having completed work I was travelling home when an ambulance passed at speed in the opposite direction. I gave it very little thought until, when in sight of home, a parked Police car came into view outside No.44, our home. Mother was standing on the front door step in conversation with a man I later came to know as PC Bill Newton [PC 10 William (Bill) James Newton Ed.] As gently as possible he told me Maria had been involved in an accident, she was, in fact, in the Ambulance I had seen on my way home. Apparently while waiting on her bicycle in the centre of the cross roads at the Three Horseshoes, Garston, to turn right she was struck by a fully laden Marston Brick lorry travelling in the opposite direction. I hurriedly cycled, still in my Army uniform, to the Peace Memorial Hospital where it became apparent that her condition was critical and remained so for a week. Gradually during these seven days her actual injuries were revealed. Severe fracture of the skull, smashed jaw with ten missing or broken teeth from upper or lower jaws. Hands cut and seven fractured fingers. Left leg fractured in three places above the ankle. I began to wonder how many times in life you can get knocked back before going to a higher plain of happiness. Daily I cycled down to the Hospital for six months trying to keep her spirits up. Recovery was slow and very uncomfortable, being unable to move much with a pin through her ankle to which heavy weights were attached. The first three months dragged but during this time Dentists had reconstructed her jaw and fitted two plates with new teeth. Fingers of her hands had healed and were now being strengthened with the continuous squeezing of rubber balls, the leg though was stubborn, requiring further operations so that a steel plate could be inserted.
My studies were delayed due to this setback, but as soon as able Maria took charge of my lessons again, many hours of checking were completed by her while I sat at her bedside. Time passed more quickly for her when occupied and during many visits I left items with her which she read the following day and knew all about by the time I saw her again. After being confined to Hospital for four months her Doctors relented when they saw she could move a bit on crutches, this progress enabled me to take her home for weekends. On Friday evening I assisted her to hobble to the bus stop in Rickmansworth Road, boarding the bus made her so embarrassed being unable to put much weight on the crutches due to her weak hands. Her newly fitted dental plates made things worse when trying to speak. Our arrival at Garston Lane took ages, thankfully neighbours came out to speak and she rested several times. On reaching home there was such relief for her after slowly settling into a chair, being so happy but exhausted that she burst into tears. Returning to Hospital on Sunday evenings was rather upsetting, however two more months of this procedure was to continue before finally being released as an outpatient. Recovery at home progressed rapidly but it took several years before her limp disappeared.
The delay caused by the accident forced me to ask for an extra three months to complete my course studies, but I was determined to carry on, especially after Maria had shown so such courage during her adversity. During the spring of 1948 our outlook, at last, seemed brighter. Maria was well enough to return to work. To take the strain off her recovering fingers the firm gave her the first electric typewriter they had purchased. Shortly after, my tutors advised me to apply for and sit the entrance examination for the Police Force. After being notified of the date the following three weeks we both repeatedly crammed our brains with Maths, English, Geography and General Knowledge. All the time in the back of my mind I realised if I failed one subject the whole Examination had to be taken again, that is provided they would allow me to in six months, but by that time they might not have a vacancy. I spent a rather restless night prior to the examination and never having sat such things before I apprehensively set out for Hatfield, the then Police Headquarters. Nervous tension settled a little after mixing with the other entrants who were mainly ex-servicemen. How good to feel that old comradeship. Mid afternoon we were told the results. Yes, I had passed. I was completely bubbling over. All of us who passed, however, had to steady up a bit, we had one more hurdle to get over – a medical. We may have been A1 seven years before but that was before being blown up and roughing it. All but one of us were lucky, the unlucky one had been a prisoner in a Japanese Camp for some years.
Oswald Thorne’s military record summary.
Oswald was awarded the following medals: 1939/45 Star, France/Germany Star, War Service Medal and the Defence Medal. Much later following 22 years Police Service he was also awarded the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Joining Hertfordshire Constabulary And Initial Training.
On the first of November 1948 it was necessary for me to return to Hatfield where our course officially enlisted and was sworn in before a Magistrate – “to do our duty at all times without fear or favour.” This I honestly did for the next thirty years.
Oswald Thorne Official Police Photo On Joining
Well at last the job I had was secure, that gave me a lot of satisfaction because many fears had gathered during the early years of my life watching my Father struggle for a living. On the strength of a reasonably stable future Maria and I took a late holiday at Butlin’s Holiday Camp at Pwhelli, flying there in an old de Haviland Rapide biplane from Elstree. This was my first holiday for nearly ten years, it put new life into us after so much trauma.
Maria was a bit down when on a Sunday evening I set out by bus to Eynsham Hall, near Oxford, the Home Office Police Training College. Situated in a beautiful country mansion, adapted for the purpose, surrounded by picturesque countryside, I was to spend the most mentally taxing period of my life.
Eynsham Hall No. 5 District Police Training Centre In 1975
Entering the Great Main Hall and still carrying our suitcases; Sergeant Hawkins, the Drill Instructor, took Command. This ex-Sergeant of the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry shouted out, “Shut the door, you are in a Police Training Unit now.” He continued, “If you have any doubts of the future you had better leave.” After this welcome we settled down for the night in double rooms, being part of a complex of wooden huts in the Mansion grounds. My roommate was in the Suffolk Constabulary and it didn’t take long for us to get to know each other. Another ex-serviceman, it was just like the old Army days but on a higher plane. The College was run on near military lines, inspection parades each morning. The preparation for these stands out in my memory because together with my roommate we were always brushing each other’s uniform. Not a speck of dust or hair had to be seen. With our helmets and white gloves one must have thought we were a group of tin soldiers. Sergeant Hawkins, our fearsome Instructor turned out to be like a Mother keeping us all out of trouble, at one time or another.
Completion of daily inspection was followed with a long 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. session of lectures, hundreds of definitions of law were dictated and then discussed later in our own time, to be learned and committed to memory. My partner in memorising was a WPC Quinn who could only be described as a largish lady. Together, while walking round the lake we learned the said definitions. Law seemed and was endless, Criminal Law, Traffic Law, Law of Evidence, Procedure and General Police duties. Many times I almost gave up, but encouraged by others and with great determination I stuck it while they still crammed it into us. After the eight hour day, evenings were spent on revision. To give our brains a rest our bodies had to be tuned up, either with physical training, unarmed combat, football or cross country running, in fact, anything they could think of. However, we did get a kind of a break between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening, relaxing during a drawn out dinner. However, discipline still reigned, everyone had to attend dressed for the occasion. The whole course trooped in and stood behind chairs where we waited for the college Commandant and Senior Instructors to enter and sit at the head of three long rows of tables before we were allowed to sit. English Police Forces are very patriotic institutions, a photograph of His Majesty, King George VI, was displayed on the wall above the Commandant, where nightly, at Dinner, all present toasted his health. This I suppose can only be expected as it is the Sovereign Peace we had all vowed to keep.
Some satisfaction was achieved in being able to complete weekly in the cross country run of between six and eight miles over the lovely Oxfordshire country. During the first week our physical training Sergeant had continually bragged as to what he would do with us on these runs. I did not disclose my previous experience so in the first run it was treated as a training run by me. He was a fairly good runner, leading the field home where he waited and poked fun at the others, especially those struggling at the back. The following week at about four miles distant I left the Sergeant behind, in fact, really ran him into the ground, waiting for him at the finish as he had done the week before. He said nothing but the next week he got his own back by delaying my start for two minutes!
Once a month we participated in a Parade inspected by various visiting Chief Constables or one of H.M. Inspector of Constabulary. The day usually ended with a Rugby game between the Instructors and Entrants which was thoroughly enjoyed by all, this sport was one where I took part on the side lines!
Friday afternoons were set aside for monthly progress tests, these were very stiff, if failed it could either mean dismissal or, if lucky, an extra month added on the course. To be involved in such action was looked up on as a disgrace. Three times a month, after the test, we hired a coach that would be waiting to convey us towards our homes for the weekend. My dropping off point was Denham where a connection continued to transport me to Garston. By arrangement, after shopping Maria would when possible meet my bus in the centre of Watford. We then spent the weekend together.
On return studies continued, there was so much Law that our Instructor used to say we had to learn as much as a criminal lawyer but where he could look at his books for the answer we had to keep it in our heads. Each fourth weekend it was necessary for us to stay at Eynsham Hall to carry out various duties, including learning to operate the telephone switchboard, a job we soon had to do when we got posted to our new stations. The entrants from all the Home Counties Forces were some of the finest men I had met in my life, they included ex-Majors, Warrant Officers and Sergeants from the Army, Petty Officers from the Navy and Bomber and Glider Pilots. All of them had already seen much life and death, they could also look after themselves but, most importantly, they could talk to people when necessary. With such men discipline came easy.
Our last and most unusual task before taking the final examination was an arranged visit to Oxford Mortuary, where a pathologist performed a post-mortem pointing out the various parts of the anatomy and cause of death to us. He also encouraged most of us to participate in some way, especially the sewing up of the body at the end. A few were not too keen but none refused. This could be expected as all but the Police women had been in violent action during the war.
Oswald Thorne Top Left ‘Passing Out’ Eynsham Hall
Sleep the night before a special event was hard to come by, I was not fully alert when sitting down to final exams. For those used to writing, half the battle was won but I always had difficulty in compiling reasonable English. Afterwards we all discussed our chances deciding we must all have failed – in fact, two days later the results were just the opposite – we had all qualified. My name was two thirds of the way up the list with an unbelievable sixty nine per cent. Now for a relaxing weekend. My new career was about to start.
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