Memories of Thomas John Evans

My father ran away at 17 to the First World War.

My brother, who is 24 years older than me, was a young policeman at the start of the war so he didn't get called up. And my father had decided to be a war observed policeman - so they both ended up in the same college. This has never happened before - both father and son.

My father is Thomas John Evans (nicknamed Tom). My brother Thomas John Evans (nicknamed John).

There are pictures of my brother, him in USA and him in flight suit. He volunteered to be in the forces.

The only amazing thing that happened in America (he was trained in Vancouver) is that he started the biggest bar fight in New York (on leave) between the forces. They went to the bar and over the door it said – “Through these doors pass the best fighting forces in the world”. US Marines regularly drank there. Brother said 'Dye - did you see those pygmies in the harbour? It was the Marines with all the piss and wind taken out of them!'.

They did the training for the air force in America. That took nearly a year to train as a navigator. He then flew out to India. He was there only for about six months. He was getting ready to go to Burma. But then they dropped the atom bomb that ended that part of the war.

They sent the long serving troops home. The new troops stayed on and after the war he became an entertainment officer. He'd been brought up as a good Welsh socialist. He was given a servant to wash his clothes etc. My brother thought the pay was too low and so he paid him more. This young boy (only about 13) disappeared for 3 weeks. On the extra money that he had been given, he had gone back to his village and brought a bride. When my brother saw this bride, she was up a step ladder carrying bricks! She was a brickie's helper.

Then my mum became pregnant with me. In every letter she got home, she was trying to say she was pregnant, but she never did. But suddenly John got his demob information that he could go home. But he couldn't go home as he hadn't had all the inoculations. He put all 9 in his arm and he was carried onto a stretcher to go home. So, he never got a letter to say he was coming.

He was 6 feet tall. He arrived suddenly and she stripped him in the hall because she thought he had typhoid.

John named me Linda.