After being told by a friend that men from Ludlow were wanted to go to work at a place near Kidderminster, excavating tunnels to make an underground factory making aircraft engines, I decided to give up my job travelling around Ludlow in a van taking orders for groceries and do something to help the war effort. The single decker bus that took us there was commandeered from Kent - it had 'East KENT' written on the side. The driver who was a very large bloke also came from East Kent. The bus picked us up at 6am from Ludlow and then other people at Clee Hill, Cleobury Mortimer and Bewdley.

 I began work in January 1942 and left in June that year. I was born in May 1924 so was 17 when I started. On my first day, I reported to Mr Bond, the Works foreman - he was a sturdy man who wore wellington boots, a donkey jacket and trilby hat. He had very strong glasses - I called them 'milk bottle bottom' specks - and he was a very hard man, he had to be to manage the men who were also a rough lot. After a few days work outside, Mr Bond asked me if I would like to work with Mr Thurston, an engineer. I said yes - the name of the firm I would be working for was John Cochrane & Sons, Contractors. My job would be carrying the level and theodolite staff and helping with anything he had to do. I reported to him and he called me Bill and I went for my first time underground, about a hundred yards in. Blasting took place and I nearly thought about going no further but pressed on and reached the workmen tunnelling. The noise you had to get used to, pneumatic drills, trimming (shaping the tunnels) and drilling holes for the explosives. Nobody wore protective ear muffs or head-gear.

 A gang of men shovelled the sandstone onto a conveyor belt taking it outside. I met many Irish men, a happy lot and it was said they received a half penny for each shovel they put on the belt. The work was hard but not especially dirty (sandstone). I think I was working in 'A' tunnel. My first pay packet included 2 or 3 pence an hour extra danger money. I felt like a rich man after the pittance I received from my previous employment. Most of the time I worked 7 days a week, leaving home at 6am and returning by 6pm or thereabouts. The tunnel we were excavating was shaped like the one you see on the railways (with an arch). I set up the level and theodolite, wooden batons supported pieces of yellow wire drawn across the tunnel for the Horizontal and one down from the roof for the Vertical which had a lump of stone hanging on the end. Miners working at the face could look along these wires and get a cross to keep going level and straight - rather a crude way by today's methods.

 The air was not very good and what a relief when you came back outside. I did not see any toilets down under and men relieved themselves where they could. There was no security or secrecy about the tunnels - everyone knew what they were for and we were not told to be careful about who we talked to. There was no canteen. I took sandwiches and tea in a bottle. I was on rations so there wasn't much. My brother Jeff also worked doing the same job. He went to look for a theodolite in one of the tunnels and, it being dark, bent down to pick it up but touched a live electric wire. He was thrown back against the side of the tunnel. Somebody came and told me he had been taken to Kidderminster Hospital. I was told he was OK but had to stop in for the night. When I got home that evening and told mum she went crazy. I fetched him home the next day and the day after he started work again.

 After a few months, my engineer Mr Thurston asked me if I would like to go to Rawnsley, near Hednesford, Cannock Chase with him to start drilling for outcrop coal which I accepted. I went into lodgings for a short while then into the Army, Normandy landing, then Germany and demobbed at the end of 1947. Looking back it was a great experience.

Bill Mantle