Memories of a father by his son
An oral history interview with Alan Haynes. Interview Date 01/02/2013
Alan Haynes’s father was Arthur Haynes who was born in 1920. Arthur was 18 in 1938 and decided to join the Territorial Army. As an engineer, he joined the detachment of the Royal Army Ordnance Corp, and when war was declared his unit was mobilised and sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. He was eventually evacuated from Dunkirk and on landing at Southampton, was billeted initially at Testwood School in Totton and then several places in the New Forest before ending up at Allum Green House in the middle of 1940. Having requisitioned a garage in Lyndhurst they kept themselves busy by doing basic running repairs on whatever vehicles they had available to them, trucks, Bren Gun carriers, etc. On 5th September 1940 the Allum Green House was bombed causing considerable damage and casualties. Arthur was working that night so avoided the bombing, but was recalled to assist with the damage. He was then billeted in Burley and eventually moved to Aldershot for some specific skills training and then later on in 1941 his unit was disbanded entirely and he joined the REME.
Alan recalls his father’s effort to get a memorial bench placed in the grounds of Allum Green House, dedicated to those that lost their lives that night. He mentions several of the families involved.
Interview Quick Clips
All material is © 2016 New Forest National Park Authority.
Full transcription of interview recordings.
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Interviewed by: Sue Jackson
Transcription by: John Martin
Checked by: Gareth Owen
Audio Editor: Cosmic Carrot
Key Words:
April 1920, Stourbridge. Territorial Army, RAOC, Royal Army Ordnance Corp, No.8 Army Field Workshop, Dudley, BEF, British Expeditionary Force, Dunkirk, Dunkirk Veterans Association, Allum Green House, billeted, school house, scout hut, Totton, Southampton, Burley, Lyndhurst, Imperial Garage, vehicle repairs, bombing raid, German bomber, incendiary devices, fluorescent flares, pathfinder raid, 5th September 1940, bomb craters, bombs, wunderbar kind, Luftwaffe, warrant officer, sergeant, cottage hospital, military hospital, medical records, Aldershot, training, REME, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, Swan Pub, Worcester Rifle Association. Dunkirk, bombing raid, Sergeant Alfred Blunn, cricket bat, graves, memorials, Woods Corner House, Burley, No.8 Army Field Workshop, Allum Green House, Dr Balfour, Swan Pub, commemorative plaque, memorial bench, dedication, May 1980, Jilly Beatty, Wilf Briggs, wreath, Testwood School.