Armed at all times

While we were there, all the ground crew were armed with a rifle, it was a pump Lee Enfield or a Wasp, it was pretty antiquated. We wore bandoliers of, of ammunition, we had a gas mask, a gas cape, and a steel helmet that we wore. And that's the way we went out to do our work, on the airplane. The idea was that we were, would defend the airport if there was an invasion, which at that time was really a possibility and really a concern. I'm not quite sure what people like myself could have done with limited training, I think I'd fired ten rounds out of a Lever Enfield rifle, kept clean and ready to go. That year we were reportedly ready to defend the airport if there was an invasion or an attack. And for the, practically the whole time I was there, that was the routine, you go to work complete with rifle, ammunition, gas cape and gas mask, and helmet.