Andy Anderson - Enlistment

Running time
1 min 43 sec
Date made
Copyright
Department of Veterans' Affairs

Transcript

Oh, from the age of about 12 I was building model aeroplanes. Why? I don't know. There's no way I can tell you why I was so interested in aeroplanes. From the age of 14 I was flying gliders. From the age of 18 I was an apprentice aircraft engineer with McRobert's and Miller's in Perth. And the reason for that was although I wanted to fly there's no way my parents could have afforded it.

Then the war came along and then of course I was trapped in essential service. So it took me a while to convince the management that I wasn't the sort of apprentice engineer they wanted because my mind was not on the job.

There was one amusing incident I remember and I'll never forget it. I was standing on the steps taking some spark plugs out of a radial engine and one of the McRobert's and Miller's pilots crept up behind me and he put his chin on my shoulder and said, "Come down out of that spitfire." Because they all knew I wanted to join the Air Force.

Anyway, they finally released me and I did join the Air Force.

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