Clive Gesling - Lucky to get into aircrew

Transcript

But I was very lucky actually to get into aircrew.

I turned eighteen in November 1942 and I applied for aircrew and I was called up in January 43 for a medical examination and I was playing cricket and tennis at the time and reckoned I was pretty fit, you know, and the doctor's ticking all the boxes on the form and he came to eyesight, I'd never had any trouble…

[there was] a Japanese book and the pages were sort of in brown and green and then in the centre there was a number and you had to be able to see this number and the doctor was flicking these over and he'd ask me what the number was and he'd say 'Are you sure?' and I knew I was getting them wrong, you see, and then finally after 4 or 5 he said 'Do you want to get into the air force Clive?'

And I said 'Yes'. 'Aircrew?' 'Yes'.

And he said 'Did your father teach at Townsville Boys' School?'

And I said 'Yes'. Big tick for the eyesight.

So, little things can change your life, can't they?