The youngest driver to hold a license in Britain

At the age of 15 I became the youngest (legal)driver in Britain, It was 1945 near the end of the war in Europe when I was a telegraph boy in Enfield. The GPO had a problem as the existing motorcycle telegraph boy aged 18 left to join the Navy. I was next in line but just 15, but the legal age to hold a license was 16. The old bike was declared beyond economical repair and scrapped, and the Head Postmaster ordered a replacement from the Ministry of War Transport. He also put in a request to authorise me to drive,

A few days later an army lorry delivered a replacement bike, an ex-despatch riders BSA 350cc Empire Star complete in its army paint job. The GPO head mechanic said that it was too powerful for a telegraph boy and took it away to be 'doctored'. I found out much later that they had fitted a restriction plate from the carburator (which I later removed). I was told to report on the Monday at 9am a road opposite the Sorting Offce. When I arrived a tall chap dressed in an army brown leather waistcoat, was standing by the despatch riders bike, with another one behind.

He told me that I would be tested over 3 days, and that I would either pass or fail at the end of that time. After going through the controls he told me to put it in 1st. gear, let the clutch out slowly and he would run behind. I opened the throttle and went off quickly. He didn't know that I had ridden the old bike around the GPO yard many times before, and finally shouted for me to stop. Catching up with me he was gasping for breath and when he had stopped panting said hoarsely "you have ridden before haven't you sunshine?" He then told me to wait and walked back for his own bike.

He drove up and told me that today we would go around Enfield carefully with him watching as he drove behind me.I had read the Highway Code and agreed to take things steady. We stopped for a snack at a local cafe and finished outside the Sorting Office around 5pm. He said that tomorrow we would go further afield and see how I performed with traffic lights,tram lines and tar blocks. We headed into London and I was terrified that I would loose him as we sped around. I remember skidding a bit on wet tar blocks at Islington, but I stayed on. Once more we were back at the Enfield Sorting Office at 5pm. He announced that we would do the same thing tomorrow which we did.

Earlier this time, around 3pm he quizzed me on the Highway Code and shook his head. "You know that you can't ride a bike until you are 16 don't you", he said suddenly. and my heart sank. Pulling out a black pouch he started to write down something and said suddenly,"you realise that you went through two traffic lights when they were at amber don't you?" I remember saying that I didn't want to loose sight of him as I had never been there before. He grinned for the first time and went on with his writing.

I was still sitting on the bike as he came over and handed me a green piece of paper. "You are the youngest rider that I have ever tested, but I am going to issue you with a license on behalf of the Ministry of War Transport. Do not let any of your telegraph boys ride this around the yard. A 360cc is not a toy lad, remember that, and I am going to recommend that you Head Postmaster that you be issued with an Army crash helmet. I stuttered a thanks and watched him drive off.

I collected the motorcycle the next day and was instantly the envy of all the other 12 telegraph boys. The telegrams were given to our boss, a leading postman, who in turn sent us to different areas around Enfield. "Mrs Grey wants to see you", he said pointing into the teleprinter room". Now what ,I thought, as she was the one in charge who usually handed a form P18B. This always started off with the printed words 'You are requested at once to report as to why you.....' This was usally followed by things like -you were seen without wearing a hat- or 2 telegraph boys riding along together (know to us as 'wazzing') but I don't know why?. She said very gravely "You will take all the longer distance routes on your motor cycle, and I have three 'Priority' ones for you.

Priority telegrams with a blue band down one side were nearly always from the War Office saying 'Missing in action', or severley wounded' etc. , so it brought me down to earth. I knocked on the door a a small woman in an apron opened it and I handed her the telegram. She read it and collapsed in the door. I remember calling "is there anyone there?", but nobody answered. Not knowing what to do next I knocked next door and started a dog barking. When nobody came I went the other side and a woman looked over my shoulder and ran past me to help. Soon there were lots of neibours surrounding the woman who was crying. I didn't know what to do, I was only 15, and I said the first thing that came into my head "-any reply?". This was standard procedure, but one of the women shouted a rude word at me and I quickly left.

Driving back along Enfield Road I suddenly heard the engine making a horrible noise, so I quickly stopped the bike. As I got off I realised the noise hadn't stopped and looking up saw a buzz bomb (V1) heading towards me and not very high. I dived into a ditch at the side of the road as its engine cut out, and realised that it was full of muddy water. Then I heard an explosion not far away. (It fell in a field). On arrival back after my first delivery on the bike I was a sorry sight, wet and covered in mud. For ages the other telegraph boys really believed that I had had an accident. Quite a comedown for Britains youngest driver.

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