Journey across the Atlantic during the War

"In Georgetown,Guyana,South America towards the end of 1941, Booker-Mc Connell, a major employer, became an agent making an appeal on behalf of the British Government. After so many lives had been lost at Dunkirk, there was a shortage of young able-bodied men (between 18- 20) for the forces and also with engineering skills in the country.
Men from all the Caribbean islands volunteered in 1941-42.Their families never knew they'd arrived until a year had gone.
The local News Chronicle in Georgetown appealed for volunteers to help the war effort in Britain. Guyana at this time was called British Guyana. The men's educational standards had to be good- they also had to sit an exam before being accepted and to pass a full medical."
My father Barclay Patoir, relates" When we volunteered we knew we were coming to defend the country and to work for the defence of the country. After recruitment we were sworn to secrecy. We didn't know how or when, or if we would reach the UK, German U boats and ships patrolled the Atlantic. Eventually we were flown out in small planes from Georgetown to Trinidad. Most of us were in our early twenties and still apprentices. We spent about six weeks here,not allowed to speak to anyone.Then in the darkness of night we were taken by ship(it's name blocked out) and accommodated in the YMCA in Puerto Rico?. We were told we were going to Canada, by now there were several hundreds of us gathered together. We travelled in all sorts of allied ships and finally ended up in New Orleans. Most of us spent the next few days on the station before boarding a train to New York.(America was not in the war at this time)
In New York, we met earlier emigres from Guyana (my mother's brother fought in the 1914 war and we had relatives there)
In New York, we met with the British Consuland we (civilians)were kitted out with warm clothes for the UK. Volunteers for the forces were taken for training, elsewhere.We were then, one night, taken across the border into Canada, where we joined an Australian troop carrier, with Australians working with the Royal Navy.
There was little space, so hammocks were set up in every corner of the ship. There were hundreds of ships in the convoy-we each only had the clothes we stood up in and a rucksack.It was cold and very frightening, we spent weeks battling to get to the UK. We also knew that we could be sunk at any time- it was a time of great hardship.
Eventually we found ourselves near Dublin and sailed on to Scotland. Here all the trained Forces volunteers disappeared to places around the country. My group which numbered 12 was the second batch sent to Liverpool.We were allocated to Colwell house, Bedford St.,which use to be a girls school,this was our base. We did receive a heroes welcome for crossing(Sept 42) during the war.
We were then sent to training centres - we went to Stopgate Lane and then I was sent to work in Speke (a car factory)to work on Halifax bomber wings.When Bryant and May factory was bombed, the staff including women, were re-allocated to us. Several women were attached to my section- one of them later became my wife!
While working here, I was also compelled to choose another war activity and I became a Homeguard.
Soon there were enough bombers and I was directed to Cammell Laird, but they didn't want me, so I was redirected to an inland Marine Ship Repair at Manchester Drydocks. Here having completed my apprenticeship, started in Guyana, I became a Marine engineer Fitter. Here I was put fitting engines into Landing Crafts.It was so terrible I didn't think I'd make it. We worked and worked-it was blood , sweat and tears morning and night. You were lying on your back, in small spaces with mud,grease and dirt all around. Barges then took the landing crafts down the ship canal for trials. We had no idea then, what these were to be used for!!
After the war we had to make a decision whether to go home or remain. I stayed with my wife and family and worked for 35 years in the Manchester Dry Dock until it closed in 1979.

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