I have been reading about Bill Pertwee the comic actor. His most famous role was as the Air Raid Warden in "Dad's Army". His oft repeated cry of "Put that light out" and his irascible character made him almost as much an an enemy of the Home Guard platoon as Hitler himself.
Perhaps this did ARP wardens an injustice. They were volunteers , men and women, of all ages and walks of life. They did their days work and then courageously patrolled the streets in the blackout during air raids shepherding people into public shelters, giving advice and risking their lives helping to rescue and give first aid to survivors of bombing. And all volunteers.
Be that as it may, we all enjoy the predicaments warden hodges gets into. He seemed to spend a lot of tine getting soaked! He says on one occasion he was left struggling in the sea in the dark only to find the rest of the cast and cameramen had moved half a mile along the beach without him. I remember him as an actor on radio in "Round the Horn" and other radio comedy programmes A great character..
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Ramblings of a nonagenerian (vintage 1923). Grew up in Lambeth in the 20s and 30s. Lived and worked in London during World War II. I have been attempting to do the Telegraph Cryptic Crossword since 1939! (My daughter says I *have* to write this, but I am troubled as it sounds so conceited.) I bought my first computer aged 85 and am continually frustrated by the vagaries of the technological age.
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