I don’t know much about my dad’s early life, unfortunately. What I do know is that he was born on December 15th 1921 to James and Margaret Eldridge. He was the eldest of four children, his siblings coming along at regular intervals in 1923 (Vera), 1924 (Leslie) and 1925 (Ronald). They lived in a terraced house in Caledon Road, East Ham E6.
Harold or Harry as he was always known, went to the local school in Altmore Avenue and I think he must have done well. He played cricket and football and seemed to enjoy the outdoors. Which is why it is odd to think of him working in the Woolwich Arsenal. I can only guess that this was not entirely by choice, more by force of circumstance. His discharge papers from the RAF state that he expressed an interest in returning to his previous employment as a centre lathe turner. Dad never talked about what he did before the war and so I don’t know for sure if he ever served an apprenticeship, or indeed, if he was a turner at the Arsenal. At the outbreak of war he helped to put up a shelter in the family back garden, then, like most people, carried on as if nothing was happening. All the Eldridge children were too old to be evacuated and so they continued living and working in the East London area.