Brighton resident, Peter Batten, writes about another time, another place…

In the spring of 1952 the normal progression of my life was interrupted. I had just secured a place at University, so I decided to leave school and begin my two years of National Service.

I was enrolled in the RAF and on 19 May I travelled to Padgate in Lancashire to begin my basic training. This was not a pleasant experience, but, as a promising cricketer, I was able to get several days off to play for RAF teams. About two weeks before the end of the training period I was told to report to the officer in charge. He told me that the Air Ministry staff had looked at my records and noted that I had A levels in French and Latin. They were recruiting airmen for a new course in Russian because it was expected that we would soon be at war. They would like to add me to their list. I agreed. Thus began a strange period in my life.
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