On page two of the first notebook of his draft memoir, David Poulson relayed a wildly exaggerated tale about school he’d told his mother and noted “Truth and my imagination were already uneasy bedfellows“. One unambiguously true statement! David’s school days at St. Edwards, Oxford, ended in July 1942 after completing School Certificate and Higher School Certificate in French and Spanish (he took History as well, but described that in his memoir notes as “less successful”). Each branch of service had presented at St. Edwards, and David’s notes tell of two uninspiring recruiters (for the Army and Air Force) and one blond Navy flier who “scooped the pool“. He couldn’t enlist until 17, so he planned to join up on his birthday in February 1943 and, in the meantime (according to the memoir notes) “I was free to enjoy life to the full. I wanted the evening use of my father’s car. Cars equals girls. ” My educated guess is that the memoir is a blend of reality and a good story, but his notes are the primary source for David’s war years and first real (and only non-theatre) job with the British Overseas Airways Corporation.
Continue reading Royal Navy to BOAC via HMS Royal Arthur
