Ricky Jones offers up some memories of PGS at War

• The outbreak of World War II just days before my joining PGS.
• Half-day attendance until the completion of the air-raid shelters.
• That awful snowy winter of the 'phony* war, 1939-40.
• The form being quite property ticked off for cheering when a double period of Latin was interrupted by the sirens and a trip to he shelter.
• Collecting anti-aircraft shrapnel after the raids of previous nights.
• Growing veg in the school allotments and the holiday farm camps.
• The poignant morning assemblies when announcements were made of ex-pupils and staff being killed or wounded in action.
• Herbie Chant, to class, "Don't go home and tell your parents that I've been teaching you about Socialism".
• 'FAB' Bailey, to me after I had remarked that my atlas showed the pre-1936 European boundaries. "I suggest you invite the interest of the British Museum".
• Mr Hough, to me in exasperation. "Like another famous gentleman, Jones, my patience is exhausted". (A reference to Hitler's reaction at the rejection of his 'final offer')
• In trouble again, this time in RSB's French class,-my wilful confusion of joli and jolly and my uncontrollable giggles at the concept of jolly flowers.
• Mr Hawthorne's insistence on our use of both inner and outer surfaces of the covers of exercise books as a wartime economy.
• Also, his 'gags', e.g., "Have you played football recently, boy?" "Yes. Sir."... "And did you Win-stanley?".
• The door handle coming off in Eddie Wood's hand during his practical demonstration of the Moment of a Force (I suspect in retrospect that this was staged).
• Playing in the two Shield final games at Goodison Park in 1944 (a better performance than one or two games I saw there in later years - with 30,000 others! (pre-1980, of course,— in case Geoff Nulty reads this).