Pope Family Tree

"Ted Bird a son-in-law - Volunteered to join the Royal Air Force when war was declared on September 3 1939. At the age of thirty-five years, he was turned down as being to old. He joined Local Defence Volunteers known as L.D.V. they had no uniforms just beige arm-band with the letters L.D.V. in black. Later they were issued uniforms and rifles and became The Home Guard. Ted was called up for service in the RAF in 1941 at the age of thirty seven, to become an Armourer. He was responsible for putting the bombs and ammunition in the guns, of the Wellington and Halifax bombers. He was a Leading Aircraftsman. He trained at Skagness, Lincolnshire and aerodromes in Hertford, St Athan, Wales, Suffolk and other aerodromes. When training at Skegness, one day they were at the canteen when some German airplanes came over and started shooting. They all dived under the tables for protection. Then someone said, 'What the hell are we doing under these tables, as they are glass-topped.' Not the best protection agains bullets. Ted was discharged when the war was over in 1945 and returned home with his demob suit and not much more." -- Pope Family Chronicles, 2007