In the last week of May 1940 volunteers who had answered Anthony Eden's broadcast appeal on the evening of the 26th May for the 18s and 19s to join up (call-up was not until you were 20) and were assembled at Dukes Meadow and became "A" Company, the 70th Bn. The Middlesex Regiment.

Anthony Eden made the broadcast because invasion was thought to be imminent.

At that time it was known as the Ibis Sports Club and was the Sports Club of the Prudential Insurence Company.

The Pavalion was our quarters and we slept in the changing rooms on the benches and on the floor.

We were told that subject to invasion we would be doing 6 months training at Ibis. Dunkirk was to alter that and after only a couple of months training we were sent to various "V.Ps" (Vulnerable Points i.e.
bridges, waterworks, airdromes etc';)

Ibis Sports Club was to turn out as one of the most "comfortable" quarters we were to enjoy for a long time ! I was demobbed in July 1946.

Kenneth Stevens