WWII: Japanese leaders finally surrender

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NORMAN Wickes was fortunate. The Second World War was over when he was called up in October 1945. After six weeks’ training, he was posted to the Royal Engineers Movement Control in Liverpool.

“My job was to look after the troops as they arrived back, mostly from Singapore and the Far East. A lot couldn’t come back until 1946 because they were too ill to travel,” said Norman (77), of Bramfield Avenue, Derby.

“I used to go out on the troopships from Liverpool, picking up and delivering thousands of service personnel to different countries and bringing others back to England.

“We went all over – India, Ceylon, Port Said, Palestine, Singapore. I sailed on some wonderful ships. The Samaria was the best. She was beautiful – very clean, good food and the men were well looked after.”

Norman served with the Royal Engineers for two years and nine months before being demobbed.

“A lot of families would come to the docks to greet their loved ones as they came off the ships. Some of the men were in Singapore when the Japanese officially surrendered and took photographs of the ceremony. They gave them to us to keep as souvenirs.

“The photographs (above) show the Japanese officers marching with Lord Mountbatten to sign the surrender documents in Singapore on September 12, 1945.”

Norman also remembers when General Montgomery visited Liverpool in 1947.

“I was in the Seaforth barracks at the time. We had to parade for him.”

Norman was one of 11 children. He left school at 14 to work for Williamson’s bakery in Campion Street, delivering bread for £4 17s 6d a week.

When Davenports “Beer at Home” came to Derby, he went to work for them for £5 a week. He continued to deliver beer to customers’ homes for the next 28 years, eventually becoming a depot manager.

In 1976, he moved to Rolls-Royce, working there in the stores until he retired.

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