Methlick reminiscences [transcript]
Adie, WilliamUUUU
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Imprint:
Formartine Partnership 2008.
Series title:
Formartine Oral History Project ; FP090749
Notes:
Interviewed by Roland Buchan on 30/9/07.Accompanies CD Bib No 585180.Summary: Mr Buchan starts the interview by asking Mr William Adie about his upbringing. Mr Adie replies that he was born in the parish of Monquhitter but since attending Methlick school at the age of seven has considered himself as a Methlick boy. Mr Buchan asks Mr Adie about the school that he attended and Mr Adie replies that he attended Methlick Higher Grade School with his two younger sisters. He then retells an anecdote about his headmaster and speaks a little about the discipline in the school and the school’s Armistice memorial services. He also tells Mr Buchan about his time as a Scout.Mr Buchan then asks Mr Adie about the outbreak of the Second World War and Mr Adie talks about rationing, the land army and the troops of soldiers who trained in the local area. He also mentioned some of the men who were taken prisoner by the Germans at St Valery and some of those who died during the war. Mr Buchan asks Mr Adie about his own experiences at this time and Mr Adie tells him about the jobs that he did after leaving school: working on a farm and then in a cycle repair shop as well as mentioning air raids and the first time he sighted a German bomber. It was at this time that Mr Adie started training with the Air Training Corp, which was an experience that he found very interesting. When the time came for Mr Adie to sign up he tried to join the Royal Air Force but failed his second medical. He was therefore given ground staff duties such as guard duty. He was based down at Southampton for a while, where he was often under attack from bombers. He was then sent to France and then onto Belgium.One of Mr Adie’s most memorable experiences of the war was going deaf for a day while posted in Belgium. He explains that he was walking along the sea wall when he saw two destroyers coming in, one which was badly damaged. Suddenly, anti-aircraft battery shells were falling all around him and the noise caused him great pain and made him go deaf for a day. Mr Buchan then asks Mr Adie about his experiences after the war and Mr Adie explains that he volunteered to return to France where he worked in a diplomatic field. In this situation he met a lot of important war-time people as well as marrying his wife, whom he had met before when he first went to France. Mr Adie was then sent home and demobbed. Mr Buchan asks Mr Adie about his contributions to the community since the war and Mr Adie explains how he is the chairman of the Royal British Legion, Scotland and also how he helps people trace their family routes in Methlick. The interview ended with Mr Buchan thanking Mr Adie for his time and also for his work in the community. (summary by Anna Fancett, transcriber)
Local class:
F1
Language:
English
BRN:
644192