A totally enthralled audience were captivated as 98-year-old Alec Penstone told of his early life and days at the beginning of the 2nd World War at a talk for the benefit of the Museum of Ryde held last week in Ryde.
Alec told of starting work at the age of 14-years-old, and, living in Tottenham when War was declared, he immediately volunteered and joined the Air Raid Precautions, ARP. That was the prelude to the most fascinating life of adventure, risk, luck and survival.
Phenomenal memory
Alec’s memory is phenomenal and the tales he recalled in the short time we had portrayed his stoic attitude to what he was faced with.
The stories of his first ventures in the Navy and being sent to Scotland to join the Fleet that would convey supplies to the Russian forces in the Artic, were, to us today, harrowing.
Harris: We hope to have him talk to us again in the New Year
Ryde Historic Society Chairman, Brian Harris said,
“For Alec to come and support the Museum of Ryde and give us an insight to life in those years is greatly appreciated and reinforces the history that the Museum has of exhibits of life in Ryde in the past.
“With so many more insights that Alec has we hope to have him talk to us again in the New Year.”
Alec’s book, ‘My Ten and a Half Artic Convoys’ plus DVD’s are available through: [email protected]
News shared by Bob on behalf of Ryde Historic Society. Ed
