243087 Harry William Radley Auxiliary Fire Service At the outbreak of WWII, My Father, Harry Radley, with his brother John James and brother-in-law James Ford all living in Walthamstow East London volunteered to join the Royal Marines. My Father was the only one to fail the medical because he had flat feet. He was told that he was fit enough to join the newly formed AFS, this he did and began his training in 1941 in London. His Brother and Brother-in-law were accepted and were selected for the Marines. He successfully completed his training and began his duties in London during the Blitz. For a while, he worked in the London docks area. He was also deployed to Plymouth during the time that the City was bombed. In 1944 he was hospitalized after receiving very bad burns to his back when the roof of a burning soap factory collapsed onto him. Whilst in the hospital he was given his discharge. In the meantime, his Brother John was serving with distinction in the 1st Btn Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation RM. In September he was captured at the fall of Tobruk and became a POW and handed over to the Italians, he was repatriated in March 1943.
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