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Roy Jones: a narrow escape from the army
In the second of four extracts from his new memoir, the Morning Star’s legendary former industrial reporter looks back at his life in the Royal Air Force in 1948

NATIONAL SERVICE was for “healthy” males aged 17 to 21 years old who were expected to serve for 18 months under the National Service Act 1948. This was extended later to two years.

In February of 1948, I received my papers and underwent a medical. I passed what seemed like a simple test for what I imagined to be such a serious responsibility.

Then I tore open a finger thus delaying my call-up to August. My mam said she had never seen me move so fast before I took a train to Padgate, Warrington where I became a raw RAF recruit.

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