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 We never had a Concert or film at the Rover Hostel*. There was a hall suitable for both, but it only got used a few times for dancing to gramaphone records.
The first influx of directed labour came from Birmigham's Rover No. l and 2. All they thought about was going boozing in the evenings. A member of the works staff asked me if I was interested in joining a Club called the "Castaways". The name speaks for itself, that's how we felt during those first few months. I didn' t like the sound of it and so made excuses. Events proved me to be right. A lot of pairing up resulted from it.
* Albert is refering here to the former construction workers hostel which was used to temporarily house the factory workers.

 By 1943 the National Service Hostel** was ready to receive us. It was built on holiday camp lines. Chalets, single and double with centre service blocks. A beautiful theatre and Dance Hall and a full-time Welfare Officer, an ex-professional entartainer. It was dancing every evening with Friday being a special night. "Ensa" Variety and "CEMA" a sister organisation to "Ensa", being Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts, Plays , Musicals little known of, once a week.
** This is sometimes referred to as the 'Blakeshall Hostel'.

 Early in 1944 the 8th American Air Force Control Staff took oven our old Hostels. Using their films and our projector we had some of the latest pictures before they had even reached the public cinemas. "Arsenic & Old Lace" was the first. From time to time Sir Walter Hudd brought a Company and put on many an old favourite. "The importance of being Ernest" and "When we are married" to name a couple.

 John Clements, Googie Withers, A.E.Matthews in "They came to a City". The cast, with the exception of John Clements, stayed for a week at the Hostels. He was too high and mighty it was said. Strange that, he being a Communist. I was late collecting my dinner one night in this particular week and most of the residents were already eating theirs. A young woman arrived at the service hatch at the same time as myself. Thinking she was one of a new batch of 'Directed Workers' I paused to pass a few words, thinking it would make her feel less alone. Out of the blue there was a noisy outburst of You-hoos and whistles. It was my lads giving me 'the bird'. The young woman who was quick, said "Are you the Foreman or something?" Then I noticed it was Googie Withers. I apologised, with the added "I'll put them in their place tomorrow." She thought it was fun, I suppose they are used to that sort of ribbing.

 Almost the first show put on was a Trio from a nearby Army Barracks, Piano, Banjo, and this will surprise you, in place of Drums was an old Kitchen Range. It must have weighed two hundredweight. On the top was one or two large heavy cast iron pots with lids. The operator beat time by kicking the stove. Various banging up and down of the pot lids provided sound effects that had to be heard to be believed. We were in stitches at it. The musicians themselves couldn't keep a straight face.

 A Glasgow man McMaster and myself organised various Billiard and Table Tennis competitions at the Hostels. We did most of the paperwork during the week-ends in the Works Manager's Office. Being Supervisory Staff we were able to get in and out of the works at any time.

 Eventually the Rover Social Club got going. One tunnel bay was set aside for concerts and dancing, mostly during the mid-day or mid-night breaks. Billiard and Snooker handicaps. There was a lot of talent around. Handicapping was a chancy business I got lumbered with 'scratch'. He's the one that has to give points start to all the others. I won the Billiards and got some National Saving Certificates as the prize, plus a silver medal for the highest break at snooker. The bloke that beat me won that one. Who said proficiency at billiards was a sign of mis-spent youth? A professional named Lawrence gave an exhibition to the works. He was the first outsider admitted to the tunnels. I was chosen to play him in the Exhibition Game. The Billiard Room, a bay in a section that housed all the social activities, had three tables (full size) one was a special match table with tiered seating all round. A very popular place at mid-day break and inbetween shifts. Plenty of time to practice here with nothing much else to do after work in the evenings.

 Preparing for the invasion of Europe, the Americans built a Hospital (The 52nd General it was called) about a mile away from the works. I was invited in my capacity as Chief of First Aid to see around the place. I never seemed to have the time and I often regret not going. The first batch, the 8th Air Force, occupied our old Rover Hostel. A fine lot of chaps, mostly college chaps. They used the recreational facilities we had at the Hostels where they were made very welcome, especially by the girls.

 Romance blossomed, often to the annoyance of our own chaps. The dances at evenings gave us our first introduction to the 'Jitter-bug' craze, They were good at it. The Scottish Girls soon mastered it. Our partners weren't so plentiful now there were rivals. The second batch were a tough lot and many quarrels broke out. Fights for the ladies favours were common. On one particular week-end a near riot developed at the Hostel which necessitated calling in the American M. P's. Just before D.Day a young officer gave me a lift in a jeep after mid-day dinner at the Hostel, to the works gate. He told me he was a regular Officer, married and had a family in the U.S.A. He said he wasn't worried about the war or the outcome. "It is the sure knowledge that I shall be in Germany for 10 yrs after the finish that worries me." "Do you really think so?" I said. "What else - Germany will be destroyed, we will have to build it up again" - a Prophet indeed,

 Two weeks before D.Day the Yanks disappeared - just like that - overnight and without a hint. The wailing from the girls could be heard above all else. They were confident that letters would be pouring in from their sweethearts but nothing came. We all knew better, or rather guessed that security demanded secrecy. How many romances were revived I wonder.

 They were a fine lot of chaps. Without a doubt some of them lost their lives. Playing table-tennis and billiards with them , sitting and talking about their life at home they became my friends. Dan Arnold, who had worked his way through University as the Librarian. The huge fellow whose parents had a massive farm. His "We kill six hogs a year for ourselves" made my meat starved mouth water. The Commercial Artist who gave Pat a new type pen, a Biro, only just on the market. These young chaps made quite a fuss of Jean who was 14 and Pat who was 12 when they came with Nell to stay at the Hostels during the short holidays, when most of the residents had gone home. Permission from Miss Steadman, that's the Manageress, had to be obtained but she was always helpful, as were all the staff, within the limits of the job. Board and Living charges. were the same as ours 24/- a week, 1/- mid-day dinner extra. The family had a few nice holidays at the National Service Hostels at Drakelow.

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