WW2 Research

As I was trying to find out the answers to my previous questions:

1. What sort of plane would Arthur be in? More research about his job.
2. Why is Frank not at war, what reasons did men not fight?
3. What job would Mary have living in the countryside?
4. What year would this be set, which year would Africa have begun getting involved?

My granddad came round for a convenient visit. As he grew up in WW2 countryside as a boy, I thought he would be a perfect person to ask. I had a long chat with him and these are the things I found out.

1. Arthur would most likely be in a Spitfire. The Spitfire was the main front line fighter plane and it was the only British fighter plane to be in continuous production throughout the second world war. After the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire became the backbone of RAF Fighter Command, and saw action in the European, Mediterranean, Pacific and the South-East Asian theatres.

2.The two main reasons for a young man not to be fighting in the war were: they had a reserved occupation or an illness. A reserved occupation was a job that was too important for that person to go to war. This was usually a government position or an important equipment producer, e.g someone making radios for the war. The other reason was illness, these illness included:

• A physical disability, such as 1 arm.
• Blind/Short Sightedness/deaf
• A long standing disease such as TB.
• A disease that could effect physical shape eg, Polio or heart complications.

As Frank is a postman and not in a reserved occupation, it must be clear to the audience that he has a disability that makes him unable to fight in the war.

3. The two main jobs for women were factory workers and Land army. They worked in all manner of production ranging from making ammunition to uniforms to aeroplanes. The hours they worked were long and some women had to move to where the factories were. Those who moved away were paid more. We have decided to make Mary a factory worker.
4.Britian was involved in Africa during WW2 from 1941 when part of the RAF was based there to provide close air support to the British Eighth army.