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John and Horace Tallow were brothers who both served at RAF Hornchurch with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1941. John Tallow’s role was an “anti-aircraft gunner, protecting the base.” His role continued at a number of bases around England and Scotland until he was sent to join the North African campaign. John recalled that “Indian soldiers were treated very well” and that there was “no discrimination during the war.” In England, however, he remembered that “there were separate class sections in pubs and on trains, but they applied to everyone. “˜That had nothing to do with race, it was the English status thing,’ he laughs. “˜We used to go where we wanted. We’d tell them, “˜we’re here to save your island, maybe we should let it sink.’ They never bothered us.'”

Bibliographic sources

Garry Allison, “Bloods answered call to stand on guard,” Kainai News, 9 November 1989, 9.