For those of us fortunate-enough to be given an extra holiday as a result of the fire, and not having to worry about our GCE examinations, I wonder if anyone else can remember what they did during that week? The weather was great, relatively warm sunny days (weren’t they always in the 50’s and 60’s in Keighley when it wasn’t snowing?) followed by frosty nights.

I don’t really remember how it all came about, possibly because in those days virtually everyone I knew had a air rifle and, getting a bit bored with firing at paper targets, I think it might have been George Clarkson who suggested that we had a game of ‘army’ but used our air rifles and lead pellets to shoot at each other.

Neil and Paul Cuthbert provided the land (their fantastic garden which backed onto Ingrow East goods yard and sidings), and several buildings that were on it, as well as a stream that ran through it. We split into two groups and the ‘battle’ commenced. Tony Greaves was also involved and possibly Geoff Pickles and the Akriggs. The memory mists over….

Thinking back, it was a miracle that no-one was injured by the .177 lead pellets which were flying all over the place, ricocheting off walls and slamming into the barricades that we hid behind to protect ourselves. Far more exciting that simply shouting ‘bang you’re dead’ as you knew when you’d been hit - and then made certain that you weren’t hit again!

I don’t think that anyone was seriously injured just a few red patches where pellets hit the exposed skin.

Brilliant times!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 59-66

Current location (optional) Embsay