Author of ..'1600-1947 Anglo-Indian Legacy: A Brief Guide to British Raj India History, Nationality, Education, Railways & Irrigation'

Alfred 'George' Gabb was brought up in Kirkee, near Poona (Pune) in India. He was educated at St Joseph's College, Bangalore and Barnes High School, Devlali. In 1947, the year of India's Independence from the British 'Raj', he returned to England to qualify as a Civil Engineer from Loughborough College, (now Loughborough University). His subsequent career took him to the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Pakistan and England, where he was involved with roads, railways,ports,power stations,irrigations, land drainage and flood protection works.

Alfred remembers the Duck Pond was the official swimming pool ,between 1940 and 1946, the boys used to swim in it whenever they liked, unsupervised, and often in the nude!! Many was the time they were caught short when the girls appeared, under strict supervision of course, and the boys had to make a run for it, trying to hide their modesty using hastilly grabbed uniforms or nearby bushes, amidst the hilarity of the girls.

The photo above is George in the A.F.I., that is school cadet corps known as the Auxillary Force India, which was attached to the G.I.P. Railway Regiment in 1946. It was disbanded after independence

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The photo above is of the remainder of the Cadet Corps at Barnes School in 1946. The fellows out of cadet uniform show the school fair uniform at that time. It was just after the war when every thing was in short supply. We could not even get the rubber inner tube for our footballs. The sports gear was a grey shirt and blue shorts, with a house colour strip.

If you would like more details about Alfred's book see below:

'1600-1947 Anglo-Indian Legacy: A Brief Guide to British Raj India History, Nationality, Education, Railways & Irrigation', published 2000 ISBN0948333898, together with 'Available from Alfred D.F.Gabb, Church Farm Bungalow, Overton, York, U.K. YO30 1YL. (e-mail: alfred.gabb@btinternet.com). Price including p&p £8.10 in UK, £8.70 Overseas Surface Mail, or £10.30 Overseas Airmail.