Henry Vernon was born in the back-to-back slums in 2/48 Essington Street, Ladywood
Birmingham on 30th December 1931. This book is his account of a life that survived the Birmingham blitz bombing by the Germans in the 1940’s. He started his working life at The Levis Motorcycle Company in Birmingham, but felt there must be more to life than working in an engineering factory. He enlisted in the army at the tender age of seventeen and travelled the world serving his country. After 24 years he was offered a combatant commission and finished his military career off at the War Office in
Whitehall, London.
On stepping out into civvy street he carved out a second career in the Warwickshire education service for 20 years, until he took early retirement at sixty. During his working life he still found time to be an adoring husband to his wife Ann and wonderful, caring father to 4 children. Before his death on 3rd January 2012 he was also grandad to 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.