I have enjoyed the many letters in The Argus recently regarding the Ronuk company situated in Portslade.

I left school in July 1938 shortly after my 14th birthday and my first employment was with Ronuk.

The very first day I started, the rest of the factory was closed for its annual holiday.

So I was put to the task of painting the wooden fence around the building.

When the staff returned I was placed in the transport office under the transport manager, Mr Cox. Mr Wally Cooper was to train me.

Every Friday morning I was sent to London on the 7.20am fast train from Hove to London Bridge to learn the London district that Ronuk delivered to (hospitals, docks, etc).

It was a man called Chas Poulter, a driver, who taught me the geography of the areas.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, territorial soldiers were called up, which left few male members of staff. By this point, the women vastly outnumbered the remaining men.

By 1941 (I was 16), the transport manager went into hospital to have cataracts removed from both eyes. It took three months for him to return to work.

During his absence, I was given the task of running the rail and road transport office.

When Mr Cox returned, the general manager (Mr Brown) rewarded me with one pound for running the transport office in Mr Cox’s absence.

I volunteered for the RAF in 1941 and returned to Ronuk on being demobbed in 1947 and stayed there until 1948/9.

My late sister Dulcie also worked at Ronuk from 1934 to 1948. She finished up as forewoman. This post had always been held by men prior to then.

Eric Cosstick, Fairfield Gardens, Portslade