Hampshire man finds old school photo from Second World War

Peter Carpenter, 94, of Twyford Road, Eastleigh, recently found an old class photo taken on VE Day in 1945, picturing him and his classmates at Sparsholt School.

The discovery led Mr Carpenter to reflect on his extensive life, which carried him from farming in the rolling Hampshire fields through to service in the RAF and a decades-long career at Eastleigh’s Pirelli factory.

Now fully retired and living in Eastleigh with his wife Sylvia, Mr Carpenter recalled his formative years in the village of Sparsholt.

He recalled growing up on his father's farm near Winchester, American troops billeted nearby, getting bomb shock as a child, and soldiers firing at the children walking down the street.

Mr Carpenter said: "My standout memory is the war. I will never forget seeing a young American soldier in the field, and he was crying. He knew that they were going in the next couple of days, and I will never forget seeing him sat under that hedge."

Peter also spoke about the bomb shelters, air raids, and “butterfly” bombs that children were warned never to touch.

By age 12, Peter was working on his father's farm to support the war effort, earning sixpence an hour. He would haul sacks of corn, work the harvest and keep the chickens, turkeys, and rabbits for meat.

Sparsholt School photo taken on VE Day, 1945 (Mr Carpenter is standing third in on the left). (Image: Eve Thompson)

The war’s disruption to his education led Mr Carpenter to pursue certificates in English, maths, and engineering during his later military service.

He joined the Royal Air Force as a young man and trained as a member of the ground staff, where he was posted in Scotland and other places around the UK.

Peter said that his time serving was the 'making of him' as it taught him strength, resilience and an exemplary work ethic.

After the war, Mr Carpenter began a long career at Pirelli’s in Eastleigh, rising from roles in testing and quality control to become production superintendent.

Peter and Sylvia have celebrated 72 years of marriage and used retirement to travel across Europe, including one of the first British tours of Romania.

Three years ago, Mr Carpenter was diagnosed with leukaemia and now relies on regular blood transfusions at Southampton General Hospital.

He said: "The NHS doesn’t deserve the criticism it gets. They have been fantastic, and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has looked after me.

"The main lesson I've learnt in life is not to worry. Always be grateful for the people you have around you, because they will always be your support."