This is the transcript of a manuscript typed by my father James (Jim) Palmer, telling his story from his early years in one of the less salubrious areas of Manchester up to the cessation of World War II hostilities in 1946. My father never spoke of these times during his life, but his written words provide a vivid and very personal insight into his life between 1918 and 1946. Dad never fully recovered from the traumas of his youth that could so easily have coloured his outlook on life and the people around him but, I am glad to say, he still managed to live his life based on the principles of honesty, kindness and high morality. As a result of this, in 1977, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee medal in recognition of his work in obtaining employment for the disabled at the then Ministry of Labour. He died in 1996 after a lengthy illness and is sorely missed by all who knew him. I hope this account will provide his grandchildren and future generations of the Palmer family with a valuable insight of the sacrifices made by my father's generation, so that we may enjoy our lives of freedom and choice. I am only sorry that I didn't know what my father had endured and that I had no opportunity to say, "I'm proud of you, Dad". I have added a few explanatory footnotes, but apart from these, hereon in all the words come from my father. Graham Palmer, 2015