When my dad was 15 years of age
He was an apprentice storekeeper
Learning the trade...
In summer it was a 2-3 hour bicycle ride
To get to work in a little town
Called Hegyeshalom; near the Austrian border
Then another 2-3 hour ride home...
In winter he had to stay there and earned nothing...
Because he had to pay his room and board
He earned a quarter of standard wages
Then half wages as he progressed
Not worth it!
He left that and got a job in the local factory!
In Mosonmagyarovar; Hungary
At 15-16 he did so well
Did a month's work in a day...
His boss was Kovacs Lajos
He was put on a machine
Making copper/brass fittings
(Don't ask me what machine!)
He had to place his foot upon a pedal
And press it down whilst pushing a long
Piece of brass/copper into the machine
To make single fittings...
He worked out that if he kept his foot
Upon the pedal and continued to push
The metal through; he could simply keep
Producing them over and over
Without stopping...
So that's what he did...
The boss came around to check his progress
Kovacs Lajos was amazed and praised him!
He kept on producing heaps of these fittings!
At Christmas time; Kovacs Lajos
Gave him half a day off and said
He would clock off for him at 5:30 pm!
Later on dad was involved in making
Brass casings for cannon shells
In a munitions factory: (Corvus Corp)
Which were sent off to be filled elsewhere
Talks with my father
18th August 2018
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