Any gum chum?

My older sister and I can remember seeing pictures of bananas. When they became available after the war, I was sent next door to take my bananas to old Mrs Brunt as only children could have them, it taught me a valuable lesson : to share.

I remember the queues for food, my mother saw a lady with a packet of Weetabix, and I had to ask her where she had got it, so that we could queue for some.

My father kept chickens in our garden and used to supply eggs to the neighbours. He had to have their ration books to enable him to buy food for the chickens. I remember we planted potatoes in our front garden as well- to keep us going.

Weetabix boxes were the best for our shoes so that we didn’t walk on the road. If we had an orange we had to eat the peel and pith we were so hungry. I don’t know how my mother managed but we always had a Christmas stocking (usually one of my father’s socks) with new pennies, oranges, apples and a colouring book.

When the GI’s went through we used to shout “any gum chum”.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the BBC Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Pauline Jones and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Pauline's stories:

• Pipelines under the sea
• Not allowed to play
• What a 10th birthday present!

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