The Chocolate Drop

During the WWII years (I was 8 months old when we declared war on Germany), from the summer of 1942, right until the Autumn of 1945, Mam took me on holiday (of all places) to London, (Kingston upon Thames) to her sister’s, Aunt Sally (Sarna) and Uncle Jack’s.

I remember well, the summer of 42. (I was 3½ years old). The trains were always packed with soldiers, sailors, airman and foreign troops. Mam was stood near the door to the corridor, I was sat on our case, when this soldier got up from his seat and gave it to my Mam. He stood next to me and I remember looking up at him and wondering why he wore two brown belts, one around his waist and one over his shoulder. It wasn’t until later in life I realised that he must have been an officer and a gentleman.

As we progressed on our journey, an R.A.F man got up out of his seat to go to the toilet. And as he strode over me sat on our case, the biggest bar of chocolate I had ever seen dropped into my lap. I said to Mam “Look what the man in blue dropped when he went out”. Mam replied “Well you had better tell him when he comes back”.

When he did come back I said “Mister, you dropped this bar of chocolate when you went out”. The airman looked at it and said with a wink to Mam (she told me) “No, that’s not mine son, you had better eat it yourself.”

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