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This story was submitted to the Peoples War site by Jas from Global Information Centre Eastbourne and has been added to the website on behalf of Mr Bradley with his permission and he fully understands the site’s terms and conditions

It is a little known fact that during the War there was a scheme for American families to ‘adopt’ an English one and addresses and family details were submitted as pen-pals.
Our family was selected by a Mr. and Mrs. Ziegert and their adult son Bob.

We were sent photographs of our American family posing outside their substantial home, and riding in their Chevrolet car, which, to us, looked, for all the world, like a chariot of the Gods.

Soon after commencing our written relationship, the parcels started to arrive. The Ziegerts had encouraged our mother to tell them what items were rationed or unavailable in the U.K. and although they realised we were not starving, I believe that they enjoyed being able to send us some luxuries.

One day, close to Christmas, two huge parcels arrived. My brother and sister and I fought to tear off the wrapping.
One was full of clothing — the strangest garments we had ever seen. They were made of a thick cotton material like a knitted stocking, but with fleecy lining, were the most amazing colours and printed with Disney characters.

They had long sleeves and, most unusual of all, attached hoods. Further down the box were trousers to match, but without the Disney characters. The cuffs and ankles of these garments were ribbed and fitted snugly to wrists and legs. We could not have imagined that cotton material would be so warm — and I am sure we were the very first kids in the U.K. ever, to experience the comfort of sweat shirts and joggers.

The other box was very heavy and tickled our imagination even more, but nothing could have prepared us for anything quite so exciting.

First to emerge was a pair of chrome handlebars with brightly coloured tassels attached to the hand-grips.
Gradually an entire bicycle, albeit in several pieces, adorned our floor. The American manufacturer had included a spanner and instructions to complete the assembly, and after several arguments and everyone trying to put a nut here and a bolt there, the whole bicycle emerged like some incredible, unimaginable, dream machine.

Father Christmas himself could not have been more unexpected.

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