大象传媒

In l944 while living at Poole, I looked like a miniature Shirley Temple, so my older sister and her friends used to make me sit at the kerb side when an American jeep hoved into view and was ordered to look as sad as possible. It always worked. The jeep would screech to a halt and I would be surrounded by concerned G.Is confronted by such a pathetic waif. I would be showered with chocolate and my blond curly head patted before they tore off up the road again. As soon as the dust settled, out would come my sister's friends and my chocolate would be rapidly grabbed, and if I was lucky a scrap would be left for me.

My father had been invalided out of the Army due to injury and was made an Inspector of Fighting Vehicles based in the West Country. This entailed ll different schools all over the south west and in Bath he left his mark by trundling a massive tank up the hill where we lived, leaving a permanent track mark on the pavement. I understand it was left as a memorial! It could at times be a very hazardous occupation but I never really knew what was involved.

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