大象传媒

We were waiting off the coast of Southern England on June the 5th 1944 and we were quite tense tired and worried. The officers said we'd get some food out and we'd try this - something we haven't seen before - self heating soup. The only flavour, I think, was Tomatoe. In the top of themetal tin was a little circle and it said ignite using a cigarette - but before this there were two little arrows on the side of the can where it said punch here and here. We all punched a hole in both sides, apart from one man who punched the holes in the side of the can. The cans were really hot as the fuse went all the way down to the bottom. This man had put his soup to one side on a ledge which was level with his head. We all had cans with the soup coming up from the top but because he'd punched holes in the side of his can the soup came out at force of the sides of the can - straight into his ears!! He had tomatoe soup all down his ears but unfortunately for him he became our first casaulty with a badly scalded ear. The whole ship was quickly laughing and the story spread down the ship like wildfire. Other ships which were part of the flotilla quickly heard the laughter and were asking what we laughing at and the story quickly spread down the whole flotilla. It was a tension relieving moment in the waiting.

Lawrence told his story to a people's war volunteer

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