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The war had ended the electricity supply to our billets came from Helmstadt in the Russian zone, it was not very reliable, being off for longer periods than on.
I decided to hook up a supply from one of our mobile generators which were installed in the vehicles that toured the area with Film entertainment for the various army units.
The Generators were 230 volts a.c. and by taking the supply from one of these units using two leads fitted with male plugs, then plugging these in to two existing sockets in the billets, we were able to utilize conrol over the normal room switches and sockets, before we switched on for the first time I got my colleague to plug our portable electric fire in, we isolated the normal mains supply intake and we were up and running, enjoying light heat & radio from our own supply Onan petrol generator.
I recall the Major being well pleased at this, and saying "Shame it won't take an electric fire, I tried mine and the lights dipped" So fortunately we had got in first.
Strange things happened to the supply meter which had remained in circuit, it started to go backwards!, the original supply was D.C.and this was the effect an A.C. supply had, not that I recall anyone reading the meter, I don't think we as a military unit ever paid any bills, our problems were over.

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