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One day whilst off duty in Londonderry, a Petty Officer aproached me, asking if I’d do him a favour and run to the NAAFI to pick up 56lb of sausages that were needed for tea.
Now it was one of those days that the heavens had really opened and as the bus service was lousy, I said I’d go if he could acquire a bike from the stores for me, as the said NAAFI was about three miles from the base. I was issued with one of the old fashioned ‘sit up and beg’ type, so off I went.
When I arrived at the store, I was the only Wren amongst many sailors. They kindly ushered me to the front of the queue where I was promptly served. Trying to balance the sausages on the bike once outside was another matter. A sailor on sentry duty found some string and then tied the parcel onto the carrier for me.
Slowly making my way past the Guildhall, there was a stationary bus. A sailor was looking out of one of the windows and he was smiling at me. As I didn’t recognise him, which wasn’t unusual as there were thousands of them in the base, I continued on my way. It must have been a sixth sense that made me stop and think, “Was he smiling because he knew me, or was he just making fun of me?
Turning round I was struck with horror. There they were, 56lb of sausages trailing from my bike along the road with a dog going hell for leather trying to catch up with his, 'would be meal'. It was no wonder the sailor was smiling at me. This being war time, the sausages were just washed and served for tea.

Muriel Ross.
nee Preesal Poulton Le Fylde. Lancashire.

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