大象传媒

I am not sure now if our `Victory Party` took place on May 8th or perhaps a day or two after that. Anyway it was a huge success and the memories of it are still with me 60 years later!
The first thing that I think of is the sheer logistics of the whole thing. We had lived through a six year period of severe rationing and yet the table that was eventually laid out for the children of the area was totally amazing.
Just across the border in the Republic of Ireland (a neutral in the war) there was of course no rationing and people from Belfast made the occasional foray into the `south` for much coveted butter,sugar,meats and anything they could find that was in short supply in Northern Ireland. Mind you they had to deal (one way or another!)with HM Customs at the Border Stations but that is another story for later !
There was also a `black market` in ration coupons thriving in Belfast. In addition to this there were older single people who did not always use their allocation of coupons.
Anyway from these various sources the ladies of this particular area of the Cregagh Road in Belfast did themselves and their children proud on that day in May 1945.
The tables were provided by local churches, the table cloths had been sewn up months before as was the multi-coloured bunting.
Flags were everywhere and not just the Union Jack. Children were lined up impatiently on the sidewalk (footpath) of an adjoining street and told to wait for the signal to file into Dromore St. and take their places.
I have another reason to remember that day vividly. I was lined up single file with the boys from "Geordie Carrol`s wee gang". We all talked and laughed excitedly about how much we were going to eat. The boy behind me,Alistair, had learned a new trick and decided to try it on me. He tapped me hard on the shoulder and as I turned towards him he brought his knee up into my groin.
I went down in a flash and my young life passed before me. A mutter in the line-up brought Geordie Carrol and his brother to see what was going on. When they learned the origin of my misfortune they escorted Alistair up the nearest back entry and taught him a harsh lesson about hurting smaller boys !!
Anyway Alistair, if you are out there, all is forgiven!
I did recover (the power of youth) in time for the whistle calling us to the table.
It was without doubt a groaning board. Laden with things we could hardly remember and things some of us had never seen.
There was iced cakes,buns with cream and coloured sugar on top, custard, jelly, blanc mange,apple pies, rhubarb pies, biscuits and lemonade and orange juice and even some apples and bananas.
Maybe there were sandwiches too but I only remember the sweet things.
As the feast ws drawing to an end our local MP, Mr Harry Midgeley stood up on a makeshift platform of grocery boxes and made a speech about how brave our soldiers had been and how supportive our people had been. Then he introduced a local young soldier to everyone and presented him with a new wallet and a crisp five pound note (a small fortune in those times). I and the boys around me looked hard at the young soldier. We were a bit disappointed. He did not have medals or ribbons. He did not have officer pips. He was not wounded. In fact he looked rather mesmerised by the whole thing.
Most of us had access to American Comics now from US soldiers stationed all around Belfast. This young soldier did not fit the picture of the war hero we had avidly read about for some years. In any event the party ended happily with everyone giving him three hearty cheers at the urging of Mr Midgeley.

(Duncher)

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