´óÏó´«Ã½

We were in Venice for 3 months, sweeping the entrance to the harbour. While there each day, we sailed to a small fishing village called Choggin where we swept the harbour. The fishermen used to follow us, and as each mine exploded they would hurry around behind us and get all the fish that would surface from the explosion! They were quite pleased that we were there doing our job — when we departed they gave us a party at the town hall.

I had become quite friendly with one particular family and they had hoped that I would stay on and become engaged to their daughter but I had a girlfriend back home in England. They gave me a silver gravy boat that I still have to this day.

On our return to Venice, to continue the sweeping, the local forces paper — called the Union Jack printed an article asking the people in the town would they please be quiet in the evenings as the poor sailors have to get up very early in the morning to go out and do the mine sweeping!

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.