- Contributed by听
- CSV Media NI
- People in story:听
- George Samuel Lapsley
- Location of story:听
- India
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A7956561
- Contributed on:听
- 21 December 2005
This story is taken from an interview with George Samuel Lapsley, and has been added to the site with their permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. The transcription was by Bruce Logan.
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He joined the LDV in 1939, aged 15. He didn鈥檛 grow after that age 鈥 he was almost 6ft tall!
They got no special rations, because they were only civilians.
In England the LDV used sticks. In Ulster they borrowed B-Special guns and uniforms.
George went to QUB and quit the LDV. He was in the rugby team there 鈥 Blair Mayne鈥檚 former team. George quit and joined the RN in 1943.
Utacommund in the Nilgari Hills, near Poona, is 12k ft high.
The Madras people go there in the hot season. It was the only time George ever got sunburn 鈥 on the nose! He had 12 days leave there.
Trinchinopoly.
He saw thousands of Ghandi鈥檚 followers. It was one of his last tours.
There was a man making pure brass idols.
There was a riding school, like the South Downs. The woman in charge asked the sailors 鈥淗ave you ever ridden before?鈥
George said 鈥測es鈥 because he had ridden his grandfather鈥檚 Clydesdale in Donegal. They gave him a horse called Christopher. 鈥淗e鈥檒l know if you can ride or not.鈥
George had strong legs, and held on very tight. But as they rode out they met a water buffalo, and it charged! Christopher ran off, but George didn鈥檛 get thrown.
鈥淵ou were marvellous. I love the Irish. You鈥檙e the only one who can ride Christopher. You can ride him for free.鈥
On Thursday the woman told George 鈥 鈥淚鈥檓 glad you鈥檙e here. On Friday we have the races.鈥
鈥淪orry. My leave ends tomorrow. I go home tomorrow morning.鈥
鈥淎t least Christopher got some exercise.鈥
The RN was the cleanest service. All men were in cramped conditions. 1 captain complained 2 men were too dirty. He had them taken onto the deck and scrubbed with deck brushes and carbolic acid until they were red raw!
The UK had rationing until 1954. Meat and bananas were the last.
This meant the growth of the Spiv culture, and the re-election of the Tories.
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