大象传媒

This story was submitted to the Peoples War site by Jas from Global Information Centre Eastbourne and has been added to the website on behalf of Dr Bishop with his permission and he fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions

My father, Major Tom Bishop, was flying despatches in North Africa in 1943 when he was taken by the Germans.

He ended up in Oflag VII B, near Eichstatt, a small town in southern Bavarian.

One sunny summer's day in 1944 a friend and compatriot of his was lying out, dressed in a skimpy jock strap, getting his back burnt. The deputy commandant, who prided himself on using his English to needle British offices, came by and addressed him:
"May-or Mc Kenzie, I do not know vat is ze custom in Eng-land, but in Gairmany ve do not so lie, zus exposing ze sexual organs."

Without looking up, Mc Kenzie replied: "Well, Sir that鈥檚 the difference in national custom. It's actually Scotland, not England, but in both countries we do NOT regard the bottom as a sexual organ.

Several hundred bystanding British officers roared with laughter and the German, realising that he and his nation had been called "buggers" to his face, went red with rage and awarded Mc Kenzie one month in solitary.

"Well worth it" said Mc Kenzie cheerfully.

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