大象传媒

CHRISTMAS 1943

I was serving on a Minesweeper around the Greek island Areas and the Eastern Levant, as well as the shipping approaches to Malta. The island of Areas was slowly getting back to normal after the vicious air raids she had suffered. We "Paid off" (Navy terminology for 'handing over')to the Royal Hellenic Greek Navy.

Awaiting our next ship, we were sent to HMS Canopus shore base for a short rest. We spent our Christmas Day there and the menu, which I still have, was something beyond our wildest dreams - we even enjoyed a rare bottle of beer and Christmas lunch, as tradition dictated, was served by the Officer's.

Before lunch a football match had been arranged between the Minesweeping crew and the Royal Marines. The match started and promised to be a great game when on came the referee, complete with whistle, mounted on a Camel! He was certainly enthusiastic, charging around the pitch like a demented banshee blowing his whistle for all he was worth. Some of the Navy lads decided to liven things up a bit and threw a few smoke bombs onto the pitch! The inevitable happened and the game was abandoned due to thick fog!!! - we never did find that camel!

A memorable Christmas indeed!!

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