大象传媒

1944

After five years of war, I was conscripted into the army, and was astonished at the change in life style!
In those days you went into uniform and stayed in it - civilian clothes were wrapped in brown paper. I parcelled them and sent them home. I saw them again three and a half years later.
After the shortages of war we were on full rations, and the army wanted us fit - so we were transformed in sixteen weeks of strenuous exercises - very different from the office where I sat at a desk from 14 to 18.
We attended aptitude tests. I had no technical experience - we didn鈥檛 even have electricity at home. I opted for the pay corps - a foolish hope - and they enlisted me into the infantry. However, three regiments later I was happy with a posting to Trieste Free Territory on peace keeping duties. I know that these are the best years of your life and I really enjoyed Italy in the army.
Plunged back into civilian life - and to my desk job, I realized that for the present the good times were over.
In conclusion, the war stopped my accountancy studying, but gave me a maturity that few other life changing situations would have done.

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