大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Bruce Logan of the CSV Media NI Team on behalf of Oliver Gibson and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
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We were all too aware of the rationing. The food shortages. And of course, being a small boy, sweet rationing was very very important. I can remember some time after the war discovering there had been sweet coupons that wasn鈥檛 used. And I was very angry because I had spent what felt like a lifetime being deprived of sweets that there should be sweet coupons left unused.

I do remember things like Ration books. My mother cutting out the coupons carefully.
Because the bread man, when he came round he had to be given sweet coupons.
Clothing coupons 鈥� when we as children were getting clothes, when we went into the shops Mother had to make sure she had adequate coupons. So all of this was very much a part of our lives.

But we had one slight advantage. There was a train ran out of Sixmilecross going down to Bundoran. And it was nicknamed the 鈥淪ugar Train鈥�. That meant, coming up to Xmas for a half-crown a young lad could get all the way to Bundoran. And he would be supplied with a list of items that were requested. Particularly at Christmas. Like sugar, and I can remember orange peel, Raisins, sultanas and in fact anything that was on this list. We had to use this list, get as much as we could. You got a pound note, you were to make the purchases. Above all, you weren鈥檛 to lose it to the Customs man. So you learned the guile of being able to look innocent, keep the parcel or the handbag full of groceries, the items you had bought, securely out of the Customs鈥� man鈥檚 eye. And of course, carry it home carefully. Because then it was almost like Xmas had arrived [early,] probably in November. Because the sugar and sultanas and all the things that make the goodies for Xmas, were already got.

But it was also a time when we were aware of the American soldiers, and how well they were provided for. And to get an apple or an orange or a Banana was the exceptional one.

We had relatives in London and we had relatives in Glasgow. And my mother would have always made up parcels that would be posted out. They were very careful what day to post on, because they were aware of Postal delays that could.
Sending food who were really strictly rationed. So any extras that we could get locally were very much cherished and set aside. The full parcels were slowly compiled so as to help those whom we thought were in greater need than ourselves.

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More of Oliver Gibson's memories are available at:

A5866022

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