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This story was submitted to the People's War site by Rachel Powell daughter of Mr Hartley and has been added to the website by Jackie Anthony with her permision and she fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

I was about 6 years old in 1940. My father had MS and so was not called up. We had a great many evacuees in the town from the Channel Islands (Guernsey) which was very stressful for the children as it was difficult to get news through because of the occupation of the Islands.

As everywhere else food was scarce and we would do anything to get it. One day in an aside to our gardener Mr Hilditch my father said, without thinking,

"What we really need is a pig".

A few days later he had a 'phone call

"I've got one for you Mr Hartley"

"What do you mean?" asked my father

"I can't tell you over the 'phone but it's got a leg on each corner"

I wonder who he thought was tapping the 'phone.
My father was not receptive and he never did find out what Mr Hilditch did with the pig.

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