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Early in the war, when my father was recalled from the Met.Police
to go back into the Royal Navy for the duration of the war, he decided ,in his wisdom, that my mother and I should go away from London S.E. to be safe.
We were sent to a farm owned by the family Herring.( I could never remember the name and said Kipper,Haddock.Plaice etc much to my mother,s annoyance.(Mind you I was only just five at the time)
Unfortunately the lady of the house was not very happy that we were there and kept saying rather nasty things to us.
Things like...I wonder if your mother and father are still alive to my mother.
And..There was a terrible raid last night...I wonder if your house is still standing.
And.. I wonder if your husband is still around with this war on.
Well after a few weeks of this my mother said that we would be better off back home and taking our chances..so back home we went.
My father went though North Africa and into Sicily.
There he was asked by the owner of a craft shop selling souvenirs for the Naval Officers whether he had a daughter or granddaughter that would like to write to her own granddaughter who was learning English helping out in the shop serving the Allied men.
So... since them I have been writing to my dear friend Santa for over SIXTY years.
I have visited her twice. once with my husband when he was alive, and once since then to commiserate with her at the loss of both our husbands.
We ring each other every few months to have a little chat...and to see that we are still alive and kicking ??????.
I sometimes cannot believe that through that horrible war came a friendship that has lasted so well and so long.
To stay with her and her family for a holiday was a real treat, as we lived Sicilian style, and went to places that ordinary tourists did not know about.
Every time we went out we met some relative or other and were taken into their lives like long lost relatives.
Through war sometimes can come good things !!!!

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