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This is a story my grandad used to tell me and my sister at dinner times to make sure we didn't leave any food on our plates!
My grandad, Roy Barker, was a soldier in the 8th Army and fought in the battle of El Alamein under General Montgomery. The story starts in the back of a truck as the men were on thier way back to camp. The driver lost sight of the others whist being behind the enemy lines and got a little lost! They were driving around for hours trying to find their way out and back to camp when Roy and a friend he was with took a closer look at what it was the truck was transporting, it was full of explosives! I remember him saying "we decided it was not a good idea being in a truck of bombs with the Germans shooting and bombing all around, one stray bullet and BANG we're gone!" He and his friend made a choice and got off the truck and made their own way.
Whilst they were lost they had no food but they did have a little water and tea for a drink. They made a fire to make the tea and were happily drinking it when they heard people coming. My grandad told his freind to put the fire out quickly, but to his dismay his friend used the last of the tea and not the vast amount of sand all around them to do so!!
It was a full three days before the two men found their way to saftey and were able to eat! Consequently whenever food was on a plate at Grandads house the saying "eat up! I went without food for three days behind enemy lines you know!!"
My grandad died in 2002 a month before his 80th birthday and this is just on tale we will always remember him for. We never leave food on our plates, or we hear that tale from someone!
Thank you to Roy and all the other men and women involved in the war. xx
Claire Barker.

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