1947

All this time, mum, to help bring in some more cash,
Off to her work, morn afternoon, night would bash.
She cleaned offices, shops, ladies houses part-time;
Anything to bring in a few more dime.

Off on her bike, day and night she'd ride.
I know she would have loved to stay by our side.
But dad's money was so very poor,
She had to work to make some more.

In March forty-seven, biggest floods ever seen,
School leaver's age was raised to fifteen.
Elizabeth gave our country a welcome boost;
Phillip, new hubby married, home to roost.

During this year, for me quite a change.
Got long trousers, they did feel strange.
Then I also became a scouting boy,
Helped them win the swimming cup, to their joy.

Scouts were not quite my cup of tea,
So I joined sea cadets, never off to sea.
I don't think I was long with them either,
Just not right, scouts or sea cadets neither.

Spent too much time marching up and down,
Either in the hut, or in some little town.
I don't suppose it happens in schools now,
Seemed a regular affliction then, somehow.

The real poor kids got covered in 'nits'.
It gave the rest of us the blinkin' ****?
Getting them in class seemed to be a curse,
We got a regular visit from the 'nit' nurse.

Didn't matter if you had them or not,
If she found in the class, she treated the lot.
Horrible stuff was put on your head,
Killed the little blighters dead.

Oldsters reading this I bet would catch,
All giving their heads a damn good scratch.
Sister and I never seemed to get ill,
A nasty cough maybe, if you will.

German fever and, of course, the mumps,
All things seemed to bring out various bumps.
Nothing broken I can recall,
Even resulting from a heavy fall.

Of course we had a scrape or bruise;
Running, climbing, just as we'd choose.
One thing I did that hurt like a wason fire,
When running in woods, ran into barbed wire.

Five centimeter scar from that wooded tour,
Last act for me of the Second World War.