Stories of a Cook Serving in North Africa and Italy

The contributor shared that her great-grandfather, Harold Dorman, worked in the 8th Army. Harold served as a cook in North Africa, specifically in Egypt and Italy, and he received both the Italy Star and North Africa Star. The contributor had heard that a Major who worked above her great-grandfather used to steal rations. One day, Harold made a "special" batch of soup that was full of salt, knowing that the Major would take it. The contributor noted that the Major never stole rations again.

The contributor noted that her great-grandfather always looked out for the little man. She explained that Harold returned to the UK in 1946, and later in life, he refused to buy anything made in Japan, as he had friends who were treated horrendously by the Japanese during the war. The contributor highlighted that all these stories have been passed down through generations and considered how much we can really know about their experiences.

The contributor added that Harold's wife lived in Egham, Surrey during the war, and they had family from East London come to live with them. The contributor was unsure as to whether her great-grandmother did any war work. The contributor noted that their family owned a toy shop.