"I Took Lunch Out"

At the age of three and a half, in the summer of 1943 and evacuated to Headley Down in Hampshire, I frequently went wandering but always came home for meals. On one occasion, I did not return and a search was initiated but to no avail. I eventually returned home in time for the evening meal and could not understand the worried state of my mother.

"Where were you at lunchtime?" she asked, and "Oh I took lunch out" was my reply.

The explanation, which was eventually wrung out of me, was that I had been nosing around a group of Italian prisoners of war, who were repairing a local road, They welcomed me into their camp at lunchtime and gave me a bowl of soup. The Italians' love of children is well known and they sent me on my way clutching a 25 lira coin. Sadly this coin can no longer be found.

Needless to say, I did not visit my new friends ever again!