Answers to your questions put to Brit Para Vets.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Another one of Solly's stories concerns drinking in North Africa. Solly and a couple of others ventured into a town looking for a drink. All they could find was something called "Creme de Banana". Well, they drank lots of this as it was all that was on offer. From there they set off to watch a film in the local flea bitten cinema as there was a film showing which featured an actress, Ester Williams, who one of the lads was keen on. They sat in the best(!) seats in the dress circle. By now the heat and the drink had got to Jim. He was sick over the balcony into the seats and occupants below! But this was only the start of his problems. His false front tooth had fallen out and he was determined not to lose it. (Solly recalls that Jim used to keep it in a matchbox in his smock pocket when they jumped!) So all the lads had to go downstairs and search for the tooth in the sick and dirt of this filthy cinema. The tooth was found and replaced and they headed out of the dive, where the heat hit them like a blow-torch and Jim promptly passed out. Solly sat over him and slapped him lightly around the face to help bring him around, telling him to wake up as they had to get back to camp, when a voice boomed out "Soldier, if you strike that man again I will call the MP's" Solly did not turn around, but told the voice to "F**k Off!" It was only after doing this that he looked up and found that the voice belonged to the unit Padre!

[LeeG]

Adrian,
These stories are fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing them with us and putting our questions to these gentlemen.
-Lee

[Sonny Nilsson]

Love reading this

[Adrian Stevenson]

I am very pleased that you are all enjoying these stories. I wish you could hear them first hand. Here is another tale, this time from the Arnhem battle.....

The Coy. only took with them rations for 48 hours. As part of their training, the troops were taught to live off the land. While No.2 Platoon were holed up in several houses in Paasberg Street, Oosterbeek, Don Turner managed to find a chicken. As the chicken needed cooking Don searched around for a tin to cook it in. One was found in a cellar of one of the houses. The chicken was cooked and served out to the hungry men. Several commented on how great it tasted. Then one of the chaps enquired on how it was cooked? Don replied in a tin he found in the cellar of one of the houses. There was then a roar of laughter as he was told that the cooking tin had been used as a toilet pot by the men of that house!

[Laurence Strong]

Huuuup Hopefully he gave it a wipe before putting the chicken in

[Chris Stewart]

Wow, great stories Ade. Can't wait to hear more!

Reminds me of the Canadian Vets I talk to over here - they always have some pretty funny stories to tell about their adventures, preferring to tell them instead of what most would expect to hear. I love them all, as they give great context to the time in which this took place and, well, to the Human race in general.

Keep 'em coming and maybe I'll ask if some of the vets I know would mind me sharing their stories here for all to enjoy.

[Si1964]

Hi Ade,

Thanks for the continuation of the stories you have been told, they always bring a smile

Thanks