Page 132 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

Another friend reminded me of the way in which someone we knew would wave a yellow

duster as her husband's train for work went past their house near the border of St. James

and Muizenberg. This caused some suspicious observers on the train to suspect that there
was a secret signal being given by a would-be spy.

Not all the men were in uniform. There were those who were more useful working for the

Government in areas vital to the war effort or keeping the economy going, and these were
known as "key" men.

Radio was a great morale-booster during the war. Not only were there powerful speeches
from Winston Churchill which we always gathered around the radio to hear, but there were

the regular comedy slots such as ITMA (It's That Man Again) which had the same sayings

each week. We would wait with baited breath for Mrs. Mop to come in saying "Shall I do
you now, sir?" in the style of British humour, making light of wartime conditions in Britain

at the time.

Our own government would declare regular days of prayer when we would pray for Allied
forces especially at times when things were blackest. We would pack out our local

churches in order to join together in praying for a successful end to hostilities. There would

be news of those missing or killed in battle and there would be great sorrow if it was a
local man reported killed. Sometimes we would hear of men being taken prisoners of war

and it was an anxious time all round. Many served in Italy for long spells. My mother
would pack food parcels for my brother Roy there, which had to be covered in calico

carefully sewn up on the outside and addressed to his unit.

I cannot ever remember doubting that the outcome would be favourable to the Allies, but I

do not think we expected the war to last nearly as long as it did. We used to wonder what
we would do "after the war" as though we were temporarily locked in time. There was

considerable war-weariness, especially on the part of wives and parents of servicemen.

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