General Chat

They say that in the army
The NCO's are good
but I fell over two of them while walking in the wood!
Oh, I dont want no more of army life,
gee but i wanna go
but they wont let me go , gee they wont let me go
Gee but I wanna go home. and so on
with more verse as you thought of them. Jean

They say there's a troopship just leaving Bombay
Bound for old Blightys shore
Heavily laden with time expired men
Bound for the land we adore ... etc

And

We're leaving Khartoum
By the light of the moon
We're travelling by night and by day
We've passed Kasfareet and had nothing to eat
We've thrown all our rations away


But we are getting close to a NAAFI "sods opera" with this type

Snowie

Another popular tune of the war years........


Kiss me goodnight, Sergeant Major!
Tuck me in my little wooden bed.
We all love you, Sergeant Major!
When we hear you bawling "Show a leg"
Don't forget to wake me in the morning
And bring me round a nice hot cup of tea.
Kiss me goodnight, Sergeant Major!
Sergeant Major be a mother to me.

I remember singing all those songs as a child ...
and Brenda , the 'quarter masters store' is something which we were still singing to our own children when they came along.

Mac, my name is my name.... shall I pm you?

Deanna X

Oooooh Chris..... the soldiers taught my sister and I that too.

But we were sworn to ... NEVER TELL MY DAD!!
Taught it to my children though!! ;-0)

Just must add this. After my father died, in his things , I found a tin of Goat brand condensed milk, I dont know if he had saved it during the war and forgotten it.

I did not know whether to keep it as an Antique, in the end I threw it away.

We never went short of food as we had our rations, I had school dinners, and then the Council had meals for us at the Municiple Restaurant, My grandfather used to go with basins to pick up the food, and sweet. I can still taste the lovely apple dumplings and custard. Fish and Chips was another life saver.

Tea was used twice, not tea bags but loose leaves.
My Dad used to make a lovely omelette with dried eggs, and tomatoes.

I never liked sugar in tea,so our sugar was saved for cakes and pastry. Suet from the butcher for a suet pudding.
Grandfather ,being a pensioner, used to spend his days roaming the shops for anything that was going, picking up ciggies from various shops for his relatives and friends.

He also used to bring a sack of potatoes home,and sacks of apples, onions were short, dont know why, so that was another thing he looked out for.

We were able to buy grey blankets for use in the Shelters, and used to patch and mend our clothes.Can remember my aunt making me a sunsuit out of an old overall of hers.

The only thing I really missed was Bananas.

Rationing went on well into the 1950's. and being as this was clothes rationing as well, and I was in my teens, I was after Grandfather for his clothes coupons, as he did not want to buy many clothes.

I reckon we survived the war and did'nt starve, owing to my old Grandfather 's roaming, God Bless him.

Norah
You are so right

Four more from school days

Cockles and Mussels
In Dublins fair city, Where girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone

Clementine
In a cavern in a canyon excavating for a mine
Lived a miner, forty niner and his daughter Clementine

Randall my Son
Oh where have you been to Randall my Son
Oh where have you been to my pretty one

Barbara Allen
In Scarlet town where I was born
There was a fair maid dwelling
May every Youth cry Well a day
Her name was Barbara Allen



and not at School but seemed to be pretty polular

Galway Bay
Oh some day I'll go back to Ireland
It may be at the closing of the day
I will sit and watch the moon rise over Clada
And watch the sun go down on Galway bay

and another gem!!!

I remember this one making me cry cos it was so sad.

Poor Butterfly.... 'neath the blossoms waiting...
Poor Butterfly.... for she loved him so...
The moments passed into hours...
The hours passed into years..
And as she smiles through her tears..
She murmers low...
The moon and I..
know that he'll be faithful...
I know he'll come ... to me by and by..
But if he don't come back...
Then I'll never sigh or cry...
I just must die..
Poor butterfly...

Norah

I think the following was sung by Flanagan and Allen but not sure of this.
It was the very first song that I remember from the wireless.........................

Umbrellas, umbrellas for men
Men's umbrella, Lady
Mend by hand, Lady
Umbrellas to mend

Toodle-uma-luma-luma
Toodle-uma-luma-luma
Toodle-aye-ay
Any umbrellas, any umbrellas to mend today?

Bring your parasol
It may be small, it may be big
He repairs them all
With what you call a thingamajig

Pitter patter patter, pitter patter patter,
Here comes the rain
Let it pitter patter, let it pitter patter,
Don't mind the rain.

He'll mend your umbrella
Then go on his way singing
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Any umbrellas to mend today?

When there's a lull
And things are dull
I sharpen knives for all the wives
In the neighbourhood
And I'm very good

I darn a sock
I'll mend a clock
An apple cart
A broken heart
I mend anything

But he'd rather sing
Toodle-uma-luma-luma
Toodle-uma-luma-luma
Toodle-aye-ay
Any umbrellas, any umbrellas to mend today?

He'll patch up your troubles
Then go on his way singing
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Any umbrellas to mend today?

He'll patch up your troubles
Then go on his way singing
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Toodle-uma-luma-luma-toodle-ay
Any umbrellas to mend today?

Umbrellas for men
Umbrellas for men

Norah

This is one I recall very well travelling on the train into town with a lot of soldiers.......and when everyone joined in the chorus.......
My eyes are dim I cannot see...........It was very moving.

Brenda x x



The Quarter Masters Stores

There were rats, rats, big as bl**dy cats
In the store, in the store
There were rats, rats, big as bl**dy cats
In the Quartermaster's stores

My eyes are dim, I cannot see
I have not brought my specs with me
I have not brought my specs with me

There was beer, beer, to bring us all good cheer
In the store, in the store
There was beer, beer, to bring us all good cheer
In the Quartermaster's store

There was cheese, cheese, rotting, stinking cheese
In the store, in the store
There was cheese, cheese, rotting, stinking cheese
In the Quartermaster's store

There was bread, bread, heavy as lumps of lead
There was whisky, whisky, the stuff that makes you frisky
There were socks, socks, filthy, smelly socks
There were tents, tents, full of holes and rents
There was rice, rice, full of bugs and lice
There were flies,flies, eating all the pies
In the Quartermaster's store

Give me land, lots of land
Neath the starry skies above
Don't.........fence me in

Let me be by myself in the evnin breeze
Listnin to the murmer of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
Don't fence me in

Jest turn me loose
Let me straddle my own saddle
Underneath the western skies
On my cayuse, let me wander
Way out yonder
Underneath the starry skies

Sorry, can only remember bits and pieces of it

Norah

You are right Brenda. ( It could equally apply to some of todays youngsters away from home for the first time0

Now another

Give me land lots of land and the starry sky above.
Dont .......................

Dont what ???

Snowie

I was in the army from 1942 and we always seemed to have plenty to eat. It was hard going immediately after demob though, although we got used to it - and everyone was generally healthier.
len

What I will want on another thread is your Real names, not for example The old Geezer, my real name will be Mac

Where you are from, or were from if you were in the war

And, (Sorry ladies), Your Age

This is so I can title each memory Thus

Mac, 72, lived in West London and now in Yorkshire

I realise that a lot of memories are those that have been passed down from parents and it will be recorded so

Mac

Well Chaps,

I've started, but writing it all out by hand is too slow, and in my state of health I might pop before it is finished SO,

I'm printing it all out, it will take 70 or more sheets, but I've done 20% already

Once printed I will cut every thing out, edit, paste up and recopy to make a booklet

Mac

Reading about songs reminds of attending the Edinburgh Tattoo during the eighties - I think the tune Colonel Bogey was being played and the audience began singing to it - I did not know the words but suddenly I realised my husband was singing a rude version and there was a row of germans behind us.
Was something about Goerbals and Hitler not having any at all - leave the rest to your imagination or memory!

Ma, I miss your apple pie
Ma, I miss your stew
Ma, they're treating me alright
But they can't cook like you

Oh, Ma, nobody's spoiling me
Like you used to do
They won't let me stay in bed until noon
At five-forty-five they play me a tune
Oh, Ma, I miss your apple pie
And by the way, I miss you too




Snowie I googled for it ,and I thought it was the right one!!

Brenda

Don't worry Mac... sign a few for me on a blank cheque.... I would love your autograph and I'm not a loose spend ..... ;-0)

Good night all.
Deanna X

Snowie, there has only ever been one song that I would class as being written for me, and that was

I was born under a wandering star

I should say my voice broke at 25, again at 30, again every 10 years or so

From 16 to 24 I was a goodish singer and had my own Group

I have signed hundreds of Autographs but I dont think they are worth much

Mac

I know yours Brenda.... but Snowie and Jean, I can't say I remember your song.

I'm very familiar with ;

THIS IS THE ARMY MR JONES....
NO PRIVATE ROOMS OR TELEPHONES.
YOU HAD YOU'RE BREAKFAST IN BED BEFORE... BUT YOU WONT HAVE IT THERE ANY MORE.....

More verses and each one made us laugh.
A great song we used to sing with the soldiers.
We went to school in a bus made up from a ten tin lorry.... and we used to sing all the way.
the school was a beautiful building which had been the home of one of the NAZI generals.... wish my mum was here.. she knew which one. I of course have forgotten.

Deanna X