Ten Years On

SPECTATOR COMPETITION No. 271 Report by D. R. Peddy Competitors were invited to celebrate the tenth anniversary of VE Day by recalling the atmosphere of 1939-45 in twelve lines of verse, written as if contemporary, and con- taming ten or more of the following expressions : Second Front, Dockets, Woolton Pie. Firewatching, Make Do and Mend, Ensa, Wings for Victory,' ARP, Blitz, Bevil? Boys, Lord flaw-Haw, Doodlebug(s), Reserved Occupation, Spain, ITMA, 18B, Land-girks), Black-out, Evacuee(s).

I THINK the entries for this competition show that the Second World War is too recent to have yet acquired 'period' status; but the tenth anniversary could hardly go by without some nostalgic (?) reminis- cence. To quote Kenneth S. Kitchin, 'It's been-to say the least of it-an interesting War.' Most of the entries were good, and judging not very easy. There was scope for a variety of approaches, from that of the We-Can-Take-It school to those of the Cynic and satirist, and there were deserving representatives of each.

Among near-misses were Sgt. Glyn Felix, with his power-drunk Chief Warden : They wouldn't take no notice when I was

only 'me'; They had to watch their Black-out when 1 Joined the ARP. My Reserved Occupation kept me out to Join the hunt;

I only hope the Cabinet delay the Second Front, Ongar's prophesy that '. . . Adolf will shortly be Valhalla's last (and lost) Evacuee,' R. Kennard Davis, and P. Nicholson, whose excellent entry was marred by his having mentioned only nine of the list of phrases. Others, alas, ignored the specification that the poem should be written as contemporary. The above are all honourably men- tioned, also Leslie Johnson, Wm. P. Ridley, L E. Honnor, N. A. C. Evans, D. L. L. Clarke, Guy Kendall, B. P. Hatton, Mar- jorie Evans, C. F. E., P. M., and L. Harris.

Direct hits were scored by A. D. Ben- nett Jones, W. Bernard Wake (f2 each) and Erica Scott (£1).

PRIZES

(A. D. BENNEIT JONES)

Forty years on, when the Blitz is behind us, Firewatching duties and Black-out no more, Will there be Doodlebugs still to remind us What it was like in the Second World War? Shall we remember those Woolton Pie suppers, Dormitory feasts on a tin of cold Spam, Eyeing the Land-girls while watching the cuppers, Listening to ITMA before an exam?

Follow up I Follow up! Follow up I Follow up! Follow up!

Till we've pushed the Evacuees back, And we've smothered the Bevin Boys' pack, Follow up!

(W. BERNARD WAKE)

I'm tired of the Black-out and Make Do and Mend,

Firewatching, Spam, ARP and Lease-Lend; Bored with the Blitz and bomb-story friend Whose glittering eye sternly bids me attend. And although to acquaintance I cannot pretend With Dockets, because I have nothing to

spend, I'm tired of them too, and the popular trend Towards catchwords and slogans which daily offend The eye and the ear-as their authors intend. And though 18B may be hard to defend, These Woolton Pie eaters to prison I'd send Till the Second Front comes to bring all to an end.

(ERICA SCUTT)

Friends of Haw-Haw, as you bumble through the clouds to launch your Blitz, Do you hear the women grumble, see the little clerk who sits On his master's roof, Firewatching-wishes he was not Reserved- And the girls from Ensa showing how it is they're always served

With silk undies without Dockets, ARP men quite unnerved

By the fading out of ITMA, Land-girls eating Woolton Pie?

Did you know Squire Bloggs had taken, though it must be quite a squeeze, In his pseudo-Gothic mansion, one or two Evacuees?

Are you racked with pain or pity, as you let your fire-bombs fall, For the social deprivations of the ladies at the Hall?

Mark them closely, as they stumble, guided only by the moon- Britons proud and Britons humble : they will be your allies soon!

COMMENDED (LESLIE JOHNSON) We have a houseful of Evacuees,

To whom we offer shelter from the Blitz. At Black-out time, if ITMA fails to please, Lord Haw-Haw's sure to send them into fits.

The furniture has suffered wear and tear Beyond the normal, and we don't pretend That ARP maintains it in repair.

Having no Dockets, we Make Do and Mend.

We feed the youngsters up on Woolton Pie, Varied with Spam, and watch them at their toys.

What will they grow to In the by and by? Land-girls perhaps, or even Bevin Boys!