We children were put to work during the war

I WONDER whether there are any more of us left who remember some things expected of children during the Second World War?

Some may know about spud picking, where we were taken to farms for a fortnight and made to work really hard. It was back-breaking, in fact.

We met German and Italian prisoners working there and formed opinions, some unjustified I suppose.

Few will know that after the age of 12 we had to pack military equipment such as parts of rifles, etc.

I was at Wyggeston Boys and we worked all Wednesday morning in term time.

It was set up in one of the two gymnasiums all the year. We quite enjoyed packing rifle pull-throughs, but there were some greasy items – though there was certainly no slacking!

P Tansley, Barrow on Soar