Mrs Becher's Diary

 

The Ex-Servicemen’s 1st Dinner

Shall you ever forget the first ex-servicemen’s dinner? – A photo of which hangs in the Parish Room shewing the band of voluntary helpers. There was beer ad-lib, given by the brewers and the barrels were placed in the kitchen. This was the undoing of the only professionals called in to help prepare and serve dinner – Mr & Mrs Sear.

The beer was drawn and put into jugs and jugs were also used to serve the gravy. In the general excitement and rush these became interchangeable to Mrs Sears and many an ex-serviceman must have been amazed at the flavour of the hot roast beef which was set before him. I had prepared 103 menu cards, one for each man present and scores of these were picked up afterwards lying on the tables soaked in beer.