member of the Grenzschutzpolizei (Border Police) who had arrested him because he looked suspicious! It took some words of explanation from me to explain that I knew who he was and that he was probably lost, and could they please help find him a bed for the night. Speaking German on the phone was never my forte, but somehow I managed to rescue Clive from his predicament. He took a while to live it down after he returned the following evening. Clive was noted for carrying a small haversack whenever he went out, even for a short stroll. Someone became curious as to what was in it and decided to investigate, and checked more than once. The contents were nothing more than either an apple or an orange and an English dictionary!
It was not too unusual to go out for an evening meal instead of staying in the Mess. Several of us, in someone's car, would drive to a favoured restaurant, very often the 'Zum Grünen Baum' in Beverungen, there to enjoy a glass of Pils or share a bottle of Hock. One of our favoured foods was a good fluffy omelette stuffed, according to season, with either Steinpils, Pfifferlingen, or ham.1 Wiener Schnitzel and juicy Rumpsteak were other favourites. The omelettes were huge, but we always had room for some sort of delicious Torte and cream. It made a change from Mess food.
While at Borgentreich our leave allocation was altered. It had previously been two periods of three weeks of UK leave for which travel was paid, and 10 days Continental leave which could be spent anywhere but travel was at our own expense. Continental leave ceased as an entitlement. Not many of us ever took it; I certainly never did, but all of us missed the option of it now it had gone. It was almost in frustration that three of us, Flt.Lt. Phil Philpot, Fg.Off. Slim Rose, and I decided to have a weekend away. Using Phil's car we went to a Gasthof at Hardehausen, on the edge of a forest where wild deer and wild boar could be seen. Karl Schrader, our Mess Clerk, arranged for us to stay in the 'Gasthof zur Egge' not far from where he lived.
We spent two nights in Hardehausen, and the Frau who ran the hotel (it was little more than a pub with several bedrooms to let) did so with a rod of iron. Meal times were strict; food was put on the table at the due time whether you were there or not, and stayed there until you came and ate it. The rooms were adequately furnished with very heavy furniture but a little austere. The beds were comfortable, of the shake-up variety, with huge feather-filled bedding of the type we had seen everywhere airing out of upstairs windows on fine sunny days. None of us ever thought we

The 'Gasthof zur Egge' at Hardehausen where we stayed.

L - R: Myself, Phil Philpot, and Slim Rose.

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1 These were varieties of fungus which grew in the forest and were very tasty.
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