Thursday 1 October 2009

The Scraper's Diary Sunday March 23rd, 1947, Oldenburg


Played in the German Church this morning. Most monotonous, bland service; the Padre intoned platitudes most prosaically and automatically, and the audience, - sorry congregation - intoned the responses with the same lack of inspiration. They sounded far from convinced. They confessed themselves smugly sinful and felt loads better.

Tonight they are probably swearing and black-marketeering.

Bah.

Concert this afternoon, we played badly.


o-o-o-o-o

Monday, March 24th

We went to a whist drive last night, Mike and I, and I won the booby prize of a bottle of Brylcreem. Good Show.

This morning we had a medical inspection, F.F.I. (free from infection), also a gum inspection for gingivitis. After that we were dusted with de-lousing powder and sent home. They don't seem to think much of the Band.

Then we, or rather I and three others, were interrogated by the military police about the recent loss or theft of the banerettes and the oboe. As I was the last to see the oboe, I am regarded most suspiciously.

Now I must go and testify at a court of enquiry.

o-o-o-o-o


Tuesday, March 5th, Wilhelmshaven

Arrived here at eleven, after an hour's solo whist. It's more sunny today.
From time to time during the journey someone would come out with a witty remark or a new verse of a comic song about the loss of the oboe. It's getting monotonous already.

We stood by from 5 o'clock last night for the court of enquiry. At 7.50 I was called in, sworn in and questioned for five minutes. Half an hour later I signed eight copies of my statement, and that was that.

I feel weak and tired. It must be the air, most enervating.

o-o-o-o-o


Evening, Church of Scotland Writing Room, Wilhelmshaven,

I've got indigestion, bad indigestion, and it's caused through eating too much, and by the unaccustomed richness of the food I have consumed out here.

I thought, two days ago in Oldenburg, that my lassitude and lack of energy had something to do with the air, but now, after a mild attack of diarrhoea, and having been belching for hours, I know differently. It is nearly seven o'clock, and I have eaten one roll, and drunk one cup of tea since one and yet I do not feel hungry. That proves it, I'm overnourished.










15 comments:

  1. I've never heard the Scraper be so cynical!! Very humorous today. Here's one: I feel so weak and tired. It must be the air, most enervating. Do I detect a touch of boredom? Or having a bout of the flu will do it. Well-written, as ever. xxox

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  2. My goodness - boredom, diarrhoea, theft, FFI, church, fatigue, monotony - poor man!!

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  3. Clear as a bell over the years.....


    Aloha, Friend!

    Comfort Spiral

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  4. Hi Friko, wow!
    I admire your talent for the English language, I will never reach that level. Oldenburg is well known to me.
    You are very lucky to live in Shropshire, one of my prefered counties.

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  5. Hi Friko

    I admire Scraper. He's a realist and tells it the way he sees it.

    Another enjoyable post.

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  6. Lovely - as long as it was tongue in cheek!

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  7. I'm late to the Scraper and so take him as I find him which is quite funny. Loved the church scene, so not what I expected when I clicked on here!

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  8. Hilarious....

    Sounds like the band was as inspired about playing as the congregation was about praying! And what's not to love about winning a bottle of Brylcreem!

    Admittedly however, I did have to go and speak with Mr. Google since I was clueless with regard to the 'whist drive'!

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  9. Friko, I'm enjoying the Scraper and your epistolary novella.

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  10. Margaret Pangert - he does sound a bit feeble - he must be ill.

    Bonnie - yes indeed, let's hope he'll be better again soon

    Cloudia - thank you,those are mostly his words

    bayou - thank you for the compliment

    Martin H - he didn't know his words would be published

    Dave King - I don't know, perhaps not entirely

    Milla - thanks for coming over, hope you'll find more of interest in future

    Alan G - I don't know how to play either.

    Prospero - Scraper was real, you know

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  11. Another enjoyable episode. Who was The Scaper, Friko? I missed the first post.

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  12. Poor Scraper. He had a rough time of it for awhile. Too bad they didn't have Imodium then.

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  13. I spent 2 years working in Wilhelmshaven, and often went to Oldenburg. How interesting to read about those places long before I lived there. I often wondered what that part of the world was like in the war.

    I really enjoy the Scraper's journal.

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  14. Hello Friko, have not been by what with to many irons in the fire. I wanted to thank you for your encouragement to keep up with my life story Day to Day blog. I plan to as long as either I or the computer holds out. I will be the first to say I am not good on History but it looks like you are and that is what counts. I wish I were.

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  15. Alaine - thanks, Alaine, he was a conscript who was also a musician

    Darlene - Too bad indeed. but he did get better anyway


    20th Century Woman - than you for that

    Lucy - keep on with the good work; you know as much about your life as I do about mine

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Comments are good, I like to know what you think of my posts. I know you'll keep it civil.