16
Buckden Roundabout
September 2017
Pig at Grand PoPo
by Pat King
J
ourneying Overland through Africa is full of experiences especially when self
catering whilst camping. We had failed to buy anything for supper when we
pitched up our tents in the Ivory Coast. Was it to be tinned tuna and pasta again!
Suddenly a man appeared from nowhere on a moped, as they are apt to do in
Africa, asking ‘Did we want pork?’ This, to a group of travellers who had not tasted
meat for some weeks, was like asking us….well anyway, we certainly did want pork.
I was designated cook for that evening so I spoke to the man who instantly invited me
to sit behind him on his moped. Off we went down a very dusty, potholed road where
I was presented with a choice of four, small, black pigs in a dark corner of a farm-
yard. ‘Choose your pig’ he said. I wasn’t so sure that I wanted pork now that I saw it running around on four short legs. ‘Don’t
worry I’ve changed my mind. Just take me back and I will pay you for your time.’ I said cowardly. ‘ Don’t be silly Mom, I’ll
choose one for you.’ With that he pointed to the smallest, of course, and gave orders for its capture. Amazingly his friend
turned up, on another moped, and the poor piggy was tied to his handlebars. Still alive at this point and squealing loudly! I was
a bit upset but thought, ‘well there’s no going back now without pork so I might as well see it through’. He had also taken the
money off me by then.
We drove to his home where he directed me into his living quarters whilst he cut poor piggies throat. Amazingly his animals,
goats and chickens came to watch the final deed. I put my hands over my ears…sure you can imagine why.
‘Come see it being prepared’, Well the dreadful bit was over so I thought why not! We went into a shack where the pig was laid
out on a plank. There was a red, bleeding gouge where the throat had been cut. He sharpened a knife then poured boiling
water over the pig using the knife to scrape off the black hair. After scalding the whole pig again he dunked it full in the boiling
pot. I declined the head before he scrubbed the carcass with water containing dissolved blue crystals. A young lad came to
hold the legs as the man used a large cutlass to cut down through the stomach. Entrails slithered into a large bowl, grey intes-
tines and dark red lungs. He then jointed the pork.
Putting the meat into a large basket he loaded it and me back onto the moped and he returned me to a very hungry group of
campers.
The pork tasted delicious after barbecuing on an open fire. I did feel a bit guilty eating it but what an experience, one that can
only be gained by travelling Overland.
Writing Competition
This month, we publish the first run-
ner-up in our writing competition.
Congratulations to Pat King The judge
had this to say about Pat’s entry:
“This piece has a feel of a real event.
Although it is obviously a recollection,
the use of snippets of dialogue give
the reader the sense of being an ob-
server of the scene “.
Further runners
-up will be published in later editions
From Little Acorns - A Bomber Crew Story from WW2 by Roger Leivers
F
ive years ago, this October, an email was forwarded to me from a gentleman who owned a rare Squire Supercharged
sports car, enquiring about a Stirling Bomber which crashed close to Godmanchester on the 11
th
April 1942. The car
had been owned by Sqd Ldr Drummond Wilson who lost his life in the crash. From this email, an amazing story re-
vealed itself, and having now completed the research into the crew I have been able to put together a detailed account
of their lives, the raids they flew on and XV Squadron’s (based at Alconbury and Wyton) entire activity from October 1941 to
the date of the crash. But the story is far more than bombs and bullets, for thanks to the families I have been able to discover
what happened to the crew men. Did they live to see VE Day? Would fate be kind to them, or would she turn her back? And
what became of the families, the wives, girlfriends and children? The twists and turns of fate, the seemingly insignificant deci-
sions which could cost a man his life, or indeed save him.
The book ‘Stirling to Essen’ chronicles these events, revealing stories connected to the Battle of Britain, and even the holocaust.
It’s filled with personal accounts provided by the families, as well over 60 photographs, nearly all made available for the first
time. The book, supported by a Goodliff Fund grant of £1000, has now been launched, and its first outing was at my annual
Godmanchester Bomber Command Day. The following week saw the main launch take place at the Imperial War Museum Dux-
ford’s ‘Flying Legends’ weekend. Since then it’s been featured at the Town’s Gala Day and had a ‘reading’ at Huntingdon
Bookshop.
The Facebook page that supports the project (‘The Godmanchester Stirling’) is now followed by nearly 800 people from 42
countries across the world. The talk, by the same name, has been given to every historical society in the Huntingdon area. The
book is available online with both Amazon and Waterstones, or via Fighting High Publishing, or if you would like a signed/
dedicated copy then please contact me directly (01480 383460).
All that remains is for the families to meet in Godmanchester this September to unveil a memorial to Drummond Wilson and
his crew, an eternal reminder of the service and sacrifice they made 75 years ago this year.
Writing