i was born december 1947, and my partner december 1944, so only the sweet-rationing and bomb-damaged streets in the medway towns, where we both grew up, were really of any relevance to us. please tell mr. longmate that i am enjoying reading and learning from his book. both my partner and i had friends and neighbours with no ''dads'' around.at the time it didn't really sink in why, or how lucky we both were, that our dads had survived their war service.