When the war ended, everybody celebrated, we marched through the streets till we were exhausted, waving our little Union Jacks and singing “When the Boys Come Marching Home”, “Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag”, and “Keep the Home Fires Burning”, we sang until we were hoarse. When I got home at night, I could hardly speak. My mother had to send one of my big sisters out to drag me off the street because we marched round and round and round and then one of the bands came out, the colliery band, and it started to lead us, and everybody was exhausted, they were dropping off, especially the younger ones who were getting dragged indoors. People were bringing bottles of wine on to the streets, anything they could get hold of, and drinking each others' health. << less