The Scraggy Hen by John Le Bas

For the 75th Anniversary of Liberation year, I've unearthed another Occupation tale for the reader.

The Scraggy Hen by John Le Bas

One day a member of the Honorary Police came and told my father we had to supply a chicken (fowl) to the German Forces. My father, who was elderly, refused, but I said I would take one to them to save us getting into trouble. The collecting point was "La Maisonette" near Woodbine Corner and it was there that I took the scraggy hen.

That evening, the Constables Officer came to say that we could come to collect the fowl again, it was not an official order from College House, just some German Officers having a party. We collected the hen, but a few days later it died.

A couple of weeks later, the Constable's Officer called again and told us we had to supply another chicken and that this time it was an official order from College House. In view of what had happened before. I decided not to take any more chickens to Woodbine Corner for collection by the Germans.

That afternoon at about 4 p.m., two German staff cats drove into our yard at Rose Farm. The first car carried a German Officer and his batman, the second four German soldiers. The Officer and his batman got out and came knocking on the door of our house. 

The batman, who spoke perfect English asked why we had not supplied a chicken as ordered. I told him what had happened on the last occasion. He then ordered the soldiers to get out of the car and round up one of our best cockerels which were roaming free with the chickens in the yard.

It certainly would have been better for us had we obeyed the order and taken them another scraggy hen!