1st July. 1916 The Battle of the Somme
The bar of the "George Inn", Southwark, c. 1960. (Before it became a trendy tourist spot)
Jock (my Father's lunch mate) :-"Tom you known what day it is?"
My Father (a couple or so years younger) :-"Friday"
Jock "The date?"
Father "The 1st of July"
Jock "The Worst day of my Life"
Father "Why?"
Jock "The Somme Tom......terrible.....awful"
The next 2 halves were drunk in silence, then we had Lunch.
Those two probably had been having lunch together 2 or 3 times a week for about 25 years. The subject was never again mentioned.