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Rationing, lack of petrol, one egg a week...
I would like to start talking about not really well known, if not forgotten, facts from the ordinary life of civilians in any countries participating in war on both sides.
To start:
In Australia blond, tall, slim girl is sometimes called "dipstick". I could not figure connection, until one elderly fellow told me that during WWII in Australia was terrible shortage of petrol, (gas). There was petrol which was coloured red, which was used only in vehicles neccessary for war production, transport of US, NZ and Australian troops, tractors on the farms and delivery tracks for normal functioning of the country.
There was also yellow petrol for private vehicles rationed in some ridiculous quantity - I don't remember what he said - but perhaps 5 or 8 litres a month.
I'll try to find and post.
To enforce ban on using red petrol in private cars, police was setting control points to nab, say farmers which to go to pub Friday night filled they car with red petrol which legally could be used only in their tractors and harvesters.
They also wanted to curb black market.
On these control points policeman waiting for the next car to be checked, had long piece of wire with a bit of cotton wool rolled at the end.
He stopped car, told driver to open fuel tank cap and checked the colour of petrol used, with "A LONG BLONDE DIPSTICK"!
It is amazing but in common language "blonde dipstick" survived more than 60 years, long after anyone remembered what it initially was.
Post your findings about civilian life during WWII!
Cheers,
Lancer44
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A Pole salutes with two fingers for Honor and Fatherland.
Others include God and Manhood, thus using two more fingers.
The French use four fingers and the thumb, which undoubtedly stands for their Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, the Croissant and the Aperitiff.
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