Bradley (a Deptford flower-seller before joining up) was the "comic" of
the stokers' mess deck.
He was always late in returning from shore leave. One Monday morning
he returned half an hour "adrift," and was promptly taken before the
skipper.
The skipper, a jovial old sort, asked him his reason for being adrift
again, and Bradley replied:
"Well, sir, Townsend and me were waiting for the liberty boat, and I
was telling him that if ever I sees the skipper round Deptford I'll let
him 'ave a 'bob' bunch of flowers for a 'tanner,' and we looked round
and the blinkin' boat was gorne."
The skipper smiled and dismissed him. On Christmas Day Bradley received
a packet containing a cigar in it, with the following written on the
box:
"For the best excuse of the year.--F. H. C., Capt."
I saw Bradley three years ago and he told me he still had that cigar in
a glass case with his medals.--_F. H. (late Stoker, R.N.), 18 Little
Ilford Lane, Manor Park, E.12._