Celebrating VE day with a penny pint

6:00am Monday 12th May 2008

Comments (1)   Have your say »

A MAN who fought for Britain and was serving on VE day, supped beer at Second World War prices in a Billericay pub last Thursday.

Albert Scott, 85, of Ash Green, Billericay, was at the Railway Hotel, in the High Street, thanks to landlord Alan King.

Alan and his wife Louise have just taken over the tenancy of the pub.

They decided to celebrate VE Day by offering men who were serving soldiers at the time, the opportunity to drink beer at wartime prices.

After paying a penny for his first pint Albert said: "I'm really enjoying this pint.

"I'm not sure but I think beer - a Mackeson - was about 1/3d (about 7p) at the the time.

"Whisky was a shilling and I do know five Woodbines was tuppence."

Albert, who has lived in Billericay since 2000, joined up in May 1941 and was trained at Catterick Camp, in Yorkshire.

He spent most of the war as a cook in India and Burma before being demobbed in 1947.

The father of three said: "I got through the war without a scratch and have had a great life. As for the next 85 years - well, I don't think I'll have any more kids." The Railway's VE Day celebration night also had a DJ playing wartime tunes including those made famous by Glen Miller and Vera Lynn as well as customers and staff dressed in nostalgic fancy dress.