If I was a bit nearer to the cadets I probably would have struck up a conversation with them, hoping they understood English as I only know the odd word in German.

Thank you for sharing the story of your ‘dining out’. I can just picture the scene, it sounds like a lot of fun was had by all. You have me chuckling at the thought of it

I know there were two such cafes near to Tern Hill, at least one of them is still there.

About those cadets at the adjoining table. Maybe you should have greeted them.

It brought to mind one ‘dining out’ that I attended when on a ‘course’ in the RAF. It was the ‘JCSS’ at Ternhill in Shropshire. The ‘Jesus Christ Super-Star’ course for up and coming junior Officers. We ended the time there with the usual end of course dinner, but with a twist. Several dozen young men (and a few women) ‘cream’, beautifully attired in Mess Kit and miniature medals, sat down to a full ‘Truckies Plate’ at a well-used Truck-Stop café. Toasts were made to the Queen in large mugs of tea.

The tables around were busy with travelling folk, mostly working truckies, who took great interest in our table manners and formalities and engaged us in great banter. We enjoyed the full British Breakfast-cum-lunch-cum- ‘Tea’ (the menu did not vary for time of day) without the delay of ‘courses’, although the café owner did bring it to the table instead of making us queue up. But it was the conversation with the truckies that really made the night. They were as delighted as we were.

“We are here to defend you as you take ten tons of toilet tissue to Tiverton”

I am pondering a short excursion to Ghent later this year. Is that a place you have visited?