UKReb
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2007
- Messages
- 2,436
Guys
Noticed this media story in the letters page of one of the British national papers just recently that I thought might amuse you-well it amused me. The letter related a story the authors Grandmother had told him years ago about his great-uncle.
In October 1914 as a young 13 year old lad he had a job standing outside Waterloo Railway Station in all weathers selling copies of The London Evening News. His boss the newsagent told him if he sold all of his papers this particular day he would give him a shilling bonus (5p/10cents US) believe it or not a lot of cash for a young lad then.
After war was declared in August news from the front in October was not particularly interesting and Waterloo being the main station used to transport troops down to Portsmouth and then across to France the majority of passing trade were these soldiers themselves. British Tommies were not big readers (if they could read at all) of national newspapers at that time.
After two hours and only selling a few copies he started to think what he could he do to sell his large piles of newsprint?-so he started bawling out "Germans in Berlin" "Germans in Berlin".
He sold every paper within 20 minutes.
Cheeky but darn innovative eh!
Reb
Noticed this media story in the letters page of one of the British national papers just recently that I thought might amuse you-well it amused me. The letter related a story the authors Grandmother had told him years ago about his great-uncle.
In October 1914 as a young 13 year old lad he had a job standing outside Waterloo Railway Station in all weathers selling copies of The London Evening News. His boss the newsagent told him if he sold all of his papers this particular day he would give him a shilling bonus (5p/10cents US) believe it or not a lot of cash for a young lad then.
After war was declared in August news from the front in October was not particularly interesting and Waterloo being the main station used to transport troops down to Portsmouth and then across to France the majority of passing trade were these soldiers themselves. British Tommies were not big readers (if they could read at all) of national newspapers at that time.
After two hours and only selling a few copies he started to think what he could he do to sell his large piles of newsprint?-so he started bawling out "Germans in Berlin" "Germans in Berlin".
He sold every paper within 20 minutes.
Cheeky but darn innovative eh!
Reb
