This reminds me of some of my husband’s escapades.

My brother and I and a couple of friends went scrumping once to collect some Blackcurrants from a field alongside the main road not far from home. We only went once, at least I did, because we heard someone yelling at us to find out what on earth we thought we were doing in his backyard. I, being the youngest at about 9 years old, was frightened to death but the boys thought it was very funny.

We lived on the side of a mountain, which, way back, was a Maori Pa. This was in Auckland. We just climbed over the fence and on the mountain. All 1/4 acre blocks, State Housing. We used to make rope swings in any trees, light a little fire, cooked potatoes, usually a little raw in the middle, but had butter, helped to make them more tasty. Had a `spare section`, next door, built the bonfire there, and had Guy Fawkes, and Parents watched while having a well earned beer or 2. Then after Movies, projected on the wall of the next door neighbors. He had all the gear. All good honest fun. A lot of houses backing on the mountain, any fruit hanging over the fence was fair game. As long we didn`t cause any damage, no one minded.

What memories! I was part of a local street gang at a very young age post war UK. Next to our street was a smallholding with an apple orchard where we regularly "scrumped". One day I will always remember, our gang "invaded" the orchard, and I climbed a fairly low tree to access the treasure it held. Unfortunately, the locally tethered goat decided I was not welcome and waited aggressively under the tree for me to dismount. I was stuck! Luckily, one of my cohorts threw an apple to the goat to distract it, and I was able to get down from the tree and climb the exit wall unharmed.
We had several "contacts" with the smallholding family, especially in their barn which we had made our gang's HQ. Interestingly enough some 15 years later I became a co-worker of the Smallholder's son (similar age) and enjoyed a solid working relationship with him.
Many years later I returned to the UK for my mother's passing, and spent a few hours in the House of the smallholding, then converted to a beautiful public house with a central fire place open to both front and back rooms.
Thank you for sparking some fine memories.
Bob B

i was born 1939, lived in the country, isolated from anything war. i had a very lucky childhood.

That was such a good read Alan. It brought back many memories. My friends and I had similar adventures to your gang but we stole rhubarb and someone always had a bag of sugar that we could dip it in, to take the sourness away before scoffing it. Ah! Good times.