My Dad was medically unfit and served his time in WWII as an air raid warden and worked in London Docks where he helped build the Mulberry Harbours. They used to curse the floating crane which was a prime target for the Luftwaffe.

Towards the end of the war we worked on a farm where I first heard the term Conchie. There was this "Conchie" there who was made to work on the farm. Dad explained to us that Conchie was not the man's name, despite the fact that was what everyone called him.

Looking back on it, the guy must have been very brave to stick to his principles like that and put up with all the abuse. I think I'd sooner have gone to war.