"A Pink"

[stevenson]

I have letters written from the WW2 saying ...Thank you for "the Pink"...what was this ?


Steve

[gaffy]

I'm wondering - without any authority on the matter what-so-ever - if it had anything to do with rationing.  For example, look at the following link ("Points rationing was introduced 1 December 1941 via a separate pink ration book."):

http://www.cooksinfo.com/british-wartime-food

Looking forward to more informed answers from other posters...

Edited to add: Just noticed this is on the County Antrim board, if you don't get a result, it might be worth posting  on the WW2 Board...

[fadge36]

  'The Pink' was the name of " Ireland's Saturday Night" newspaper.
It was published by Belfast Telegraph as a purely sports newspaper, on Saturday Night!
It was origonally printed on pink paper until 1917. It was a' must read' for all spors fans. My father called it 'The Ulster'. It ceased publication in 2008
Fadge

[gaffy]

Fascinating.

As a young'un in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, I reported bowls results on Saturday afternoons over the phone to someone in the Belfast Telegraph in "Sports Copy" for inclusion in the "Ulster".

Wouldn't it be great if "The Pink" was the answer?

[stevenson]

Thank you both

I too thought of rationing but would soldiers fighting have to have a ration book, would be interesting to find out.

The Ulster.....may well be the answer....He could well have kept calling it The Pink long after the colour was changed.

Steve

[fadge36]

I remember that the 'Ulster' continued to be sub-titled 'The Pink' up untill recent times and probably until it ceased puplication. I feel certain that a soldier would be keen to keep up to date on how his favourite team was doing or the result of the races. I doubt that he would have received a ration book and a newspaper would be so easy to post.
Fadge

[TheWhuttle]

Romantically (sigh!), it might simply have been a dried flower from someone dear to him, in remembrance of a recent ceremony ...
[Carnations (aka "Pinks") feature heavily on 1940s wedding photos.
 Might have had problems making it through the censuring functions ...]

However, if such was not appropriate (guided by "recent" contemporary records) then think that I'd vote for the newspaper route.
[Recall seeing newspaper sheet publications of "pinkish" colour in Scotland as late as the 1970s ...]

Capt. Jock