As the Food Ministry announced a rise in the price of chocolate, women and children queued outside an Old Town sweet shop for twopenny bars of chocolate while retailers warned they might be forced to close if they were denied supplies.

Mr JG Mathieson, the president of the Manufacturing Confectionery Alliance reported that the demands of the services were often in excess of their needs with stock remaining on NAAFI shelves for weeks.

He demanded a more equitable distribution of available supplies between priority orders and the demands of the public.

Fresh cut flowers joined the list of commodities fast becoming expensive and scarce.

Single chrysanthemum blooms were retailing at 1s and a bunch of humble daffodils at 3s.

“It is no good buying flowers in the market at the present time for we can never re-sell them to the public,” said a trader.

Meanwhile, local pub landlords received the welcome news that beer would not join the list of rationed commodities, although possible shortages were anticipated.

Two horses were led to safety when fire engulfed the bone manure and grease works at Marshgate Farm, Stratton St Margaret, on New Year’s Day, pictured.

“The group of buildings in which the works are housed were so effectively blacked out that the fire obtained a firm hold and had actually burnt through the roof before the alarm could be raised,” reported the Adver.

Despite the use of two Swindon Fire Brigade appliances and three AFS pumps, nothing could be done to save the main buildings and plant.

Six motor lorries, usually housed in the buildings, were parked outside.

However, other equipment together with large stores of grease and about 70 tons of bone meal were lost