Day 54 Week 7

Actually got to speak to H. Extremely brief because he spilt shoe polish all over the floor but still good to hear his voice. He now sounds much younger than his younger brother, but as my fellow soldier's Mum said, they've probably been exposed to the most awful things and it makes them age so very quickly.

It's amazing how many ex-servicemen never talk about what they have experienced during active service. I saw Jeremy Clarkson on the telly once talking about his father-in-law and it was only after he died that they discovered he had been awarded the Victoria Cross, as never once had he mentioned it when he was alive. Apparently an awful lot of survivors feel an incredible sense of guilt over the comrades that never had the chance to return home.

Previously the only members of my family to fight in a war were my great uncles. One was my grandmother's brother and the other her half brother and it was during the First World War. Her elder full brother joined up and was soon promoted to sergeant sniper, and as such earned a reputation for notoriety and was mentioned as a hero in the local newspaper. Consequently her younger half brother went along to the recruiting station, denied his fourteen years and lied about his age, in order to be able to join the same regiment as his illustrious sibling. So it was that both brothers were to be members of the Sherwood Foresters fighting in France. Unfortunately, during the merciless carnage that ensued the inevitable happened and the younger boy took fright, was caught and charged with cowardice, then an offence punishable with death. But at the hearing clemency was shown because of his extreme youth, and so instead of being shot at dawn he was crucified on the wheel of a large field gun, which involved him being tied to the weapon whilst it was being fired in battle. The twist to the story is that because he had a different father from the sniper they did not share the same surname, so with all the awfulness that fate can sometimes bestow, the elder brother was put in charge of the punishment administered to the younger. Both men were broken by the incident.

Anyway thank goodness things have moved on and the Army no longer consists of lions led by donkeys.

H phoned back and he's sent me a picture of him as a guard at his friend's wedding - very posh indeed. R hopefully enjoying uni and safe.

Please keep everyone safe Lord.

Speak soon. A soldier's Mum x