Where the details came from

Where the 'bits' came from

I love history and respect those that suffered in our wars. This year, is the one hundredth anniversary of 'The Great War' that commenced on 4th August 1914.

Will you turn the lights out and will the bells be silenced?

Both Michelle and I have family that did not survive that time. My mother's uncle, Herbert Sloman was a private in the Royal Sussex Regiment, 12th Battalion and died on 12th October, 1916. His remains lie in Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, near Arras. Private S C Hipwell of 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment who died on 21st July 1918 lies in Kemmel No.1 French Cemetery is a relative on Michelle's paternal side.

For me the extra inspiration came from the statue of the unknown soldier on Platform 1 in Paddington Station. This terminus is part of my past because as I was born in Herefordshire the Great Western Trains hauled me into London for many years until the motorways and modern cars came.

Knowing about writing a letter to this unknown soldier made my imagination react with my rural background provided some of the detail. I have used George, my father's name, because he spent his entire working life on the land. In his twenties he would have walked behind the single furrowed plough pulled by two Shire horses, but in his day The Leys Farm at Tarrington would have housed eight or up to ten Shires. The last two remaining horses were called Duke and Short whose names I have used.


The 'Joe' is in memory of Joe Stephens, our old neighbour, who also worked with horses until he was injured. Both men are remembered in the churchyard at Tarrington where I can pass by and think of times past.

The characters that I have created for this letter do not correspond to either men's lives as neither were old enough in 1914 and the activities involving rabbiting was the job of the rabbit catcher, not them. His name was Mr Dominey and he would have put his nets out to catch rabbits, but he would have not any trouble from the bailiff as he was allowed to do so.

The last 'big house' had been burned down in 1926, but the estate was still owned by Paul Foley and his family. My mother was placed 'in service' at fourteen and later came to work for 'The Miss Lloyds' at Tarrington Court. In was this move that resulted in her marrying my father in 1934 hence the reference to the 'big house'. Also a great-aunt had become pregnant when 'in service' in Birmingham.

Education was limited with the working classes in that period and many children would have had only a limited knowledge and some would not have been able to read, write or even to sign their own name. I see no disgrace in this as necessity to be able to find work would have been a priority.

How accurate I have been able to be with the dialogue I can not be sure although I think that it is safe to say that their speech patterns and pronunciation would have been far different from today and very localised - so I have given myself a lot of license with that.

I hope that I have portrayed the futility of the destruction of a generation and the attitude that would have prevailed in sending men and boys to their deaths. I know that our perception of this time has been influenced by our reading and TV programmes. The first event of Ledbury Poetry Festival was for David Reynolds, Cambridge Professor of International History to introduced his book 'The Long Shadow: The Great War and the Twentieth Century' in which he suggests that both WW1 and WW2 be assessed in a broader more sophisticated context. I agree with that sentiment.