William's War

By Beverley J. Tucker

William's War details a young boys wish to follow in his father's footsteps and become a soldier. When the world is gripped by yet another world war, he is tested to the limit of his endurance, and doesn't know if he can survive the terrors of incarceration at the hands of the enemy. Cherishing his faded photographs, one of the only possessions he has managed to hang on to, gives him the strength to survive, but will it be enough? Back home, personal tragedy strikes, his family’s world is turned upside down, as the dreaded telegram reads, "Missing presumed killed." William’s beloved Annie can only wonder, will she ever see him again? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Jul 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803139418

Beverley J. Tucker

Beverley J. Tucker lives in Staffordshire. She has been writing since she was a teenager, and has previously written poetry which was featured on the Alan Freeman show on BBC Radio One. Lizzie’s Dream was her first self-published book with Matador. 

Book preview

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

‘Mum, Mum! Tell him to give me my doll back!’ cried Esme, William’s little sister.

He is always teasing her, Lizzie thought. ‘William! Stop it and give Esme her doll back, right now!’ William was becoming quite a handful since he had started school; Lizzie was almost at her wits’ end.

‘All right, Mum, I was only playing,’ said William, and Esme took her doll, stuck her tongue out at him, and ran off. Lizzie saw this exchange and just sighed. In truth, they were both a handful at times – one minute, fighting and the next minute, laughing.

‘You’ll be for it when your dad gets home!’ But, she knew, as soon as Harry got home, they would both run to him, and he would scoop them up in his arms. She would tell him what they had done, but he would say, ‘They’re only kids, love, it doesn’t mean anything.’

William was six now, and Esme three. Lizzie had had a rough time with Esme’s birth, and wasn’t likely to have any more children, so she was thankful for what she had, and also a bit sad for Harry, who would have liked more children. Being an only child himself, she knew he would have liked a larger family. Harry still worked with Fred, who had married Nellie, and they had a little girl, Ethel, who was a bit younger than Esme, so Lizzie and Nellie used to spend some time together, as the girls got on so well.

‘I don’t know what to do about William,’ Lizzie said to her one day, ‘he can be really naughty, then says sorry, and looks at me with those eyes of his, and my heart just melts.’

‘He will grow out of it I’m sure,’ Nellie said.

‘He’d better!’ said Lizzie. ‘The trouble is, Harry doesn’t see it.’

‘Do you think William would like a dog? Our Bessie has just had puppies, and we can’t keep them all, what do you think?’

‘Perhaps it might calm him down a bit,’ said Lizzie, ‘I’ll talk to Harry tonight.’ Harry had always wanted a dog but Lizzie had never been very keen, so when she suggested it, he thought it was a great idea.

A few weeks later, Harry walked in one night with a small black and white mongrel. William was excited; he’d always wanted a pet of his own. ‘I’m going to call him Rover,’ he said proudly, as he carefully took the small dog from his dad and stroked him. The change in him was amazing; he didn’t play his sister up quite as much, and the responsibility of looking after the dog seemed to calm him down a lot.

When the dog was big enough, he would take him out for walks with his dad, and sometimes, on a Sunday, the whole family would go to the memorial park, where William still remembered being taken when he was three and, as he got older, Harry explained things to him. So, whenever they went there, he always stopped to look at all the names, even though he couldn’t quite read them all yet.

It was lovely in the park, so peaceful, and to William, the memorial seemed to touch the sky, it was so tall. Fred and Harry were proud of their work on the railings surrounding it, and, partly due to their craftsmanship, had been busy ever since. Things had improved for everyone since the war had ended; it was almost ten years now and seemed like a lifetime ago.

Lizzie knew she had a lot to be thankful for, and when she thought back to those awful war years, it made her shudder to think of what might have been if Harry hadn’t come back.

Chapter Two

Over the next few years, William and Esme settled down a lot; there were still occasions when they clashed, the worst one being when Esme hid William’s favourite toy soldiers, which Harry had made for him for his ninth birthday and which William treasured.

‘Where have you put them, Esme? Tell me or I’ll tell Mum!’

‘Don’t care if you do, I’m not telling you!’ That really infuriated William and, as he searched everywhere and couldn’t find them, he got more and more annoyed.

In a sudden surge of anger, William picked up Lizzie’s dressmaking scissors. He crept up behind Esme – who had lovely blonde ringlets – and quickly snipped two of them off, then ran off into the garden and hung the blonde curls on top of Harry’s bean sticks.

Lizzie was upstairs cleaning when this all happened, and thought, Oh no, now what’s wrong? When she came downstairs and saw Esme’s hair, she couldn’t believe it. ‘William! Here, now!’ Esme was sobbing, and a very sheepish William came in from the garden.

‘Sorry, Mum, but she hid the soldiers that Dad made me.’

Just when I thought that things were settling down, she thought, and this happens. She comforted Esme but said she shouldn’t have hidden William’s toys like that, and she said how disappointed she was with William.

That night, when Harry came home, he said there was only one thing for it: the children would have to be separated for a while. Lizzie was horrified, but knew he was right, so it was arranged for William to spend a couple of weeks with John, Lizzie’s brother, and Dolly, his wife, who lived a few streets away. John had a workshop, he was a carpenter, and William would help him do a few odd jobs, as punishment for what he had done; it was the summer holidays, so he wouldn’t be missing school.

Although it was upsetting for Lizzie to send William away, she knew it was for the best. Hopefully, when he returned, he and Esme might get on a bit better together.

William felt a bit aggrieved at being sent away; he would miss everyone, especially Rover, his dog. He would be good for his aunt and uncle; he liked his Uncle John, and although he appeared stern, he had always liked the boy. John and Dolly hadn’t yet been blessed with a family of their own but hoped, one day, it would happen.

William was given the job of sweeping up and collecting all the small pieces of left-over wood and generally keeping the workshop tidy. After a week of helping out, John noticed how interested William was becoming in watching him work.

‘What you doing now, Uncle John, can I help?’

‘It’s a job for Mrs Bennett at the draper’s, she needs a new display cabinet for her shop.’

Although William had been sent there as a punishment, he was quite enjoying the change, especially without Esme there to annoy him. He would watch his Uncle John working and saw how much he seemed to enjoy his job. A week later, William went home, and, although it had been interesting, he had really missed everyone.

‘Now William,’ Harry said, ‘I hope we won’t see you behave like that again; I was really disappointed with you.’ Esme had had to have the rest of her hair cut and now had it in a bob, which she actually didn’t mind too much, as she no longer had to have her hair in rags each night to create the ringlets, which she wasn’t too keen on anyway.

William hated upsetting his dad, whom he idolised, and felt really bad about what he’d done. ‘I’m sorry, Dad, I promise to be good,’ he said, having terrible trouble holding back his tears as he felt so awful. He hardly dared look at Esme, with her hair so short, and his mum just looked really sad.

Although Esme had been upset by what happened, she knew she was partly to blame, and had really missed her big brother. ‘Sorry about your hair, Esme,’ William said, and he meant it.

‘That’s all right, William,’ she said and she hugged him really tight, which made him feel so much better. Lizzie was just glad to have her family back together again, and as she folded her arms around him, she whispered, ‘I have missed you.’ At that moment, he knew he had been forgiven, and vowed to himself he would never upset his family like that again.

From then on, both children behaved better with each other, and life returned to some kind of normality. William looked after Rover, helped his dad in the garden, and played really nicely with Esme. If anything, the two of them were closer than ever after that and would be all their lives.

Chapter Three

As time went on, everything seemed to settle down at home, which was a good thing for Lizzie, as she hadn’t been feeling too well. Harry was quite worried; she had lost that spark that had always been there. The doctor had given her a tonic, but it hadn’t really helped much.

They tried to keep it from William and Esme, but William, being the eldest, knew his mum wasn’t well. He was nearly fifteen now, the same age Lizzie was when she worked at the mill. Thankfully, Harry and Fred’s business was doing really well, and they had taken William on as an apprentice. It had made Harry really proud to have his son working with him. In truth, William would have liked to have gone to work for his Uncle John but knew how much it meant to Harry to have him follow in his footsteps. Esme was still at school, and Lizzie was really pleased that she hadn’t had to leave early, as she had when she was Esme’s age.

William idolised his parents and wanted to make them proud, so he worked hard and listened to everything Harry and Fred taught him. He also helped out more at home, as he knew it helped his mum.

‘You’re a good lad, William,’ Lizzie said, ‘your dad says how well you’re doing at work, he’s really proud of you.’

‘Thanks, Mum, I’m enjoying working with Dad and Fred, I’ve learned a lot.’ In truth, William was really worried about Lizzie, and had a very uneasy feeling; he even felt a little afraid for her. Esme had also noticed how tired her mum seemed to be most of the time lately, and she too did more to help out around the house.

Lizzie had good and bad days; now the summer was approaching, it made her feel a bit better. She hadn’t really been diagnosed with anything specific, just fatigue, and on her good days she felt almost her usual self. She was in her mid-thirties now and felt quite lucky that she didn’t need to work. Harry had done a fine job of supporting them all over the years; she felt blessed with her life and didn’t feel she had anything to complain about. She had been quite worried about Harry for a while. After the war, he hadn’t said much; she only knew from reading his journal just how awful things had been over there. From the day she had read it, and put it back in the box, they had never really discussed it again.

She was proud of her children and hoped they would have a good life as they grew up. She was also glad they hadn’t had to work in the mill, as she and the rest of her family had; it was a hard job, and long hours. Luckily, her parents had managed to put a little money by for their old age, as they wouldn’t get a pension until they reached seventy, so they still had a few years to go yet. Thankfully, her father Tom was quite fit for his age, and still worked at the mill. Mr Hardcastle still owned it and had always made sure that there were jobs for Lizzie’s family, for as long as they needed them.

All of the Entwhistle children had done quite well: John was married to Dolly and had his own carpentry business. Alice had married Jack, who was a policeman; they lived on the outskirts of Blackburn and now had two-year-old twins, Maisie and Daisy, as well as seven-year-old Archie, so Alice had her hands full. Billy still worked at the mill with Tom, Lizzie’s dad, and had recently got engaged to Sadie, who also worked at the mill. So, given their humble beginnings, all the family seemed quite settled.

Lizzie and Harry had moved to a larger house a few years earlier, and everything in their world seemed good; all the family still visited Ruth and Tom about once a month for Sunday tea. Ruth adored all their grandchildren and loved it when they all came around. Esme, now twelve, would sit and read to the twins, who seemed to take it all in. When she told them to sit and listen, they did as she said; she seemed to have that kind of voice – Lizzie thought she might make a good teacher one day. William would look after Archie, and let him play with his treasured toy soldiers, which he always took with him. So, although Ruth’s little house was full when they were all there, she loved it, and quite missed the noise when they all went home again. She was, however, becoming quite concerned about Lizzie; she just knew that something was wrong – she noticed how tired Lizzie looked lately, but when she asked her, she just said that she had been really busy, and not to worry. She had taken on the job of keeping the accounts up to date for Harry and Fred, as neither of them had the time. She enjoyed it and felt like she was contributing to the business. Lizzie had always liked to keep her brain active, and doing the accounts was the perfect way to do it. Although she never did quite fulfil the dream she had had as a young girl, her life had been so rich in so many ways. She was, in essence, actually living her dream, albeit not the one she had imagined all those years before.

William was becoming a young man, maturing quickly, and Esme certainly seemed older than her years. Yes, Lizzie thought, she and Harry hadn’t done too badly really, life had been good to them both. She only hoped that their children would find the happiness that she and Harry had shared. Subconsciously, she had the feeling that she would not see old age but the fact that she had been so happy for so long meant it didn’t frighten her; she just worried about her precious family who would have to cope without her.

Chapter Four

1939

Over the next few years, life for Lizzie and her family seemed to carry on as normal. She still seemed to get tired quickly but just put on a brave face for her family. She had also lost weight, but just said she had been overdoing things a bit. William was almost eighteen now, and desperately wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the army, but Lizzie and Harry were uneasy about it. There had been trouble in Spain with a civil war, and although it didn’t directly involve Britain, a lot of young men had gone over there to fight. Everyone hoped there would never be another war; after all, the previous conflict was supposed to be the war to end all wars, so surely it couldn’t happen again, could it? It was unthinkable that they would have to live through that all over again. They worried for their precious children, especially William, being so keen to join up. After what had happened in Spain, who knew what would happen next?

Esme was fourteen now, the same age that Lizzie was when the last war had started, and although she tried not to show it and wasn’t really aware of what war could mean, she was secretly worried. She had heard about the last war and the huge loss of life, and now that William was keen to enlist, she didn’t know what to expect. She also worried about her mum, who seemed older than her years, and although Lizzie didn’t seem any worse, she seemed frailer somehow. Esme knew that, if William did join up, she would have to be strong for her dad, who was so worried about her mum.

One evening, when Harry and Lizzie were alone, he said, ‘Do you remember my journal, love?’

‘Well, yes, of course,’ said Lizzie, and a worried look crossed her face.

‘We’ve never looked at it again, have we?’ he said. ‘It seems like a lifetime ago, but with William wanting to join up, it brings it all back somehow.’ Lizzie seemed to be staring into the distance, remembering all those anxious months waiting for news of Harry.

‘We thought it could never happen again, but the way things are going, it seems more than likely. I never thought our son would have to face this, but it’s what he wants to do. I know he has worked hard with me and Fred, but I know his heart isn’t in it.’

It had been on Harry’s mind for some time: whether he should share his experiences with William or not. They had not told their children about any of it, and the journal was still in the box they had put it in all those years ago.

‘I don’t want him to go any more than you do,’ said Lizzie, ‘but he must lead his own life, and all we can do is support him. It wouldn’t be fair, they are our memories. He has to make his own choices; in fact, he may not have a choice if war is declared.’

‘You’re right; oh, Lizzie, how I do love you,’ said Harry, and they embraced tenderly.

Even though Lizzie tried not to think about it, she knew there was something wrong with her – she felt herself getting weaker, and although it would break her heart to see William going off to war, she still wanted him to follow his dream. She was lucky, her dream in life had almost been fulfilled, until she realised that she was living a different kind of dream with her Harry and, later, with their longed-for children.

William was so keen to join up, he talked constantly about it and although he knew that his mum and dad weren’t keen, they seemed to support his decision. So, just after his eighteenth birthday, he joined the army; he knew that his dad had wanted him to stay at the blacksmith’s with him and Fred, but it just wasn’t what he wanted from his life. William had always taken pride in his appearance, and the first time he put on his uniform, he looked so smart, and so happy. Lizzie and Harry knew that he was doing what he really wanted, so they had to support him.

‘Don’t worry about me, Mum,’ William said one evening, just before he was due to start his training. ‘I will be all right.’

As he sat with Lizzie, she held his hands tight, and said, ‘I am so proud of you, William, and the caring, thoughtful young man you have become. It is your time to pursue your dream in life now, so go with my love and blessing.’ William squeezed his mum’s hands and found it hard to hold back his tears.

‘Thanks, Mum, I know you and Dad wanted me to