A Family at War by Herb Hamlet

Author:Herb Hamlet
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-85728-168-5
Publisher: Anthem Press

16

Grace and the girls called around to see her parents at every opportunity. She knew her mother remained in a deep depression. Anne and Maggie lift her spirits.

Niall had written to the Defence Department and the Red Cross without success – no further news of Private Glen Cullen – no record of him being held as a prisoner of war either. All Niall could ascertain was that a number of soldiers had been left behind in Greece – Glen may or may not be amongst them. He tried to keep his hopes alive.

‘It’ll take time, I suppose,’ he would answer to all who asked if there was any news.

Grace’s water broke one Saturday afternoon while she helped her mother remove washing from the clothes line stretching across the backyard. It had begun to spit rain.

Grace groaned as she grabbed the prop, feeling the warm liquid trickle down her inner thighs. ‘Mum,’ she called, ‘my waters broke.’

Elizabeth came alive. ‘Och, lass, off to the hospital with you,’ she began yelling to her husband who was in the house with the girls. ‘Niall, Grace’s bairn is comin’. Come down here, quickly now.’ After helping his daughter upstairs, he ran two blocks to the ambulance station. ‘What about the girls, Mum?’ Grace asked. ‘Can they stay here?’

‘Aye, of course they can. Dinnie be worryin’ aboot that, lass.’ She heard a vehicle pull to a halt. ‘Here it is. Come, Grace, on your feet. After you go, we’ll go aroond home and get some things for you and bring them to the hospital.’

‘Thanks, Mum.’ She held out her arms to Anne and Maggie, ‘You be good for Nana and Grandad, you hear?’ She wanted to reassure her two girls who were looking frightened at all the commotion. ‘Mummy will soon have another little brother or sister for you.’

Anne’s eyes widened. ‘Don’t worry, Mummy, we’ll be good and I’ll look after Maggie, too.’

‘Bye, Mummy,’ Maggie still looked a little bewildered as she wrapped her arms around her tightly.

*

Along with thousands of others, Bill heard the remainder of his division was to embark for an undisclosed overseas destination. The division had been formed as part of the 2nd Imperial Force and contained soldiers from regular army units and new, all-volunteer infantry brigades. War with Japan seemed more and more likely as 1941 progressed. As a consequence, it had become a priority to secure the countries north of the Australian continent. A brigade had already been sent to Malaya and Bill’s brigade was to follow in late August.

A boy, Bill thought to himself. I have a son. Grace wants to name him after me. I can’t wait to get home to see him. I miss them so much.

An overseas mission now a certainty, more intense training was undertaken. Bill and the other sappers were told they would be required to plot minefields and set booby traps should the enemy attack. It was also their responsibility to ensure the brigade was able to traverse the countryside – that meant building roads, culverts and bridges, as well as supplying everyone with water.

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