The second Nick North book tells Leone’s story and without
giving too much away, it centres around the First World War.
Last year there were many events commemorating 100 years
since the Great War started. In addition
a rush of television programmes both factual and fictional hit our screens showing
life back in those days.
One of the most moving tributes was the more than 850,000 red,
ceramic poppies planted around the Tower of London. They represented one poppy for each British
and Commonwealth soldier who died in the War. It took months to place all the
poppies and after the Remembrance Day service in November, they were all taken
down and anyone could purchase one.
All of this stirred in me a deep interest to know more about
my great uncle Charles who died in the War. I had never been that interested before but I dug into some of my family photos and letters and found a whole
pack of letters that he had written to his brother Will, my grandfather.
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| My grandfather William Neville. He always wore a bow tie, as did my father and my brother still does. Three generations of bow tie wearers. |
I carefully typed the letters out so that my brother and I could
read them more easily. I also discovered that he had been injured in the Battle
of the Somme and then died of septicaemia, all too common in those days before
penicillin and antibiotics. I bought a Tower of London poppy in his honour.
All of this provided the background for Nick North: War Zone. Leone
is given a book of letters written by her great grandfather to his mother from
the Front. I used some of my great uncle
Charles letters as the basis for the letters in Leone’s book. Gran also typed
out the letters to help Nick and Leone read them.
In reading the book I hope you enjoy the story but also
realise what an enormous effect it had on the lives of that generation. So many young men were needlessly slaughtered
and many more were left devastated by the experience.
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| One of my great uncle's letters. You can see how hard it is to read. Below is what it actually says |
My dear Will
I received 200 CWS cigarettes last night which I presume you
sent and which I shall distribute to my platoon today some time and please
accept many thanks for the same. It is yet only 3:30 a.m. just Monday in fact.
Yesterday we had quite a calm day for Sunday really. Our parapet got hit with
shells twice just about the time when people in England were thinking of going
to Evening Service. That has all been made good during the night. We have only
got one more night to stay in I think for tomorrow night we shall be relieved
again. One day short this time because we did an extra day last time.
The last two evenings there has been some amusement watching
the aeroplanes. On Saturday evening one of our people was having a jolly good
game on his own. The Boches plugged 136 shells at that one plane and still he
flew round. That does not seem to show a shortage of ammunition does it?
I had a letter from Arthur last night. He expects to be
going home again about Wednesday so it has not been a very long job for him but
I expect he will have told you all about it.
That is rather a bad accident at Kirkby Pit[1]
Someone looks like being in trouble for the conductors must have been broken
according to the paper.
You don’t want any tea before you get up do you? We have got
some mashed – we always have some between 2 & 3 a.m. in the trenches and
six a.m. in billets before going out for a run.
It has every appearance of being a very hot day again
today. These last two days have been
very warm indeed. Quite hot enough for a bathing parade but there is no stream
running through the trenches.
The night before last there was some sporting German fellow
with a cornet straight in front of their line who shouted “If you want fun I’ll
play you a tune”. He struck up several old English melodies and it sung out
very well in the darkness. They yell like fun occasionally.
Now I think I will finish and take my periscope along to see
if I can get a shot. Then I’ll try to get a wash and shave to wake up and keep
the bugs away if possible.
Best love to all
Yrs Chas
[1] Looks like reference to I Bentinick Colliery when 10 people died when
cages collided in the shaft
One of Leone's letters also mentioned the airplane flying around and a German playing tunes for the English soldiers.
