Chapter One
My name is William Lamb and as I rolled out of bed and looked through the window of my third floor room at what was a gloriously sunny Sunday morning I could hear Mrs. Moffat my landlady clattering about down stairs. And the person I shared the room with George Drew was already up and about and probably getting ready to tuck into breakfast. George was of slim build average height a dapper fellow with brown hair and brown eyes and had been my friend since I arrived here. I yawned and stretched. I was a big lad for my age which was just fifteen and I had been working in Dombridges foundry for just over a year now. I had left the little village of Heskett in the year 1913 and made for the large town of Blackthorn which was about twelve miles away because I needed to make my way in the world. I had been brought up by an uncle after my parents were killed in a gas explosion when I was seven my uncle didn't have much time for me apart to use me for free labour on the small holding he ran. But I couldn’t blame him as having seven other children of his own another mouth to feed was not easy. And at least he had kept and looked after me when he could just as easily have sent me to the orphanage in Blackthorn so I was thankful to him for that. Like I say I am big for my age and working on the land had given me a good strength in my muscles and filled me out and I had done very well at the village school with my education, finishing top of the class in quite a few subjects and Miss Dander’s wanted me to stay and learn more but it was impossible. So I had written to a friend of my late fathers who was a foreman at Dombridges foundry and the man knowing my situation had replied offering me a job as a labourer. So I had packed my few belongings including my fathers pocket watch and chain and saying goodbye to my uncle and his family who I must admit seemed glad to see the back of me. I went off to make my way in the outside world. Although my name is William every body calls me Billy Boy I dressed in my Sunday best as after breakfast most of the household would be attending church. For this was the summer of 1914, and in this day and age it was expected of people that they attend church on a Sunday and show true reverence to god and to their country. And afterwards there would be a stroll through the Queens Park to have a chat with friends and acquaintances, and to watch the young ladies promenading themselves this was the highlight of the week.
But this Sunday the 28 June 1914 was to have far reaching consequences not just for Britain but for the whole world. For in Sarajevo in far off Serbia there was going to be an assassination and when the Archduke and Duchess of Austria lay dead it would set in motion a series of events that would plunge the World into War! But this had not happened yet as I made my way down to breakfast. I pulled out a chair and sat down just as Mrs Moffat came in with bacon and eggs on a plate and placed it in front of me saying. “Teas in the pot and there’s bread and butter on the table if you want it”, and she gestured with her hand. From the chair opposite me George Drew smiled at this taking some little satisfaction. My face went red Mrs Moffat looked on me as a surrogate son as her own two boys were serving in the army in India she bustled back out of the room and went to the kitchen. George said. “Well when you've finished I think there’s just time for a gentle stroll and a smoke before church.” I was tucking in to my bacon and egg and really enjoying it for this was a treat every Sunday morning. I picked up a thick slice of fresh bread and said to him. “Pass the butter please.” It was handed to me and I proceeded to spread a large amount on the slice as I said. “Thanks”, through a mouthful of bread.
George said. “I’ll just nip up to the room and get my cigarettes you should be finished by the time I come down”, and with this he stood up and left the room. I finished my breakfast by wiping the last of the egg yolk and bacon grease from my plate with a bit of bread I got up and patted my stomach feeling everything was right with the world. Mrs Moffat who had come back into the room to clear the plates told me. “Don't you be late for church me lad and don't you let that George Drew lead you astray he’s older than you and should have more sense.” George was only eighteen and I would be sixteen quite soon so I replied. “I won’t Ma don't you fret yourself if anything it will be me looking after George.” She liked me to call her Ma and shaking her round faced grey head she said. “Well now be off with you then there’s more as will be down e4xpecting their breakfast in a minute.” I walked out into the hallway then went along the passage and opened the front door. George joined me saying. “Let’s get out of here before the rest of them come down and we get stuck making polite conversation.” We walked through the front door of 123 General Gordon Street and into a beautiful hot summer’s morning. In fact today all over Britain people were waking up to another scorcher in London cleaners were cleaning up the mess that had been made at Hyde Park by the crowds that had turned out on Saturday to watch the display in front of the King by the London Fire Brigade. More than 5,000 spectators had been thrilled with the Brigades dash and daring and the finale of a gallop past the king was exhilarating. At Henley the annual regatta was due to take place soon and preparations were continuing for it and what better weather for people to be out on the river in boating parties enjoying the day. The All-England lawn tennis championships were half way through and due to recommence on the Monday. At the seaside people strolled and paddled in the sea listened to the bands on the pavilions and generally had a whale of a time in the best weather for sometime.
We where nearing St Luke’s church when we spotted Mr Nutall a rather stern man he was the foreman who had given me my labouring job at Dombridges. We both said together. “Morning Mr Nutall isn't it a lovely day/” He answered. “Yes its fair champion and it will get hotter yet let’s just hope it stays like this for the wakes weeks.” The Wakes Weeks were the annual public holidays for all the workers two weeks in which most towns were virtually ghost towns as everybody took off to the seaside or the countryside en mass. A two week break for people that worked long and hard hours and that everybody looked forward to. He continued. “Anyway I’m off inside now so don't you two be chatting out here all day and being late for the service or you know who you will answer to. Mr Nutall sang in the choir and was going in to get ready. We both told him. “We won’t after all we wouldn’t want to miss your singing.” He turned rather a jaundice eye on us weighing up if we were having a laugh at his expense and then said. “See that you don't”, and with this he went in through the front porch. Smoking our cigarettes we watched the different people turn up for church George took a particular interest in the young ladies that were arriving with their families. Yes he certainly fancied himself as a ladies man did George and was always trying to get Sally Pearson who lived in the same digs into the cupboard under the stairs for some spooning as he called it. And much to my incomprehension he was always learning new dances like the Bunny Hug and even more bizarre the Turkey Trot! I knew nothing about these things so I left it to George to show off his skills at the church dance on Saturday nights. I also knew next to nothing about young ladies although I had held hands with Helen Shaw a girl just slightly older than myself. But I only did this when we were alone or out for a walk or in the Rev Loveday’s lantern slide show in the church hall and in my book holding hands was tantamount to being engaged to be married so I thought I should take things slower. We moved inside it was cool in the church and as we made our way to our favourite pew right at the back where we hoped the vicar could not see us if we nodded off. Mrs Lucas the rock of the church morals committee and a believer that there was much to do to save the young from a life of sinfulness and moral degeneration cast here baleful eye over the two of us. The look she gave us seemed to confirm that she thought that we two in particular that needed saving. She said to us. “Take these hymn books and shall we try this week to sing the praises of God, instead of falling asleep at the back?” She thrust the books into our hands and gave us a look of distaste saying. “I will have my eye on you and don't you forget it so let’s have no slacking during the service or you will know what’s what.” The pair of us nearly fell over each other in a bid to get away from her and her razor sharp tongue and into the safety of our pew.
George said. “Well I never the old gorgon certainly don’t like us I hope her stays crease her, what have we ever done to wrong.” He glanced back to where she was standing and he shook his head. “You know it’s just because were young she’s like that with all the young people.” I grinned at him saying. “She must have never been young herself or she has nothing better to do than twist our tails for something to do.” The organ struck up and the service was about to start as I continued. “It’s because we don't live with our families and are making our own way in life to her that is the end of the world so its best to just ignore her.” The organ music trailed off and the Rev Loveday climbed in to the pulpit and said to us all. “The first hymn we will sing is Jerusalem.” At last the service was coming to an end it had stuttered on for close on two hours. The sun had shone through the stained glass windows mottling the high alter, the church floor and the pews in a rainbow of colours. And although this was pretty to look at it could not entertain anyone for two hours let alone two young chaps like us. To make matters worse the sermon that Rev Loveday delivered had to be the most lengthy and boring that I had ever had to sit through he just droned on and on but there was no chance of having a kip. For every time that mine and Georges head drooped a stern cough would come from across the aisle and there would be Mrs Lucas glaring at us with enough venom to keep our eyes open forever. At last though and just as I was contemplating murder Rev Loveday said. “We will sing our last hymn onward Christian Soldiers and let’s hear the rafters ring with the force of our voices.” Finally the last strains from the organ faded and the congregation made a swift exit for the door headed by me and George who had a start on the others by being in the back pew. Going out through the porch the Vicar was there to greet us he shook our hands saying. “Billy George nice to see you it was also nice to see that you managed to keep awake this week though no doubt that was entirely due to the ever faithful Mrs Lucas who has been keeping an eye on you.” He smiled at us I managed to look bashful and George had a red flush on his cheeks we extracted ourselves and walked down the path to the gate where we waited to say our good byes to the people we knew.
I turned to George offering my cigarettes saying to him. “Here do you want a Pasha?” He asked. “When are you going to buy a decent brand instead of these weeds?” He always said this to me just because he bought Navy Cut he seemed to think it made him a man of the world when all it really did was cost him a dammed sight more than my Pashas. We stood smoking at the bottom of the path and after saying our good byes to everyone we were the last left. He said. “Shall we catch the tram into town and take a stroll round the park?” I replied. “Why not and we could have a lemonade or two to quench our thirst.” And with that we set off for the tram stop at the bottom of the hill all of a sudden there was a loud clanking sound as the tram came towards us. Sparks burst overhead as the power bar that supplied power to the tram passed over insulators on the overhead electric wires. As it pulled up to the stop I saw it was one of the old types with the open top. As we waited for the other people to board I read the advertising hoardings on the trams side Kiwi Shoe Polish, Dr Bells Universal Embrocating Rub and Navy Cut Cigarettes. We boarded and went upstairs to the open top deck it was pleasant in the open air and a lot better than it was in the winter when nobody wanted to sit on the top deck for fear of getting soaked or freezing to death in the strong northerly winds that blew. Off we went towards the town. It was a right rattle trap and sounded like the old scrap merchants cart that used to clang down the street in his never ending search for any kind of metal he could get. And it really felt as though the wheels had been transformed into squares with too much use we stared over the side silent because conversation was impossible because of the clatter of the carriage on the tram lines. And sitting on the wooden seats was really uncomfortable as they smashed into your back every time the tram went over a set of points so all in all I was glad to get off at our stop on Queens Road when it came up.
As the tram pulled away we could see the park gates across the street and the crowd of people that were entering through them. We crossed the street and I said. “Come on let’s get in before the rest of the town gets here.”Gorge replied. “Just wait a minute there’s Mabel Smith I’ll just go and have a word with her”, and with this statement George made a bee line for her. While I waited for him I scanned the people going in through the park gates there was the usual mix of mothers and fathers with their kids, old people, young men and women. But hanging about leaning on the railings near the entrance was a different type of park user these were a gang of toughs from the slums on the other side of town. And whether they had come to make trouble like busting a few heads or whether they had come to pick a pocket or two was anybody’s guess but I thought it best to keep an eye on them. This was pretty easy because they dressed in the same type of clothes. Belt and braces with their shirt sleeves rolled up and cloth caps on their heads and they had a look of starving wolves about them. George came back saying. “She’s promised me a dance on Saturday night”, he had a huge smile plastered on his mug. He continued. “And maybe a bit of spooning as well if I’m lucky and I think I might be in with a chance.” I looked at him and I really couldn’t see what he was getting all worked up about. Mabel Smith worked in the same drapery shop as him and although quite pretty she was nothing special. I thought this with all my fifteen years of experience on this earth nevertheless I couldn’t stand his bragging so I taunted him saying. “Bloody hell its George Drew cock of the walk.” He gave me a very sour look and said. “Come on let’s take our constitutional before any more people get here.” We started into the park and I brought his attention to the men leaning on the railings as I told him. “Just glance to your right.” He moved his eyes to the right then replied. “I can see them there a rough looking bunch of coves aren’t they still I dare say there here to meet up for a whippet race or badger baiting or even a crown & anchor session.” He could have been right for these men came from Highercrop a large area of terraced slums on the far side of the town. He continued saying “Anyway I doubt if they will bother us and there’s a couple of policemen over yonder keeping an eye on them so let’s just enjoy the day.” So we strolled past them and into the park.
Queens Park was a large park for its size there were lots of open lawn space, acres of formal flower beds and two bandstands and a large boating lake it had several bowling greens and two cafes where you could buy refreshments. We headed to one of these first being rather parched on this glorious day we sat down at a table outside. I caught the eye of the young girl that was serving and said. “Two lemonades please miss.” From here we could look out onto the main walkway through the park and observe everyone enjoying their Sunday stroll and especially the young lads and lasses promenading around the place. The lads were trying to look aloof but they never took their eyes off the lasses whilst these same lasses walked by giggling and whispering to one another. Gorge was slavering as he said to me. “Just look at her in the purple dress what I wouldn’t give to be alone with her for a while.” I replied rather exasperatingly. “What for there’s plenty walking round here even for you I would have thought.” At times he really did get my goat. Most of the lasses in the park were domestics or shop girls and there were nannies walking children in their perambulators. For this was the premier park in Blackthorn the best and most respectable. There were no mill girls here with their shawls covering their heads and, no miners with their wives and children, none of the poor from the slum areas of the town. They had their own park that was about the size of an allotment on the far side of the town. But for people of whatever social class these were the only pieces of open land in Blackthorn. And where better to go on a beautiful summer’s day than to these havens of green in a sea of grimy black smoggy streets that this town became reduced to in the winter.
George was quite peeved and asked. “What's the matter with you today?” I answered him. “Nothing let’s go for a look round and maybe have a go on the rowing boats.” He replied. “Yes that sounds gradely and we can have fish & chips in the other cafe down there after we have had a row round the lake.” We both stood up and I got the attention of the cafe girl and paid for our refreshments we then set off at a leisurely pace towards the boating lake. On arrival at the lake we could see it was crowded people were sitting on the banks having picnics or just enjoying the sun. The boats were doing a roaring trade and we had to wait quite a while before a skiff was free the boat attendant shouted to us. “Come on lads we haven't got all day if you don't want it someone else will.” George gave him the money and climbed in he sat down on the seat in the rear of the skiff meaning that I would get to do the rowing again. But it didn't bother me all that much as I liked to take some exercise and besides which my hands were like iron with working in the foundry all day. But poor Georges were like a baby’s bottom and an hour of rowing up and down the lake would have left them blistered and extremely painful. I rowed out onto the lake making for the large Island in the middle where I would row round it and back down the lake again. The majority of the rowers were either like me and George or young couples out for some privacy to chat or whatever else young couples did. But we always went round the Island for on the far side which was screened by its bulk from the shore and the boat attendant. Young couples would either anchor there craft to the shore and sit holding hands together on the rear seat or maybe even put their arms round each other and hold on for grim life or they would embark onto the Island only the most daring and risqué did this however. And it was clearly against the rules for there were signs all over it telling you it was prohibited to be on the Island.
George said. “Come on Billy Boy a quick spin round the Island let’s see what's happening.” He was fascinated by what went on there and we always had to take at least one turn around it. I had just found my stroke when he shouted. “Look there’s Jenny Biggs!” I was startled and the oar skimmed off the water instead of carving through it and there I was on my back in the bottom. I yelled at him from my rather ungainly position in the bottom of the skiff. “You fucking idiot.” When all of a sudden there was an almighty thump on the side a hollow thud that reverberated through the hull. I pulled myself up in time to see Tommy Smith with some of his mates laughing fit to bust. He was my rival or so he thought for Helen Shaw because he was walking out with her before she took a shine to me. He lived near her in Cromwell Street and he thought himself a bit of a Jack the Lad. He was the same age as George and worked in the offices at the foundry this made him think he was also better than me he was still laughing when he said. “You want to watch your self Billy Boy if you can’t handle the oars gets off the water you could have sunk us running into our boat like that.” Now his mates were laughing and jeering at us. So I replied. “Look here Tommy Smith I don't need a tea boy like you to tell me or show me how to row and it was you that ran into us on purpose.” His face went bright red and I knew my insult had hit home. There might have been trouble if the Boating Attendants helper hadn't turned up at that moment in a boat shouting. “Come on you daft buggers stop messing around and you get your boat back in number three it should have been in ten minutes ago so get it back in now or I will charge you for another hour'. All boats were numbered and number three was the number of Tommy’s boat when your time was up the attendants shouted your number through a speaking trumpet telling you to come in.
They back paddled with their oars and disengaged their boat from ours then as they rowed back for shore Tommy Smith shouted. “I will see you at work Billy Boy and that’s a promise.” It didn’t bother me as I knew it was just another of his idle threats and Id heard loads of them since I took up with Helen. So I did what for me was normal and completely ignored him as the assistant said to us. “You two watch where you’re going and what you’re doing.” And with that parting shot he rowed away back towards the shore. I turned to George saying. “Bloody hell that's your fault looking at girls again and screaming like a banshee.” I looked at him for the first time since the shout that had left me on my ass at the bottom of the boat. He was sat holding his back in both hands with a look of intense pain on his face so I asked. “What's wrong with you then?” He replied. “When those idiots rammed into us I was stood up looking the other way the thump when they hit nearly tipped me into the water trying not to end up swimming I sat down hard on the seat and my back smashed into the back rest of the seat with a hell of a lot of force.” He pulled up his jacket and shirt and showed me his back. There was a bruise in the shape of a stripe across his middle back and it was quickly turning black and purple so I asked. “Is it bad?” He replied feeling his back “No it’s not bad just bruised but it hurts like hell.” I retrieved the oar and said to him. “You should be fine after good nights kip so never mind come on lets go get our fish & chips.” Fitting the lost oar back into the rowlock I proceeded to row us steadily back to shore.
We had a fine tea of fish & chips at the lake side café then we strolled back to the tram stop on Queens Road with George complaining about his back all the way. I noticed as we got to the gates a large crowd had gathered watching something or other and I pointed it out to George. As we got closer we saw a row of Police vans drawn up at the side into them were being loaded the toughs we had noticed hanging round the gates when we went into the park. We listened to some people in the crowd who were explaining there had been some kind of fight between this gang and another from across town. And that it was probably to do with gambling said a fat man who seemed to know more than he should about this subject anyway it seems we had arrived just after they had been arrested and they were now being transported to the cells. Although judging by the struggles that were going on some of them were none too keen about it. Gorge his face burning with righteous zeal said. “Didn't I tell you that lot were trouble when I first set eyes on them?” I replied waspishly. “No you bloody didn't in fact it was me that told you about them when we first got here but you were too busy making cows eyes at Mabel Smith to take much notice.” George looked at me with a hurt expression on his face saying. “But I told you they were rum coves I got that right didn't I?” Grabbing his arm and pulling him with me I thought it was a waste of time arguing so I said. “Come on there’s a tram due anytime let’s get on it and get home.” We walked over to the stop just in time to board the tram we eventually got back to 123 General Gordon Street and found that Mrs Moffat had made us a cup of cocoa which we drank even though we could hardly keep our eyes open it had been a tiring day to say the least Then finally after finishing our drink we went up to bed for a good night’s kip the better to start the day tomorrow with. So the following morning it was back to work but not before George had let me know just how sore his back was and that he had hardly slept a wink all night and looking at the way he was standing as stiff as a board I could well believe him. I didn't see the paper that morning and if I had I wouldn’t have given a second thought to the news of an assassination of the Archduke of Austria and his wife. For what had happened over there had nothing to do with us and most of the people of Britain would have felt the same what the people were doing was getting on with their daily business as usual. After all it would be the wakes holidays in a few weeks and every body would be getting away for the week money would be drawn out of the holiday clubs and people would be having a good time with it so little attention was paid to some foreigners and their problems. But what the British public did not realise was that despite the good weather the clouds of war were gathering over Europe and that pretty soon they would burst.
What had started as an Austrian problem with Serbia had by the middle of July turned into much more but still most people took no notice about what was happening over there. Reading the paper on the 23 July I saw that Austria had sent Serbia a note of protest but as the paper put it this was really an ultimatum. They informed the Serbs they had forty-eight hours to reply to the demands and accusations it contained I glanced at the paper but didn't really take it in. More and more stories were appearing in the newspapers all through the following days. In London the Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey was arranging a conference to be convened in which four powers would settle the problems of Austria and Serbia as soon as possible by arbitration sighs of relief could be heard all over the continent. Whilst the people of Britain just ignored most of what was happening but little did they know that even as Sir Edward was in the middle of arranging this, a note from the Austrian Ambassador was delivered to his office? It was couched in diplomatic jargon but it was a declaration of war by Austria on Serbia there was no way of stopping the march of war now. I was taking a lot more interest in the stories that were appearing now even to my young mind war was never a good thing. By the 29th of July Austria had been at war with Serbia for nearly twenty-four hours they had shelled Belgrade and the whole of Europe was in ferment. I asked George Drew that night. “Have you read the paper this Austrian affair is all over the pages?” George looked over at me from the armchair in the corner of the sitting room were he was smoking a cigarette before going to bed as he replied. “If they want to fight let them after all it’s their concern but if they tangle with us it will be different our boys will show them.” I was just thinking about this when he continued. “Look this is a foreign thing over on the Continent their always having a go at one another so don't worry about it.” This was said with all the wisdom and experience of an eighteen year old so I forgot about it but not for long. Only a few people in this country knew that each of the major powers in Europe believed it had something to gain by going to war. Whether it was territory, power, or to teach an upstart country a lesson. The only country that had nothing to gain was tiny Serbia for surely she must perish or be absorbed by a bigger country. No the only thing Serbia could claim with Austria taking a share of the blame that a shot fired in its country would go down in history as the reason for plunging Europe into the Great War.
I came down for breakfast early on Bank Holiday Monday George was still having a lie in upstairs. I had looked outside this morning at the weather the sun was out and there was not a cloud in the sky I was glad because over the weekend the weather had been very close and cloudy. And I expected it to be the same today what with everybody being off for the holiday but I got a nice surprise. Mrs Moffat popped out of the kitchen saying. “Breakfast isn't ready yet Billy Boy.” She walked along the hallway towards me and enquired. “Your up early for a holiday aren’t you I thought you might have stopped in bed for an extra hour?” She wiped her hands on her apron and beamed at me. I told her. “Don't worry about me Ma I’ll just go into the sitting room and read the paper if it’s here and maybe have a smoke until breakfasts ready.” She smiled at me again and replied. “You’re a good boy the papers on the hall stand you have a look at it whilst I get on with the cooking and I will call you when it’s ready.” I turned picked up the paper and went into the sitting room as I opened the paper the headline caught my eye Germany had declared war on Russia. But not just this she had invaded Luxembourg and was on the brink of invading Belgium I read on avidly and there was a lot of news all the way through about the crisis enveloping the Continent. But after all this was Britain. And so being Britain there was room in the paper for what was happening in London. There was an Anglo-American exhibition at the White City complete with Wild West scenes. An exhibition of Spain recreated at Earls Court complete with real flamenco dancers. And there was a flying display due to take place at Hendon. There was also a lot more holiday entertainment in the paper but after all I thought why not it was a gradley day and there was no work today and peace still reigned.
George entered the room and then he looked over my shoulder at the headline saying. “It seems to have got a bit serious from the look of things.” But I thought to myself surely not on a day as nice as this I was not going to let anything bother me and that was a fact. He put his hand on my shoulder and said. “Come on Ma Moffat has breakfast ready and we can plan what we are going to do today while we eat.” As I followed him out I never thought this would be our last Bank Holiday together but then again why should I have done because we had a lovely day out. Mrs Moffat packed a picnic basket for us and said to us. “Go on you two get from under my feet be off with you.” But it was said with a smile from her and we knew it was her joking. So we went down to the park we spread our picnic on the grass by the boating lake and the sun shone down on us. We tucked in to cold chicken and pork pie pickles and boiled eggs which we washed down with lemonade. Ma had done us proud and I sometimes wonder if some kind of intuition had warned her what was about to happen. On the way home we went to the New Electric Picture Palace to watch a new Charlie Chaplain film that was on. We were still laughing as we came out but we didn't laugh for long. For out here on the street we could hear the paperboys shouting out the headline. Germany Declares War On France!!! Gorge said to me “Get a paper off one of them Billy Boy let’s find out what's going on.” I shouted to one of the lads. “Give us a paper over here will you?” A lad ran to us and thrus