大象传媒

I didn't remember seeing my Dad at all. I only knew him from the letters that came very occasionally from a country a long way away where he was fighting. I knew it had got elephants in because he drew them in the margins for me. To me my Dad was the big strong man who banged the gong at the beginning at the Arthur Rank films at the pictures. I remember once when Mum and I were waiting for the picture to begin I said in a very loud voice, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my Dad up there, and he鈥檚 coming home when the War鈥檚 over.鈥� There was then a silence in the cinema. Then somebody made a funny noise, and then the film started.

On the day Dad did come home Mum was rushing around getting her hair up in curlers. His train was due in at 3pm. At around midday there was a knock on the front door. Mum and I went to open it, and there was this man at the bottom of the steps in a funny hat and soldier鈥檚 uniform. He came up into the hall, and took Mum into his arms. I stood as close as I could, looking up at this stranger. I think I only came up to his knees.

This story was entered on The People's War Website by Stuart Ross on behalf of P.M. Holmes, who fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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