• It was 1938, I didn’t and still don’t know the exact date, I had kept myself and dear Farley at my sister’s house, ours had been hit when the Germans began bombing Britain, we had received news a few weeks before that Hector would be coming home. Every day he had been gone we would pray for his safe return, he finally came. He was safe, just as our Government had promised.

    I cried as I ran towards him and into his familiar arms, he kissed me and then picked up Farley and spun him around in the air, we laughed happily and we all hugged one another. My sister and I had decided to keep the flags up in the front yard for those who were losing faith. Hector had agreed saying it would help those who had lost a family member in the war. I stopped him before he had a chance to say more. None of us wanted to think about Britain’s brave men not returning. Churchill had said we would conquer evil but we had heard what happened to our friends husbands. We weren’t so sure any more but no one dared to say it. Hector and I stayed up, Farley had tried but had fallen asleep on my lap. Hector eventually began to look tired, I was much too excited at his return to sleep, I told him to go get some rest and I would clean up and put Farley to bed. He smiled and kissed Farley and I on the forehead then went to our room.

    I was suddenly quite relived my sister and I were so close and visited one another so often. Often enough that we had separate wings of the house whenever one went to the others house. I hefted our little angel up into my arms then took him to his small but cheerful room, I lay him in his bed and kissed his cheeks, for awhile I sat with him stroking his hair looking out the window, somewhere between exhilaration and despair. I was elated now that Hector was home with Farley and I, but my heart wept for those who would and have received letters with dog tags, and soldiers on their doorstep. I also rejoiced deep in my heart knowing that I would never have to worry about such a devastating thing happening to my family, Hector had done more than his duty called for and was protected from a draft.

    In the weeks that followed he taught Farley about planes, they even set out of making a model one of wood scraps from Elise’s late husband’s shop. Elise and I would often watch Farley and Hector work on making moving parts for their plane, more often than not they would break the piece and have to start over. Elise and I would laugh quietly then make them lemonade and cucumber sandwiches. Our aimless chatter would often be interrupted by one of three things, a shout of ‘buggeration charlotte!’ senseless laughter, or a spirited victory cry. We had soon fallen into a comfortable way of living in the months that flew by, Elise was happy to have a family again and we were all comfortable. The war raged on but it could not penetrate our little bubble of happiness.

    Sometime in the winter Hector got a letter, his hands began shaking as he read it, I immediately sent Farley on a mission to find Elise, who had gone down to the market to buy some food, telling him to take Elise’s dog Tonto with him, they quickly departed eager to beg for some candy and dog cookies. I asked Hector what was wrong, he told me they were drafting him because of his outstanding performance the last time he had served. I could not tell you what I said as I don’t remember it all, I screamed in anger at our Governments betrayal I cried because Farley could easily have no father, I begged Hector to do something, to starve to make himself unfit for the army. He told me it would not matter, the men he had fought alongside last time had been getting the same letters one by one and a few had tried to get out of it. It seemed our government did not care anymore and that anyone who was not a cripple was being rounded up and deployed into the battle field.

    I was infuriated, I was infuriated that he had known for over a month and not told me or done something. I was Infuriated that our Government was going back on its word, they had said because of his outstanding performance and extra time served last time would prevent this from happening, but they did it anyway. I began to hate my country, hate Britain and hate Churchill above all. We had heard things, we knew that Churchill and others just let the Nazi scum just take countries so long as they promised not to do it again. Any person with half a brain would know...but no I eventually collected myself and let my husband tell me his decision. He was deciding to go, he said that his country would not call if he wasn’t needed. In my mind I sneered, if Churchill had done something sooner half of Britain’s children would still have fathers.
    So out of love for his country my dearest Hector left, back to the ‘dog fights’ back to the blood and cruelty of war. Farley cried for nights, I could do nothing to sooth him but sit with him until he cried himself to sleep. Farley wanted his father and wanted him now, as I wanted my husband. I felt wronged by my Government, they had betrayed my family and left us with no choice but for Hector to go to war.

    It was almost two years; I was hardly surprised when two soldiers that had worked with Hector appeared at my doorstep with his dog tags. I wasn’t surprised but that does not mean the news didn’t shatter my heart. I fell to my knees sobbing, my Government, my Country, my Queen. They turned their back on me, they murdered my husband, and they murdered my son’s father. Farley came running at my sobs and hugged me. Elise was just steps behind him, she held us as we cried. I cried for myself my son and all those who had their family murdered because of the Nazi blight.

    That night my sister and I burned the flags that we had kept out in front of the house as a sign of faith. Our fait was gone, both of our husbands, although taken for different reasons, both were taken and slaughtered along with thousands of others by the filth that ran our country. Politics mean nothing when you have moral. So we burned the flags and rejoiced like madwomen, our country could take no more, and we would not let them, ever.