WW1 Creative Competition for Young People entry-Holly Hirst-'Forever and On'

Lesson: English

WELL DONE HOLLY - 2ND PLACE IN THE WW1 COMPETITION. 

Read her great story below:

Forever and On

I have never seen so many; homes broken, property broken or hearts broken.
This war is bringing nothing but terror to society.  Mother, Father and I
had never been so petrified, when one of the fighters from the war came  to
us and snorted, “No man will stand on his own, he will fight for his
country, he will be loved forever and on!”  He may sound nice, but he went
on to say, “even if you try Mr Ellis, you will be no use to the war
anyway!”

“The war won't be use to us either.” Mother shouted. “All that is useful
now is hope!”

Later that morning, we were all at church.  My father was talking to the
vicar about the war and how his family in Germany have suffered from lack
of food.  Mother was a praying for good luck and I was flicking through my
‘How to get through hard times’ book, I had found in the library.
Suddenly, the doors of the church swung open, a cold breeze rushed passed
my face.  I felt a shiver run down the back of my spine.  It was the
officer we met a couple of hours ago with some men dressed in war
clothing.  No, they can’t be, they just cannot be taking father! Marching
in time with each other, the soldiers didn’t take their eyes off father for
one second.

With confidence, the officer said.  “Get ready, you're coming with us!”

“No!,” exclaimed father.

“Find your confidence within, you have no choice.”

Reluctantly, father trudged out of the church out into the freezing cold.
A tear rolled down mother’s cheek.

We ran home so upset, mother collapsed on to the ground the minute she
stepped in to our house.  I sat on my chair listening to the sounds of the
house.  I could hear mother crying, the tap dripping but I could not hear
any noise from fathers office.

Out on the battle field, father was practicing his skills.The training
teacher took a moment to think.  After a while, he said, “You’re ready to
go into the war, keep hidden and remember you are fighting for your country
and victory!”

Father nervously walked into the trench, but forgot to hide and crawl so he
got shot in the eye and the leg!  He hadn’t even been out in the trenches
for 5 minutes and he was already injured. Mr Ellis was very unfortunate
with all the confusion he became unconscious and passed out.


A telegram was sent to me and mother saying father had died but he was a
determined warrior.  In 1919 we visited the graves at a World War 1
graveyard.  After searching for what seemed like hours, we finally found
the grave we were looking for, covered in moss.  I could only just make out
what it said but in bold writing.


MR ALBERT ELLIS

A brave warrior of the great war
He will be thanked Forever and On