DADS HOME!!!!!

At last, Dad has returned and greeted me with a pat on the shoulder and a rub of my hair, its been a long time, he wotn say where he's been, not even to Mum, she looks pleased to see him to as do my brother and sisters.
I've been trying to tell Dad about my apprenticeship at Mr Robinson's but he says there are more important things to think about now, the War with Germany for one thing.
That has taken a turn for the worse and posters have been put up in the town with a mans face saying he needs us.

 

Two lads I went to school with have joined up today, Billy Patterson and George Bull, I think their Dads made them join, hope Dad doesn't make me join, I dont think I want to fight anybody.

War on the way

Mr Robinson was telling me today that England may be about to go to war with Germany, he told me not to worry as he was sure it would all be over before the year was out. Mr Robinson is my boss, he owns his own company making wooden furniture, I am his new apprentice, I'm in my 6th month there now, one day soon I'm sure i will get to go on the new lathe and turn some wood, maybe make Mum something nice like a candle stick, she doesn't have much and I'm sure she would love it whatever it was.

My name is Tommy, Tommy Bloggs, I'm almost 17 now, life has been tough, I'm one of 11 children but only 4 of us have survived, Mum had me first at 19 years old, 3 brothers were stillborn after me, then came Albert, Arthur, George, Lucy, Mary, Edna and baby Lesley. Albert, Arthur, Lucy and Edna were taken away by TB, Mum looks worn out but keeps us all smiling the best she can, Dad is away for months on end, we never know when he will return, last time he said he was going off to build houses up North. I hope he returns soon, I can show him what I've been doing at the workshop.

It's 6 o'clock now and Mr Robinson says I can go home to help look after my family, I'll run home, its not far, maybe 2 miles through the dark streets, think I'll go past the butchers and look at the pheasants hanging in the shop, maybe one day when I've saved up some pennies that Mr Robinson pays me I'll be able to buy us one for Sunday dinner.