Nice Touching Story

标签:
longawaitedletterindianteachermanu杂谈 |
分类: essay随笔 |

A First World War postcard has finally been delivered - a
staggering 94 years after it was sent.
Soldier Alfred Arthur, 19, sent the card to his sister Ellen, known
as Nell, in January 1916 at the height of the Great War. Tragically
the hero was killed in the brutal fighting which killed millions
from all sides in the blood-soaked trenches on the Western Front in
France. Alfred's card poignantly ended up with Lauren Bleach, 61,
and her partner Jill Liversidge more than nine decades on. They
decided to find out where it had come from after it arrived at
their home in Lakenham, Norwich. Mrs. Bleach said: 'When we read it
we were so emotionally taken because it's from a soldier who was
obviously at a training camp waiting to go away to his
sister.
'He lived in this street presumably all that time ago and it's only
just arrived.
'The postcard is dated 1916 and bears a cartoon picture of a
newly-recruited soldier on the front.
Thoughtful Alfred has written to his beloved sister: 'Dear Nell,
Just a postcard to let you know I have not forgotten you. On the
other side you will see our orders for next week. I will need your
pity. Drop me a line, your brother Alfred. The front of the card,
referred to in Alfred's note, displays a poster which says 'Orders
of the day: Eight hours drill, eight hours route march, eight hours
trenching' and the recruit saying 'And then we have the rest of the
day to ourselves! Alfred was born in Lakenham and went to school
nearby a century ago. One of his descendants is his great-nephew
Brian Buxton, 68, of Salhouse, Norfolk.
Manu