1914. The diary of eighteen year old Walter Bush.
War is coming and Walter has just enlisted in the British army.
He expects his Mum to be proud of him - but she's recently lost her husband and fears she may now lose her son too.
Before they set off for the front line Walter and his best friend, Harry Parker, have a last evening on the town. They feel proud and important when they are recognised in their uniforms and excited about the journey to France.
Walter is sick during the sea-crossing, then disappointed to find that France isn't all 'wine and sunshine'. For three days all he and Harry do is march through the mud, the distant boom of the guns growing gradually ever louder.
Eventually Walter and Harry are posted to the trenches on the front line. The Sergeant explains the basics of trench warfare - 'going over the top'. Harry is keen to know when the next attack will be. But Walter is feeling very different. He looks at the ladder placed against the side of the trench and hopes the command to go over the top will never come.
1915. Walter Bush continues his diary from the trenches. Walter had told his mother that the war would be over by Christmas.
But now, a year later, there's still no end in sight. Walter and Harry pass their time cleaning their equipment, doing guard duty and wondering what the Germans soldiers are doing in their trenches nearby.
Then come rumours that there will shortly be an attack. The big guns start shelling and Walter spends an anxious night, knowing that in the morning it will be their turn to 'go over the top'.
Walter's diary continues from a military hospital back in the UK. He can't remember much about the attack - only that the whistles blew and that he started running across no-man's land towards the Germans. Walter's part in the war is over, but he still has an important job to do.
Walter visits Harry Parker's mother to tell her that he was with Harry at the last and that his friend died without suffering. But in reality Walter doesn't have any idea how Harry died, only that his friend also went over the top and never came back. One things he is sure of though: that he will always remember Harry Parker and all the other comrades he served alongside.
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a WWI soldier's diary ( recorded by
_undertoad
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American English (Pacific Northwest)
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Corrected Textmore↓1914. The diary of eighteen year old Walter Bush.
War is coming and Walter has just enlisted in the British army.
He expects his Mum to be proud of him - but she's recently lost her husband and fears she may now lose her son too.
Before they set off for the front line Walter and his best friend, Harry Parker, have a last evening on the town. They feel proud and important when they are recognized in their uniforms and excited about the journey to France.
Walter is sick during the sea-crossing, then disappointed to find that France isn't all 'wine and sunshine'. For three days all he and Harry do is march through the mud, the distant boom of the guns growing gradually ever louder.
Eventually Walter and Harry are posted to the trenches on the front line. The Sergeant explains the basics of trench warfare - 'going over the top'. Harry is keen to know when the next attack will be. But Walter is feeling very differently. He looks at the ladder placed against the side of the trench and hopes the command to go over the top will never come.
1915. Walter Bush continues his diary from the trenches. Walter had told his mother that the war would be over by Christmas.
But now, a year later, there's still no end in sight. Walter and Harry pass their time cleaning their equipment, doing guard duty and wondering what the Germans soldiers are doing in their trenches nearby.
Then come rumors that there will be an attack shortly. The big guns start shelling and Walter spends an anxious night, knowing that in the morning it will be their turn to 'go over the top'.
Walter's diary continues from a military hospital back in the UK. He can't remember much about the attack - only that the whistles blew and that he started running across no-man's land towards the Germans. Walter's part in the war is over, but he still has an important job to do.
Walter visits Harry Parker's mother to tell her that he was with Harry at the last and that his friend died without suffering. But in reality Walter doesn't have any idea how Harry died, only that his friend also went over the top and never came back. One of the things he is sure of though: he will always remember Harry Parker and all the other comrades he served alongside.
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I hope this recording is okay, Isa. I can re-record if you'd like. :)