December 1st, 1914

Dover barracks

The once sunny and calm days of the summer had gone, only to be replaced by the now cloudier and slightly colder days of autumn. The wind had been picking up as well, bringing with it a sudden coldness that made the body shiver when the wind touched it. Everyone was starting to wrap up warm to prepare for the coming winter.

In the Dover barracks, it was a cloudy day, but not enough for it to rain, with a slight breeze blowing through the air. The three groups of men that had entered the courtyard just under four months earlier were now standing in the same formation as they had done when they arrived dressed in their green trousers, tunics and jackets and black army boots. On their heads were dark green helmets. Each soldier had a .303 Lee Enfield rifle placed on his shoulder. Standing at the left end of each group was their officer leader.

Standing at the left end of the middle group was Gomer. He was dressed in his usual officer uniform, but he had a faint spot of mud on the bottom of his jacket, a reminder of him being humiliated by his group of men that night in August three and a half months ago. In the days following the group's payback on him, he had been a lot softer and had virtually left Wally alone. He had even stopped taking his men out on marches in the rain. The group, however, always feared that Gomer would find out that it was they who had humiliated him in Dover, but it was obvious by his sudden change in attitude afterwards that he knew it was them but he did nothing against them. Probably because he knew that if he treated him men badly again then they would spread the rumours of him being thrown in the mud and having a whacked against his bottom, something that would make him a laughing stock among his fellow officers.

The men were facing the left side of the courtyard. Standing in the middle of the left side of the courtyard was a commander, the one who had humiliated Gomer on the day Wally knocked him over during the practice bayonet training.

"Your training days are over!" he announced. "You are soldiers now in our small but well trained and well equipped army. Fit and ready to do battle for King and country. You have all signed up in wanting to hammer the Boche and kick them back to Germany. Well, by God you have earned that reward. Your training officers are who you should be grateful to. Their ways of training may sometimes have seemed harsh to you but you will thank your fine instructors for the lessons they have taught you. Now go men and by God, we will hammer the Huns and kick them back into Germany by Christmas. Good luck,"

A sense of happiness filled the air. This was it. The long training was finally over. Now they were going to kick the Germans out of France and Belgium and bring a quick end to this war. Maybe they would not be out there for as long as they had hoped, but there was still plenty of time to enjoy this quick adventure and be home by Christmas.

"Left face!" an officer near the entrance to the courtyard ordered.

The groups of men turned so they were once again facing the long tunnel they had walked through when they arrived. Gomer, who was still facing forward towards the left side of the courtyard, stepped forward and held his position.

"Forward march!" the officer ordered.

The chorus of marching feet filled the air as the men marched forward into the tunnel and back out into the streets of Dover. Whilst the other two group leading officers watched their men go, Gomer just walked back towards the entrance into the barracks. It was obvious he was glad they were gone, but also fearful because he knew they could tell anyone of what they had done to him. He would be a laughing stock. He would just have to pray they did not.

As the men marched into the streets of Dover, they were greeted by great crowds of people lined up along the pavements waving happily clapping and cheering them. Some pretty young women from the crowds gave some of the men flowers. There were even a few children mimicking the marching alongside the men. Some women were even running from the crowd and kissing the men and telling them to hammer the Germans.

Wally smiled at the scene around them.

"Well this is it," he said to himself. "This is where our adventure begins,"

The men marched on through the city streets. More people were joining the crowds. Eventually, they reached the docks and were loaded onto the waiting British destroyer warships. Wally and Hal walked up the ramp onto one of the waiting destroyers. Behind them, the crowds, which had now swelled to over a thousand, were cheering, clapping and waving to the men. They waved back.

Wally and Hal walked over to the front end of the ship's main deck and looked out at the great stretch of dark blue water in front of them.

"Well this is it," Hal said. "I can't wait,"

"Neither can I," Wally replied. "Soon we'll end this war and come home heroes,"

"Let's just hope they'll still be fighting left to go around," Hal said.

Wally nodded in agreement and looked back over at the docks. More and more people were joining the over swelling crowd to bid them farewell for the battle they had ahead of them. He smiled at this great sight.

But he felt a bit…well, uneasy. Oh come on, why should he? He and his brother were going off to fight the Germans? Then, he remembered that he was no longer a child. He was a man now, and he was going off to France to fight other men, and the point is was that he would actually have to kill another Human being.

He was a bit concerned about something else. What if, and this was just him and almost all of the time he was concerned about he turned out to be wrong about doing so, this war did not end by Christmas? What if…it went on longer then it should? At that point, he shook the thought out of his mind. No, of course not. That was not going to happen. They would be back in time for Christmas, hopefully just in time for the roast to be brought out of the oven.

Another soldier walked up to the two and slapped them hard on the backs. It was William.

"Well, this is it, lads!" he announced. "Our journey begins here!"

Wally and Hal nodded in agreement and the three looked back out at the great stretch of water that was the English Channel. The ship shook slightly as it began to move away from the port and out to sea. The crowds kept on cheering and clapping and waving goodbye. All the men joined them.

Their journey to war had begun, and it would be one they would never forget.