The next day
Calais, France
It was a dull and grey morning for the people of France. It was cold too, at least about ten, maybe twelve degrees and that was it. Already the first signs of the coming winter were beginning to show. Along the coast, a cold breeze cut through those outside, making them feel like ice.
On a large ship approaching the port town of Calais, many of the soldiers were lined up along the decks of the ship and looked out at the long stretch of coastline that was France and the continent of Europe. The port town of Calais covered much of their peripheral vision of the coastline. Though it was freezing, they were completely unaware of it. They just seemed to be fixed on the approaching port town and coastline as if it had put them in a trance.
Wally and Hal were at the front of the ship along with about forty other men, many of whom were talking amongst themselves about the coming days of when they would be with the army driving the Germans back to Germany.
"We're almost there," Hal said to Wally in a breathless, but happy voice. "We'll be with the army soon,"
"I just hope there's enough adventure left to go round," Wally replied.
About ten minutes later, the ship docked into the harbour. A large metal ramp was lowered down onto the dry dock. The men collected their things and walked off the ship onto the dry dock. Wally and Hal took in the scene around them. Now they were in France.
It was much different from their country. The houses looked like a mixture of English houses and Mediterranean villas. Most had small front gardens with wooden front gates. The streets were thin cobbled roads just big enough for an army truck to drive down as long as no one was on the road as well. Outside Calais were fields that seemed to stretch on forever. Some had cows and sheep grazing in them, others were fields of corn and wheat.
"Wow," Hal said as he gazed at the surrounding docks where many small rowboats were tied up to wooden pillars in the water. "It's beautiful,"
"I know," Wally replied. "It's just like being back at home."
"We'll be seeing a lot more of this soon," another soldier, who had overheard their conversation, said to them as he walked up to them, stopping next to Hal. "I've heard that Belgium and the border line of France is quite a pretty place,"
"Alright, lads," an officer from the head of the group announced, loudly, drawing their attention. "Follow me to the departing station just outside the town. From there, you'll see where you're being stationed,"
The officer turned and walked down the dry dock towards the town. The large group of men, now numbering at least around two hundred, followed.
They walked into the town, quickly having to form into lines of three in order to get down the narrow street. Wally and Hal were about twelve lines from the back of the huge formation of men. They gazed at the surrounding line of houses either side of them. In the front gardens of some were French women, dressed in blue or yellow dresses, with their children. They watched with hope as the formation of Englishmen walked past them, going off to fight a war on the soil of another country.
The formation walked for about ten minutes until they were out of the maze of thin cobbled street and houses and were outside Calais. They came into a large field. Here there were several large tents scattered about. A few tens of other men, numbering about forty or fifty, were standing around talking in groups. Not far away, on the edge of the field, was a large group of parked army trucks. Occasionally, a soldier emerged from the tent and one of the groups would rush over to him. There was no doubt they would be asking where he was going to be sent.
"Company, halt!" the officer at the front of the formation ordered.
The men came to a halt and formed into a line in front of the officer, who turned to face them.
"Right, now you are to line up outside these tents and you will be told where you will be assigned." The officer explained. "Best of luck to you, men and good luck." He turned and walked away, but not before adding, muttering under his breath. "You're going to need it,"
When the officer had walked away, the men walked over to the tents and formed a line outside them. Wally was in one line with three other soldiers in front of him. Hal was in line with another group of soldiers outside another tent about twenty feet away. Every now and then, Wally's line would move forward as a soldier walked in and seemed to disappear for several moments before re-appearing from the tent again. Some had glad looks on their faces, but others had looks of grim.
The second soldier in the line walked into the tent. After about a minute, he emerged and joined a nearby group of soldiers. The soldier in front of Wally walked into the tent, making him the front of the line. He watched as the soldier moved the fabric aside and disappeared into the tent. The seconds ticked by. Even though this was not even the front line, he was tense. He did not know where he would be sent. What was worse, he did not know where Hal would be sent. He just prayed that they would be sent to the same place.
Then, the soldier emerged from the tent, a happy look on his face. Wally saw it and thought: Will that be me when I hear where Hal's going?He walked forward into the tent, pushing he fabric aside. There was small table in the middle of the tent with several pieces of paper in several piles sitting on top of it.. Sitting behind it was a tall officer that must be a bodybuilder as Wally could clearly see the muscles through his uniform. Near the left side were two more tables were a few more officers were working. Wally walked over to the small table.
"Name?" the officer asked.
"Wallace Francis Burtt," Wally replied.
The officer searched through one of the pile of papers. Though the name was quite faded, Wally could just make out an S at the beginning of the word and an M about half-way through it. The officer finally picked up one of the papers and read through a list of names. After a few seconds, he stopped.
"Ah, yes," he said. "Wallace Burrt. You are assigned to the Somme,"
The Somme, the river near the Belgium border.
"Thank you, sir," Wally said to the officer.
He turned and walked out of the tent back outside. Okay so he had been told where he was going, but what about Hal? At this thought, worry began to fill him like water filling up a tank. He did not know where his brother would be sent. Hopefully to where he was going.
Wally looked over at Hal's tent, just in time to see him disappear inside it. Wally breathed in deeply. This was it. In the next minute or two, he would know where Hal was going. He just prayed in his mind that he was coming with him to the Somme.
Then, the fabric of the tent moved again and Hal emerged from it. He walked away and searched the area around him for a few moments before his eyes rested on Wally. Seeing his brother, Hal ran over to him, a worried look on his face as well. Wally gulped. This was it.
Please God, let it be the Somme! Wally thought anxiously. Please be the Somme!
"Please tell me your going to Ypres," Hal said to him.
Wally's heart fell. No!
"Well?" Hal asked him desperately.
A sad look came onto Wally's face. Seeing this, Hal's heart fell too.
"Your not going to Ypres are you," he said.
Wally shook his head.
"Are you at least going to be near Ypres?" Hal asked him desperately.
Again, Wally shook his head.
"I'm going to the Somme," he replied.
Hal took this in, the shock overwhelming him. He could not believe it, neither could Wally. This was the first time they would be apart from each other in something big. What was worse, this something was a war and it could claim either or even both of their lives. It was horrible to even think that one of them might not return home.
Wally rested a hand on his brother's shoulders.
"I'll miss you," he said.
Hal looked up at his older brother. He sniffed, knowing that this could be the last time he saw his brother.
"I'll miss you too," he replied.
The two hugged each other for a moment, knowing that this could, evidently, be the last time they saw each other.
After a moment, the two let go of each other. Hal sighed.
"Well…" he began. "I'll…I'll see you back at home on Christmas," he said.
Wally laughed a little but it quickly faded from him.
"Alright men, report to your trucks that'll take you to the front!" an officer announced loudly from near one of the tents in the middle of the field. "Somme troops, go to the trucks near the cobbled road. Ypres troops, head to the trucks on the left side of the field."
Wally and Hal looked back at each other.
"I'll be seeing you then," Wally said.
Hal nodded.
"Stay safe," he said.
Wally nodded and watched as his brother walked away towards the left side of the field. A few other soldiers were heading in the same direction. Wally sighed and headed towards the top of the field where a thin cobbled path separated it from a farmer's field on the other side of the path. Here a line of seven trucks were parked. Two of them were full with soldiers. The others were either empty or had one or two soldiers in them.
Wally reached the fourth truck, an empty one, and pulled himself in. He sat down on one of the seats and looked out through the rear entrance of the truck. He saw other soldiers were walking towards the trucks as well. He took one more look across the field and saw a group of soldiers head over towards a few trucks parked near the side of the field. He tried to see of Hal was among them but they disappeared from view behind one of the tents.
Wally sighed and slumped against the wall of the truck in his seat. This war may be quick, maybe only even a few days now, but he was worried that Hal would not come back.
He would just have to hope that luck was on his and his brother's side.