Stories
2008 - The Ninetieth Year of the Armistice – The Story of My
Uncle Jack
My Uncle Jack I never knew, for he died in the First World War. His
picture stands on a photo holder. 2008 was a special year as it was the
ninetieth year of remembrance. Jack was the oldest son of my grandmother
and grandfather. At the age of eighteen he went to war. It was a very
difficult time for my grandparents. I know by letters I have that Uncle
Jack’s father used to write to his son, even my mother, as a small girl,
wrote.
Uncle Jack wrote from Colchester to his young sister, Mollie, in 1916:
Darling Mollie
Father says you want me to write a letter to you so I am trying to do
now.
How are you getting on? I suppose you are still as talkative as ever.
Father says you boss Bob (her brother). That’s right for letting him off
when he is naughty pussies. How is Tibby? I saw such wonderful pussies
at a big farm I went to yesterday. There were six of them. They are dear
little things, when I was stroking one another pushed it away and rubbed
its own fur on my hand.
Do you know what else I saw? Why, a real live baby calf. O it was
fretting and it was so frightened when we tried to towel it.
Do the little boy and girl next door still come and play with you?
With love to my dear Mollie from her Jack.
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
This letter was written on 19th January, 1916. My Uncle was still in
Colchester. I take it that he was training.
Letter to my mother from Uncle Jack, February, 1917.
Darling Mollie,
Father tells me that you have been fretting because I am so long away.
You must not do that you know. Jack will be home soon, so just be brave
little woman and wait a little longer.
How do you like this cigarette card? I got it out of a packet yesterday
Cheri. They are two sweet pussies. My it would look funny if you found a
little kitten in your cradle and put Libby to watching it. I have seen
such a lot like this come and will try and get some more.
Now just be happy and soon you will be able to see Jack, perhaps sooner
than you wish.
With hundreds of kisses
From Your Jack
Now my Uncle Jack was fighting with the 13th Battalion King’s Liverpool
Regiment (formerly 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment). He never forgot
his little sister Mollie.
Rest Camp 7th April, 1917
My Darling Mollie
How are you getting on? Father tells me quite a lot about you in his
letters. He says you are a little chatterbox and really worry Mother’s
head off with your questions. Never mind what Father says you ask as
many questions as you like and then when you get older you will be a
very clever girl indeed. How are all the dollies now? Last time I saw
them they were sitting in a row on the couch. Had been to school I
suppose, when are you going to school? Doctor is very nice saying you
need not go for a month or two. If I had been at home you would know
just as much as other little boys and girls who go to school. When I saw
the nice letters and kisses in the bottom of Father’s and Bob’s letters
I thought that I would easily teach you to write and spell. Rosary
inside (Rosary was a song about ten tiny toes that Grandma sang), you
will see a little for yourself. I have often heard you sing about the
Rosary so now you have one of your own. Be a good little girl and try
and make Mother better.
With love and kisses
Your loving brother
Jack
When my Uncle Jack said about my mother not going to school this was, I
believe, because she was very ill with measles. In those days medicine
was not as helpful as today. We can cure it with modern medicines now.
I must tell you about my Uncle Jack. It is possible that he was down
there in Colchester training or studying. He went in for a chemist. I’ve
been told over and over he passed the exam to be a qualified chemist but
had to wait until his 21st birthday before he could become one. The war
came along and Uncle Jack was called up to serve his country. So saying
his goodbyes to his little sister Mollie, my mother, he left.
The Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. Memorial Register 32, where my Uncle
Jack’s name is.
John Walker, called Jack, died 12th April, 1918, aged 20 years.
In 1928 my Grandmother and Grandfather, I do not know why, had these
books or if everyone had them but the two books are in my house and are
very special to me.
Oh Jack I wish I had known you as an older uncle, someone to talk to, as
you did to my mother, your sister, all that time ago.
By Anne Knight