Dawn at Cambrai - Abstractions (1) (2338 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Cambrai
Rating: 1.61 on 39 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Hadley Tobedone (View user info) at 2005-07-01 08:54:38 EDT
Dawn at Cambrai - Abstractions (1 of 5)
Harold Foster set the newspaper down and blinked in disbelief. He had scanned the war accounts for names he recognised and was stunned by what he saw. 400,000 at Ypres? 420,000 at the Somme? Rowley's letters had never made this war, now a world war, out to be that bad! 820,000 in the last 2 battles his son had seen....how lucky Rowley was to be alive!
Hands shaking, Harold pulled his son's letters from the drawer. They were always neatly stacked, tied loosely with a ribbon. He had them all memorised, but he prepared to read them anyway. He knew which to read first. Had it been a year already? It felt like he had first read it a long time ago. Harold sighed and began to read.
24th July, 1916
Dear Father,
I know it has been a while since I last wrote to you. We've been having trouble getting mail and supplies through since we left Verdun. Our company hasn't seen much action lately, but our commander tells us that we'll be moving out soon. I hope so. The faster we see some action, the faster we can send these Huns back to where they belong. Don't worry about me, Father. I'm going to make you proud.
Your son,
Rowley
Haven't seen much action? 400,000 dead wasn't much action? "Ah, the poor child didn't want to worry me," he thought. A smile crept across his face and he shook his head slowly. "That's a good lad, Rowley."
He started to look for another letter, but stopped short. What was the use? Most of the letters followed the same format. "Dear Father...Everything is fine, don't worry...."
In all, he had twenty-four letters from his only child. Those twenty-four letters marked the three years that had passed since the war began. If anything were to happen, these letters would be all that remained of Rowley Foster's 23 years on Earth.
A tear splashed onto the page he held, and Harold angrily blotted it dry. "Nothing will happen to these letters, so help me God," he swore to himself. Grabbing his coat and hat, he carefully wrapped the ribbon around the letters and replaced them in the drawer. It was Tuesday night, time to head to the pub to meet the other anxious souls whose sons had gone to die across the Channel. Their numbers had been dwindling steadily over the last three years, and Harold finally understood why. 400,000 and Ypres. 420,000 at the Somme.
Before he left, Harold made sure the letters were safely tucked back into their drawer. His final thought, before venturing outside, was that he didn't recognize the name of the latest city Rowley had mentioned.
Cambrai.
User Reviews
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-04-26 14:46:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2005-10-10 21:45:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
.
Submitted by inbreakingnewsT.A.N. (user info) at 2005-10-06 20:16:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-09-16 13:09:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
fucking champ!
howd this get so much attention?
Submitted by jeveuxgagner (user info) at 2005-09-13 05:22:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
its a really nice idea, but
a) there weren't any british divisions at verdun... the french and germans kept it to themselves
b) its a sweet idea but the letters wouldn't contain the names of places like Verdun or Cambrai
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-09-09 01:49:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck man, I had no idea these existed until I saw #5 posted.
I just read them all and this story is great. You can tell there's been research and I really like where you're going with it. They get better as you go along.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-08-18 00:49:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I wanted to +2 this, but something was lacking. It just seemed too short and didn't grab me, but it was good stuff.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-07-18 10:39:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
The British were at Verdun?
Submitted by forensicgirl3 (user info) at 2005-07-16 10:41:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-07-15 23:08:55 (#)
Ranking: 0
it wasn't mine forensic
chop chop
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2005-07-12 16:21:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by GodLovesALittleLovin (user info) at 2005-07-05 17:46:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by c1ndy (user info) at 2005-07-05 16:13:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I like this.
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-07-05 15:59:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by doctorj24 (user info) at 2005-07-05 12:07:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
r0x0r
Submitted by ArnieGeddon (user info) at 2005-07-04 01:53:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You think it was easy for the Germans, you young whippersnapper!!?
Submitted by Ka (user info) at 2005-07-03 19:43:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice, I liked the style.
Submitted by ballchick_handjob (user info) at 2005-07-03 19:29:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Some people actually write?
Submitted by OneCheapGeek (user info) at 2005-07-03 19:21:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Let's play the offset game!
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2005-07-03 19:07:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
For your retalitory -2 on another poster.
Submitted by BillsSBChamps (user info) at 2005-07-03 18:38:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
It wasn't random, I wanted to answer your question. You called me out so I thought I'd fill you in since you're so interested. Go ahead and -2 everything I've done, I honestly don't care about ratings but you do.
Submitted by BillsSBChamps (user info) at 2005-07-03 15:07:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2005-07-02 15:34:33 (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by BillsSBChamps (user info) at 2005-07-02 03:21:32 (#)
Ranking: 2
If your boss is going to break your balls over that pic then find a new job.
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Well, we can't all work at Wendy's until we MAYBE, someday get into the Marines. Speaking of which, didn't you say you were going? Didn't happen? I'm shocked.
More salt on my fries, asshole.
-----------
Good one dumbass.
Yes I'm still enlisted but I had my ship out date moved. Originially I wanted to leave in Oct. but then they moved it to May and then again to July. Then they made it June and then back to July. I am guessing it will be Sept before I go. My recruiter got married and took his honeymoon two weeks ago which caused some confusion.
Don't worry dipshit I'll be coming to kick your ass as soon as I finish.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2005-07-02 18:36:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Really rather good.
Submitted by QueenAshlee (user info) at 2005-07-02 18:00:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was really good.
Even though I did have to google Cambrai.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-07-01 23:51:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
((( higs )))
Submitted by hollygolitely (user info) at 2005-07-01 23:22:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You'd better not make us wait too long, or I'll come over and steal on of your 25 computers! (You know, to make a point).
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-01 23:16:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Worthy of heat!
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-01 18:56:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm in Cambrai.
Submitted by Xcuses (user info) at 2005-07-01 15:00:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Finally something worthy of reading on this site
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-01 14:40:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well, dude, I couldn't disappoint you with just 10 reviews. Here's #11!
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-07-01 13:28:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's just that I've only seen this movie twice before, and I've seen
you every night for the last eleven ye -- aha. What I mean to say is:
We'll snuggle tomorrow, sweetie. I promise.
-- Homer Simpson
Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy
Submitted by Stin (user info) at 2005-07-01 13:28:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
:o)
Here's waiting for the next one....
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-07-01 12:41:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This rocks!
The picture is SO poignent.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-07-01 11:38:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
YES
YES
OOOOH YES
seriously, this was wonderful. I can't wait until the next one.
Submitted by Viciousriffs (user info) at 2005-07-01 11:12:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
>fast clap<
Could I give this anything else? Really....
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2005-07-01 10:28:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2005-07-01 10:05:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
'BOUT FUCKING TIME - awesome.
Submitted by CLAIRE1 (user info) at 2005-07-01 09:38:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I work on Cambrai Fritch Kaserne in Darmstadt Germany!
Submitted by MANICMOTHER (user info) at 2005-07-01 09:26:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice start.
Submitted by BuckeyesTHEGAME (user info) at 2005-07-01 09:15:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+Twokie Monster!