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 After my Dad died in 1994, we discovered a suitcase in
the basement that contained his war memorabilia, including letters he
wrote home to his parents in Richmond Hill, during his six years
overseas. Excerpts from these letters are woven throughout this story to
give the reader an authentic sense of what it felt like to be fighting
so far from home. Though restricted by censorship, the letters
chronicled the life of an ordinary soldier in World War II, from
training in England, to his participation in various theatres of war
including Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and finally, Germany
itself. They told of the terrible destruction he saw, the tales of
atrocities he'd heard, and the stink of death he smelled. They also
spoke of the loneliness that occasionally overwhelmed him, the low
morale the forces experienced, and the enduring hope for peace and a
return home. They also stated over and over that he had to be there,
that he believed in being there, an ordinary man doing extraordinary
things and he became my father.
It is exactly 7 months since I first put feet on this country's soil after many days of seeing water and waves and nothing else, but I'll be back over the same water only the other way some day; I hope. -- July 8th, 1943 ... a little gem of a novel. Love-Lies-Bleeding You never know where you might find treasure, if you take the time to look. Perhaps a "nugget" will be found in an old diary, a newspaper article, an artifact in a museum, or even closer to home - your very own basement. After my Dad died in 1994, my Mom found a metal suitcase in the corner of the crawlspace. She called my brothers and me and we went over to open it and found it full of letters my Dad had sent to his family in Richmond Hill during World War II. They chronicled his training at Vimy Barracks, his passage to England and additional training there, and his tour of duty in Sicily, Italy, Belgium, France and Holland. My Dad did not have a "higher" education, leaving school at grade 8, but he had a keen eye for observation and a gift with words to describe what he saw. He never told us about these letters, which his mother had kept as, I imagine, the only link with a son she did not see for over five years, as he did not talk to us about the war. For him it was a time to be forgotten. When I saw the letters, I immediately knew I had found a treasure and I would use them in a book. Thus Love-Lies-Bleeding was born. Love-Lies-Bleeding is a flower. Blooming in autumn, it drapes over backyard fences and has huge leaves and long ropes of red flowers, that look for all the world like blood. As soon as I saw pictures of this dramatic plant I knew it would be the title for my book. War tears apart families, lives and countries and every person war touches has a love lying bleeding, be it on the battlefield, or a broken heart at home. Activities: In Love-Lies-Bleeding, Roberta keeps a list of new and interesting sounding words in her diary. For three days listen to language around you or read a book and keep a record of any words that sound interesting or are new to you. Roberta's complete list is noted in the back of the book.Pretend you have an older brother overseas during World War II and write him a letter. Tell him what is going on at home. You will have to do some research to find out what products were rationed, ie. Butter, meat and sugar,, and activities like knitting clubs, etc. were carried on during the war years. Ask an older family member or friend, to tell you about an event in their life when they were young. Be sure to ask them how they felt about that event. Stories are based on feelings. I could tell you in my story that Roberta's brother was injured, but it is more interesting when I tell you how she felt about her brother's injury. Once you have heard about the event - can you think of a story to write about it? Roberta works very hard to please her best friend, Betty. Nancy, on the other hand, just falls into Roberta's life and at first, is ignored by Roberta until she finds out what a true friend Nancy is. What characteristics do you think a best friend should have? Keep a diary of your life for one week. Write down everything that happens and how you feel about it. During the war years, girls made scarves and socks and mittens for soldiers overseas. Roberta had some trouble with her knitting. Take some knitting lessons and learn how to make a scarf. There are so many beautiful colours of wool, you'll want to make scads of scarves. Veterans' Affairs has a wonderful website for you to surf: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/ On Remembrance day, November 11, pause a minute to thank the people who gave their lives so we could live in a free Canada.
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List of Books:
Another battle was being waged at the same time, with the same
elements involved; loneliness, low morale and the hope for peace, but
this battle was waged at home. Mothers, sisters, wives, husbands,
fathers, and friends were sending their loved ones overseas, not knowing
if they'd ever return. I look at my own sons and I wonder, could I do
it; could I part with them for six long years not knowing if I'd ever
see them again? It defies my imagination. 