Whistles of War and Peace

‘Whistles of War and Peace’.©


After watching the Railway Steamers from atop ‘The Mount’, the two boys decide to run away from their homes in the deep-sea fishing Port of Fleetwood. a very special place, where not only the men and their trawler fleet go off to War Service, but during that hot Summer of 1914, two young boys also answer Kitchener’s call- “Your Country Needs You”. Just as 250,000 other boys did during the war to end all wars.

Then during 1918, after many hair-raising and heart-warming experiences, the best friends have to fight for their lives, as the last German Offensive begins and all Hell breaks loose. Suddenly, a German Shell explodes over them and apparently kills their whole Platoon. Each believing the other has been killed - vaporised.

When one of the best friends finally returns home, he discovers that the other has also miraculously survived and returned just before he did; though terribly wounded, inside and out. As they move into 1919 and beyond, the two friends, no longer boys, have to try to pick up the pieces of their lives; now utterly changed. But will they ever return to The Mount?

The story also reminds us, that for many people, wars do not end with an Armistice. Whichever the conflict, many have physical or psychological reminders, which never leave them, or their families; often driving them to insanity or suicide.