Writing for Fun
September 2015
The Troopship - Bob Wendelkin
'We should be ready to sail in about fifteen minutes Captain,' said his No 1.
'Thank you No.1. Do we have the latest U-Boat dispositions,' asked the Captain.
'Yes Sir, they came aboard a few minutes ago,' replied No1.
The two officers were on the bridge of a British Troopship just getting ready to sail from New York to England carrying American Soldiers to fight in Europe against the Nazis.
The Captain thought to himself, America's prevarication to come into this war was similar to their entry into the 1914/18 war, for them it started in 1917. Here once more they were over two years late for them it only started when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on the 7th December 1941. Still at least they are concentrating on the defeat of the Germans.
'I feel strange, Sir, one of the ships I sailed on before this was a cattle boat. We were shipping cattle to where they could be slaughtered. A bit like shipping these boys to where some of them will not make it,' said No. 1.
'You're right, some of these young men won't come back. The thing is I don't see any of the world's leaders actually leading from the front. I don't know why we call them leaders, they are more like pushers. Until we are all in the same boat – leaders and the ordinary man – the ordinary man are likely to continue to pay the price of leaders ambitions,' replied the Captain.
'I wish I could hear what the folk out there were saying to each other,' said the No.1.
'I would think there is a whole spectrum of human emotions. I also wonder what they are saying. I wish I was a Fly on the wall,' the Captain said.
'I can't see my Freddy, I know he's up there, he said he would try to get near the first lifeboat. I still can't see him. We have only just got married on his embarkation leave. I've only known him a few months I hope the war doesn't change him,' said the young girl waving at the ship hoping that her Freddy will see that she is there to say goodbye.
'My brother is over there and he says that the girls over there have a shortage of boys as they are away in their army so they will do anything for a pair of Nylons or a bar of chocolate. I just can't wait to get my hands on them,' said one of the soldiers to his mate.
'I don't believe they will do anything for a bar of chocolate, but I hope a pair of Nylons will do the trick as I stocked up with as many as I could afford,' replied his mate.
'I think I can see my old man, he's by the rail. I hope the b@$+@+d gets shot by the Germans, but first they give him a good bashing just like he has bashed me. If they kill him I could be entitled to a Widows Pension, that will be the first useful thing he has ever done for me. Go on get killed, you b@$+@+d,' she said under her breath as she waved to the ship.
Turning to her mother the young girl said, 'I hope he comes back and helps me to bring up his young son, he's only just a few months old and Lenny will miss all his young growing up. I hope that this war will end all wars so that his son doesn't have to go through this again like Lenny's mum and dad have had too.'
A soldier turning to a comrade. 'I don't know why I have to fight the Germans, my family come from Germany I still have family over there, I could end up killing a cousin. Why? I don't hate the Germans. I think I should be fighting the Japs.'
'You may have German relations but I also have German Jewish relations and what is happening to them will tell you why we are fighting the Germans,' replied a soldier standing close to him who overheard his comments.
'I don't know how I'll manage on a wife's allowance, we still have a lot of things to pay off. I may have to get a job. I didn't marry him so that I would have to go to work, I don't have any training for a job. Still, being married will keep me out of any possibility of being called up. So he may have his uses, but knowing him he will probably get shot. Killed I could handle, long term wounded needing constant care I couldn't. I'd have to divorce him quick.'
'Why did he have to volunteer, he should have waited until they enlisted him. He said it was his duty but I love him so much. I need him, his children need him. He could have had a job in a war industry making the weapons not shooting them. Oh! I hope he comes home soon, I love him so.'
'Did you believe those films they showed us about some of the diseases you can catch from some of those women?' a soldier said.
'There not all like that, my brother is married to a Limey, and I can tell you she is the nicest lady you could wish to meet,' said another soldier.
Meanwhile back on the ship's bridge.
The 'phone rang. No 1 went over and answered it. Turning to the Captain.
'Sir, the engine room reports that the engines are now ready for you to give the order to sail.'
'Very well, No 1, give the order to cast off. Let's hope in a few days time I can give you the order to drop anchor.'
