Re: Pat Ritter. Books
Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 10:56 pm
'The Drover' - Page 52:
‘We were losing men and the people of Singapore were being killed – it was a massacre – we had to do something; surrender was the only option.’ Ted admitted sadly.
Harry couldn’t think of anymore to ask Ted, his mind filled with horror when he visioned death, war and thought how lucky he was to be a drover, ‘we better get back to the job at hand – are you okay?’ Harry asked.
‘Yeah, I’ll be okay – I’ve never told anyone about this before and it sort of shakes me up a bit with the memory of it. I don’t know how we survived but not all of us got through.’
Both men looked at each other in wonderment, Harry thinking how in hell anyone survived and his job as a drover was an easy one compared to fighting in a war.
Ted became solemn, thinking about his mates he buried and left behind. It was a time in his life he wished to block out but talking to Harry released ghosts from the past. It was good to face those ghosts head on and talk to someone about what happened to bring them out into the open.
‘Okay you two back on the job.’ Rose sang out in a bid to tell Harry and her Pa there was work to do and another couple of miles to go for the day. It was day two and another twenty-eight days before they reached their destination.
Droving sheep is looking at the arse-end of a sheep most of the day; there wasn’t much else to do but dream of what may be, possibly enjoying a swim in the afternoon or late evening in the river. Rose thought of these things and fishing, she loved fishing since her first time when she caught a yellow belly. It was the first fish she had caught in her life.
Henry had the camp established by late afternoon when the mob arrived to be locked away for the night.
One day melted into the next and each day Ted shared his story with Harry, ‘after we surrendered we marched 20 miles to Changi Prison, men cried with disappointment. I drank half a bottle of wine and went to sleep. In the early part the Japanese were decent blokes, we had plenty of food and wine.’
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95766
‘We were losing men and the people of Singapore were being killed – it was a massacre – we had to do something; surrender was the only option.’ Ted admitted sadly.
Harry couldn’t think of anymore to ask Ted, his mind filled with horror when he visioned death, war and thought how lucky he was to be a drover, ‘we better get back to the job at hand – are you okay?’ Harry asked.
‘Yeah, I’ll be okay – I’ve never told anyone about this before and it sort of shakes me up a bit with the memory of it. I don’t know how we survived but not all of us got through.’
Both men looked at each other in wonderment, Harry thinking how in hell anyone survived and his job as a drover was an easy one compared to fighting in a war.
Ted became solemn, thinking about his mates he buried and left behind. It was a time in his life he wished to block out but talking to Harry released ghosts from the past. It was good to face those ghosts head on and talk to someone about what happened to bring them out into the open.
‘Okay you two back on the job.’ Rose sang out in a bid to tell Harry and her Pa there was work to do and another couple of miles to go for the day. It was day two and another twenty-eight days before they reached their destination.
Droving sheep is looking at the arse-end of a sheep most of the day; there wasn’t much else to do but dream of what may be, possibly enjoying a swim in the afternoon or late evening in the river. Rose thought of these things and fishing, she loved fishing since her first time when she caught a yellow belly. It was the first fish she had caught in her life.
Henry had the camp established by late afternoon when the mob arrived to be locked away for the night.
One day melted into the next and each day Ted shared his story with Harry, ‘after we surrendered we marched 20 miles to Changi Prison, men cried with disappointment. I drank half a bottle of wine and went to sleep. In the early part the Japanese were decent blokes, we had plenty of food and wine.’
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/95766