have ye got me back jimmy

Untitled Part 1

                                                                                       Chapter One

                                                                                      Leaving Home

It was 11-15 the last day in May 1941 when my conscription papers fell from the letter box and landed on the Parquet flooring just inside our front door. Delivered by a Postman knowing only too well the sadness and trepidation in his care. Seven day's previous I had turned eighteen, my date of birth being responsible for what was to come. As I opened the letter bearing the stamp of Her Majesties Forces my Father through hidden pride cradled my inconsolable Mother as she dropped to her knees on the living-room floor.

"Mum don't be sad I'll be fine I know I will" the words just came, disguising the reality of what was upon me.

Report to Her Majesties Barracks at Aldershot within seven day's, the letter read, your travel documents will follow directly. Failure to do so will be deemed a treasonous offence and may result in a prison sentence. "My god" I thought, my whole life turned upside-down in four lines of a letter from persons as yet to make my acquaintance. Never the less I would have to adhere to their instructions and observing the distraught figure of my dear Mother I knew that in the events that would occur in the seven day's to follow, it would be a welcomed release just to go. My Father John Mackie was on the other hand brimming with pride having previously served in the Royal Navy albeit during a time of peace. He had made the acquaintance of my Mother while on a month long shore leave when I had deducted due to calculating the dates, I was conceived. They married six months later on his next visit home. Five years on, he left the Navy securing a position at Ravenscraig Steel Works in the Shettleston district of our home Town of Glasgow, where he was still employed to this day. My Mother, bless her would follow me around like someone training a knew born pup, feeding me, cleaning up after me, and making sure I always had clean underwear. This she said would be important when living in Barracks, to my Mother cleanliness was everything. As the 6th of June grew closer, I could feel the anxiety in her grow and even a nervousness in my Father although he tried to hold it together for obvious reasons.

"OK Mum" I said, "it is time for me to go, I love you both take care of one another and don't worry about me, I will be fine" As I walked forward to board the conscription bus as it was now known, along with sixty five other young men for the twelve hour journey to Aldershot I could not help but wonder if this would be the last time my parents and I would spend physical time together and with tears in my eyes I waved goodbye to all I had known for the past eighteen years.

I was the second person to climb the steps onto the Bus deliberately taking the fourth row seat on the opposite side from where my parents were standing, I knew in their minds they could be losing their only child as my younger sister lost her life to Diphtheria at ten years of age, and I also knew that this whole scenario could have been avoided. On leaving school I had joined my Father at Ravenscraig as an apprentice Welder, a trade which due to the need for ship building and the making of arms was exempt from the call up, but in a moment of madness only five weeks previous I had threatening words with a Supervisor and was instantly dismissed, making myself eligible for the Army. When we had all boarded, the man standing next to the driver spoke, "Sit down and be quiet" he said, "my name is Sargent Collins, I am here to escort you scruffy looking lot to your new home at Aldershot. When I call your name you will answer Sargent or Sir accompanied by raising your right hand, I surmise that you know your right from left, if you have difficulty working this out then as you are all facing me your right hand will be on that side and your left on the other. Finding myself sitting on a double seat on my own I looked around, every other seat was taken.

Sargent Collins began, "Burns T" Sir "Gillan J" Sargent, "did you raise your right hand boy? said Collins, "No Sargent" answered a nervous voice sat directly in front of me. "You are on my fucking radar Gillan, even before you have donned a uniform" shouted Collins. He continued, "McKenzie B" Sir "Crawford R" Sargent, "Mackie J" Sir "O, Leary S" silence, "Are you fucking here? no answer. Christ, I thought, Shamus O,Leary we were at school together, why would Shamus not be here he was a real rough and tumble lad back then.

"It would appear we have an objector" said Sargent Collins, "go and fetch him" he shouted to the pair of Military Police Officers accompanying the bus. "Have we anymore empty seats? asked Collins, "if so raise your left hand" there were none. We sat in silence for around forty five minutes and suddenly there he was, Shamus O,Leary himself being marched at the double towards the bus and worst of all Sargent Collins.

"Nice of you to join us Mr O,Leary" he said, "sorry if we have interrupted your day, please take a seat and have the person sitting next to you explain your right hand from your left in case you are required to use this knowledge in the near future"

"Be Jesus,Jimmy Mackie" said the smiling Irishman, "how the fuck are ye, are ye still a wee shite?

"Good to see you too" I answered, "I see you've not lost your tongue, you'd better sit there and be quiet the Sarge is watching you I think you've made an enemy" we smiled and shook hands.

Two hours into the journey we were chatting like we had never left the classroom. Shamus told me that although his actions may have made him look tough to the rest of the lads he genuinely over-slept and always intended turning up to do his duty. Two hours further on we were pulling into a cafe for a toilet break and something to eat. "O,Leary you stay where you are, you can fucking starve" bellowed the Sargent.

On returning to the bus I slipped Shamus a bacon sandwich when no one was looking.

We had just wakened from a nap thirty minutes from the Barracks when out of nowhere Shamus turned to me, he said nothing for a few moments and then, "Let's make a wee pact" he said, "me and you are gonna come through this man's War and ah hope they keep us ta-gether, now ah will have your back Jimmy Mackie, will ye have mine, is it a deal?

"It is Shamus O,Leary" I said and we both shook hands feeling safer than ten minutes before.