Battles Lost and Won (11 page)

Alf shook his head, hardly able to believe this was happening to him. ‘No, it looks all right. What are you going to do with it?’

‘A friend of mine, Charles Davis, is gathering together as many first-hand accounts of the war as he can, and he would like to put this into book form for us. It will be easier for anyone to read then. Only a few copies at first, and you will be given a couple, of course. Do we have your permission to go ahead with this?’

‘Yes, of course, and thank you.’

‘No, we must thank you for being courageous enough to bring this to us. There is just one more thing. We would like to keep the original for a while. We are working on a trench warfare display, and your records are just what we need. As I’ve said before – we will take good care of them for you.’

‘That’s all right.’ Alf smiled. ‘I’m glad you’ve found them of use.’

‘This museum is important to us, and we are all very excited to have received your material. As I’ve said, only a few copies will be printed at first, but Mr Davis has asked if you would consider writing a few more pages to explain your first few months after the war.’

‘Ah . . . I’ve got something, but I’m not sure if it’s any good. I was drunk most of the time,’ Alf admitted.

‘It’s a bit disjointed and I didn’t include that because I felt it was too personal,’ Steve said. ‘But we could soon sort it out, Alf, if that’s what you want to do.’

Seeing Alf was doubtful, Stanton said, ‘Let me explain. As a new publisher my friend would like the option to print copies for sale, should the demand arise some time in the future. That would be a fitting end to the story.’ Stanton placed an official-looking document in front of Alf. ‘Charles will, of course, pay you for the right.’

‘How much?’

‘Twenty-five pounds immediately, with the possibility of more later.’

Alf stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. ‘Make it fifty and I’ll do it.’

‘Thirty.’

‘Forty.’

Stanton nodded and smiled, altered the amount on the document and gave it back to Alf. ‘Sign at the bottom of the page, Mr Hunter, and we have a deal.’

Alf read every word before putting his signature on it. ‘Can’t be too careful,’ he told Steve.

Stanton took back the document and nodded in approval. ‘You will be hearing from Mr Davis in due course, and please feel free to come here any time. The advice of both of you would be invaluable to us, and if you have any badges, medals, uniforms or anything you may have brought home with you as souvenirs, we would love to have them.’

‘I’ll sort through my kitbag,’ Alf said. ‘I haven’t opened it since I got home. What about you, Steve?’

‘I’ll see what I can find.’

‘Thank you.’ Stanton stood up and shook hands with them, and then they left.

Once outside they grinned at each other, and Steve said, ‘Well done, you handled that like an expert.’

‘What a turn up.’ Alf shook his head in disbelief. ‘I was so sure no one would be interested, and certainly not prepared to pay good money for the dairies. Thanks for getting my mess into order. I’m sure it made all the difference.’

‘Think nothing of it, mate, I’m delighted it’s turned out so well. Let’s get home and tell Daisy, and we must both write to Ruth. She will be excited about this.’

The two men worked well into the night, and through the following week, until they were satisfied with the last piece.

‘That’s it.’ Steve finally sat back and gulped down the tea his wife had kept supplying.

‘Thank the Lord!’ Alf picked up his cup with shaking hands. ‘That was damned hard.’

‘I know, but you managed it well. We’ll take it to Stanton tomorrow, then all you’ve got to do is wait for the money and the book.’

They met Charles Davis at the museum this time, and after reading the extra pages, he nodded. ‘This is just what is needed, Mr Hunter. It couldn’t have been easy for you, but this could be a help to others who are still suffering.’

‘There are plenty,’ Alf said, his expression grim. ‘Even if some look quite all right on the outside, they could still be a mess inside. I know I was. We’re told that the memories and nightmares would fade eventually, but none of us will ever be able to forget.’

‘No, we won’t.’

Both men looked intently at Charles Davies, and it was only then they realized that he had remained seated the whole time.

‘What were you in?’ Steve asked.

‘I was in the Navy, like you, Mr Cooper, and lost a leg when my ship was blown up. I’ll walk again when I get my artificial leg. It is because of my experiences that I’m helping with the War Museum, and trying to get my hands on as many written accounts as possible. The sacrifices made by so many must be preserved for future generations. Now, I assume you would like to be paid in cash, Mr Hunter?’

‘To tell you the truth, Mr Davis, I’m feeling a bit awkward about taking money from you. You’re trying to do something worthwhile here, and it don’t seem right for me to be paid.’

‘I insist you take the money,’ Charles Davis declared. ‘I am a reasonably wealthy man, and I’m sure you can do with a bit of extra cash.’

‘Well, it would be welcome, but . . .’

Charles Davis held up his hand. ‘You deserve to be paid, and I insist you take the money.’

The money was handed over and Alf slipped it into his pocket without another word.

With the business finished, they spent the next hour looking at the exhibits already completed, and others being prepared. The museum hadn’t been open long, but they had many plans for the future, and plenty of enthusiasm for the project. It made a big impression on the two men and they talked about it all the way home.

As soon as they were back in Daisy’s scullery, Alf found himself surrounded by the Cooper family wanting to know all the details of their visit to the Crystal Palace.

‘What are you going to do with the money?’ Daisy asked. ‘You could put it in a bank.’

‘No.’ Alf shook his head. ‘Steve did all the work so I want you to have half.’

‘Certainly not!’ Steve was adamant. ‘I won’t take a penny from you. All I did was put it in some kind of order.’

‘Steve’s right,’ Daisy agreed. ‘You do something with it.’

It would be useless to argue with them, as Alf knew only too well. ‘All right, but at least let me treat you all to fish and chips tonight.’

The children whooped with delight, and Daisy and Steve agreed, laughing.

Alf didn’t sleep much that night; he was too excited. He’d never had so much money in his life, and he was determined to put it to good use. Since he’d been back at work he’d lived simply, managing to save quite a bit of his wages, and added to what he had been given made a tidy sum. How he wished Helen could share in this bounty. He sighed deeply with regret. He couldn’t do anything for his wife now, but he could try to secure a decent future for his son. His mind wouldn’t rest while he went over all the possibilities, and it was the early hours of the morning before he had decided what to do.

He kept his plans to himself, and the next Saturday afternoon he made his way to Wandsworth. He was going to see if he could buy a small house, but he wanted it to be well away from the docks. There were plenty for sale, he noted as he walked the streets. Stopping outside one small terraced house, he examined it carefully. The outside was in a state of neglect, but he’d guessed this was probably the best he could afford. Still, with a bit of work it would be quite nice, and the street wasn’t too rough.

‘You interested?’

Alf spun round to face the man who had spoken to him. He was of average height, around fifty, and wearing a suit that had seen better days, but it was well pressed and clean.

‘I might be. Are you the owner?’

‘No, I’m selling it for the owner, Mr Hughes, who is old now and has gone to live with his son. My name’s Carter.’ He shook hands with Alf. ‘Want to have a look around?’

The front door stuck a bit, but it was in surprisingly good condition inside. All it needed was a thorough clean and a coat of paint, and he could do that easily, but he kept these thoughts to himself. ‘Needs a lot doing to it.’

After a great deal of bartering, Alf bought the house for a price that would leave him enough money to do the necessary work. Carter was clearly delighted, and Alf guessed that he had been trying to sell this house for some time, and that was why he had been able to knock down the price quite a bit.

‘When are you thinking of moving in?’

‘I’m not going to live here myself, but once I’ve done the house up I’ll rent it out. The rent will be reasonable, and I’d like an ex-soldier and his family to live here. Do you know anyone?’

‘I could easily find you a suitable tenant, and I would be happy to collect the rent for you, sir.’

It amused Alf to be called sir, but this man seemed almost desperate for work. ‘Were you in the forces?’

‘Army, and I was wounded so bad I can’t do heavy work no more.’

Alf nodded. ‘I’ll want to see prospective tenants first, and I’ll pay you to collect the rent for me, but there will be no pressing for payment should they fall behind. Is that clear?’

‘Perfectly, sir, and I might have just the right family for you. The man lost an arm in the war and is desperate for somewhere to live. He has a wife and two young children. He has a job delivering and selling newspapers, but times are hard for them.’

‘Ask him to meet me here tomorrow evening at eight o’clock.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Alf smiled all the way home. He couldn’t wait to tell Steve and Daisy that he’d bought a house!

‘You’re going to live in Wandsworth?’ Daisy asked, astonished at Alf’s news.

‘No,’ he laughed, still buoyant from his day’s work. It was unheard of for the likes of them to own property. ‘I can’t move away from the docks while I’m working there. I’m going to rent it out after I’ve done a bit of work on it. You told me to do something with the money, Daisy, and I have.’

‘And buying a house is sensible,’ Steve said, smiling with delight for his friend. ‘I’d be happy to give you a hand doing it up.’

‘Thanks, Steve; another pair of hands will make all the difference. There isn’t any hard graft; it just needs a good clean and a lick of paint. This money has given me an unexpected chance to prove to myself and my son that I can amount to something.’

‘You will, Alf. Now, when can we see the house?’ Daisy asked eagerly.

‘I’ve got to go there tomorrow evening to meet a family who might be interested in renting. You can all come then, if you like.’

‘I can’t wait!’ Daisy smiled at her husband. ‘Isn’t this exciting? Alf’s going to be a landlord!’

The next evening when they arrived at the house, the children rushed through the back door, shouting, ‘You’ve got a garden!’

‘Be careful!’ Daisy called. ‘You don’t know what’s under all that undergrowth. That’s going to take some clearing, Alf.’

‘I know.’ Alf watched the children dodging in and out of the overgrown vegetation, a smile on his face. All they had where they lived was a small backyard, so a garden was a novelty to the youngsters. ‘This whole project will be a challenge, and that’s what I need. Each day is still a struggle, and this will give some purpose to my life. I’ve won a couple of battles, but there’s plenty ahead.’

The prospective tenants arrived and the Coopers all went into the garden and started to clear some of the weeds. Screams of delight could be heard.

Standing in front of Alf was a tall man, and he immediately recognized the haunted look in his eyes. So many men had the same expression and he didn’t ask questions about what he did in the war. The wife was a pretty woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and she stood close to her husband. The two children were five and seven, Alf guessed, and they were peering out the window at the Cooper children. ‘Why don’t you go out there and help them while I talk to your mum and dad?’

‘Oh, can we?’ the eldest asked his dad, fidgeting with eagerness.

‘Of course, off you go.’

They were through the back door almost before the words were out of his mouth, and they all smiled at each other.

‘Right.’ Alf indicated that they should all sit down. ‘My name’s Hunter, and you are?’

‘Mr and Mrs Selby.’

‘I’ve just bought this house, Mrs Selby. It’s in a mess at the moment, but I’m going to do it up before anyone moves in. I understand you are looking for somewhere to live.’

‘Yes, we are. The rooms we’re living in at the moment are cramped, the area is rough, and it’s no place to bring up children. I’ve got a job, and the pay is low, but I’m lucky to have anything. Fortunately I’m right-handed so there is still a lot I can do.’

Alf nodded, knowing how hard it must be for him with his left arm missing. ‘I won’t charge you more than you can afford, but before we go into that have a look round and see if you think the house might be all right for you. It has three bedrooms. Two of them are small, but they would be suitable for the children.’

Mrs Selby now had a hopeful look in her eyes, and Alf had already decided that he would like them to rent the house. The money didn’t matter to him; this was an investment for his son’s future.

Alf left the Selbys to explore on their own, and when they came back to the kitchen, he said, ‘What do you think?’

‘It would be perfect for us, Mr Hunter.’ Mr Selby sat down. ‘But can we afford it?’

‘Could you manage two shillings a week?’

They gasped. ‘We could, but Mr Hunter, it’s worth much more than that!’

‘If you and your family want it then that’s all I’m asking. And if you should fall on hard times and can’t pay, you must come to me and we’ll sort something out. I will not throw you out, and that’s a promise. You look after the place, keep the garden tidy, and do your best to pay the rent, and then I’ll be happy. Is it a deal?’

‘It’s a deal!’ Mr Selby stood up and shook Alf’s hand, a smile of relief on his face. ‘You are being very generous, Mr Hunter, and we are grateful.’

‘It’s my way of helping. I had terrible problems when I arrived home and my family suffered. My wife died and my son walked out on me, so I understand what many ex-soldiers are going through. I’ve come through it,’ he smiled wryly, ‘so there’s hope for others to do the same. Now, shall we go into the garden and tell your children the good news?’