A boy writes home during WWII, revealing his own fascinating story, full of zest for life, information and humour.
A boy writes home during WWII, revealing his own fascinating story, full of zest for life, information and humour.
Historical, Personal memoirs, World war ii
This funny, fascinating journal follows the development of a boy and his changing attitudes during WW II from its outbreak in September 1939 to victory in the summer of 1945. It is a memoir based on the original letters, around a hundred and ninety in total, written by the author to his parents and carefully preserved over the years. There are also several contemporary photographs. He was an only child and full of his own selfish needs, vanity, hypochondria, prejudices and unquestioning patriotism. The letters carry strong echoes of ‘Just William’ and ‘Adrian Mole’ . 'Health and Safety' was nowhere in sight! There is also a wealth of information about childhood games, hobbies, mock battles, sport, school life and wartime concerns.
Extract read by actor Bernard Cribbins as part of BBC concert to mark 70 years since VE Day. The concert aired on BBC 1 and Radio 2 was a mixture of live musical performances and readings from famous actors and actresses of various accounts from the second world war.
Geoffrey Iley: "It was a truly amazing experience for me - and even more so for the wonderful veteran servicemen who were able to attend. I still have no idea how the producers stumbled across my book and found that excerpt. I thought that Bernard Cribbins did a really brilliant job with the reading - a former Doctor Who! It doesn't get much better than this."
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This is an enchanting, enchanting book. The letters in question, first of all, this is an epistolary book of letters sent to the parents and relatives of Geoffrey, were found when Geoffrey was a pretty mature man. He was pleasantly surprised to see that all the letters sent and received a lot of time ago were still there, waiting for him. A lonely child, because of work, Geoffrey's family afforded to Birmingham. Years, that one, where the cold winds of war were whispering always more persisting. We are at the end of the 1930s. Geoffrey, also for preserving him during that horrible phase for Europe was sent to schools distant from that city, for completing the years. The letters you'll read document his weekly activities. From the games, he loved to play with, the request for his violin, and many times!!! for stamps: the polemic because of censorship, blue pencil! Passing through the several illnesses he was affected of or were affected by his friends: he concluded most of the time reassuring his parents. Food in the first school wasn't great at all, and at first, because of this reason, he fell ill. He also felt melancholy because he had left his home, but in this case, after a short time, recovered successfully well. His parents were also taking into consideration, if Germans would have occupied the UK, of sending him to the USA, a hypothesis later discarded. At that time correspondence was the only way for receiving news, gifts, postcards from someone distant. Geoffrey asked for books, for games, bicycles, money, everything you can imagine he could ask for, being satisfied all the time, but not only: her mother sent him also delicious fruits and cakes that he consumed in his bedroom! I also noticed that Geoffrey, in the opposite case avid letter-writer, postponed or interrupted his writings when it was teatime, a sacred moment for everyone in the UK. At the end of school, Geoffrey started his first experience as an engineering apprentice becoming much more with the time and building a beautiful existence. But...But...What you will love the most about his character is that, although little, Geoffrey had a solid, strong character, pretty technical and mathematical, being also happy, cheerful ironic and mature at the same time. It was a great joy reading this book, where we can see correspondence spanning through all the years of the Second World War. Highly recommended book. ~ alfemminile.blogspot.com, Review
I found it truly extraordinary to be allowed this insight into how it was to be a boy then and live through those years...... I found your letters hugely enlightening. Thank you. ~ Michael Morpurgo, Author of War Horse
Dinky toys and Spitfires, fags and flying bombs. A personal and poignant insight into a Wartime Childhood. (The) experiences were certainly different to mine and all the more interesting for that! ~ Michael Foreman, award-winning author of 'War Boy'
The Imperial War Museum is eager to acquire this collection of original letters. ~ Ellen Parton, Archivist, Imperial War Museum
