Shipwreck

1st September 1939

The start of the second World War

Dear Diary

My name is Terry Hawkins, and this is the first page of my new diary. It's the first diary I have ever owned, so I am going to be using it to my advantage. And it's been behaving for the last few minutes I have been writing in it. I guess I should continue to inform you about what happened today.

It all started that morning. As usual, I got out of my bedchamber and went downstairs, following the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I lived with my parents and sister, Melanie at that moment. It was a rather posh house, in the center of London, though, me and my family are not posh at all. We're just quite rich, and was able to afford this house. I slid down the banister from opposite my bedroom leading to the kitchen, knocking myself out on the ceiling while I did so. I'm actually quite taller than other people my age, which is surprising since my mother and father are both rather short.

Bringing that to aside, getting quite off track here, I was busy pouring myself some coffee when the door burst open, and in came 8 armed soldiers working for Neville Chamberlain (the Prime Minister of England at that time). They flooded into the roomssurrounding the area in front of the hall door as if they were taking part in a wild goose chase by The Man himself.

I don't remember much else since this was 6 years ago, and much has happened between those days. I'm sorry, me.

I do remember one of the soldiers, Colonel Grens showing me the newspaper, saying that World War 2 has officially started, and they need more soldiers to fight for the British and other countries supporting Britain. Another soldier explained that I was the perfect person for this.

I was quite shocked. I'm 19, barely even a proper adult if I remember the table manners I had back then, and I was definitely not fit for an actual war. I didn't even know what a shotgun, pistol or a grenade actually did 6 years ago. 

My father seemed upset that the soldiers suddenly sprung up on us to come and take me away on apparently what was going to be in a Royal Navy Submarine. When they said that I actually felt excitingly scared. If that makes any sense to you, that is.

You see, ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by boats and submarines, intrigued by how they work and have always wanted to live in one. I knew that when I became older, I would be an explorer by sea, discovering new lands and new people, finding new species of plants, and being well-known in the world like Charles Darwin.

But I never knew I would be living in a submarine, going to different places to fight in what would be the most catastrophic war in history.

When I snapped out of my wonderful dreams of being underwater and not drowning, I realised that Melanie and my mother were crying - sobbing actually, and my father was furiously arguing with Colonel Grens. 

"This is absurd!! Taking my only son from me-ONLY son, and you just...just...aaargh!!" My mother screamed.

"I thought of the army as brave and courageous, but now... oh now you make me sick. The Navy! The Royal Navy...shame on you. Shame on you ALL."

My sister was too emotional to speak. 

I stood there quietly, not making a single noise, watching the havoc continue to increase in my family. I knew that even if I got what I wanted, got my dream, it would not make my family happy, or ecstatic... I would just make things bad for them. I guess I was risking my life for my dream and being rather selfish. The noise levels made my eyes well up and create  lump in my throat. Clearly my family knew that if I go, I would possibly not come back home...

Next thing I knew, I heard my mother and sister scream and my father shout, being held back by other Navy officers. Then I was suddenly being dragged backwards and chucked into the back of the van.

And that's the start of my story. My life as I remember.