The Soldier of Stars [1] - Band of Brothers

8 | england

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this is sergeant robert coleman, a new character in the series, who will play an important role in the first part of this story. this was literally who i had in mind the entire time i was writing this segment :)

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" As with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people."

- Joseph B. Wirthlin

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The women took their dinner and ate in the room they had been given, talking about different things before deciding to light a candle and bed down for the night. Many days on the ship were just spent wandering the decks and eating and waiting for their arrival at Plymouth. It was a cargo filled ship and a few times the girls managed to find themselves overlooking a bunch of military issued equipment below, like jeeps or trucks. It was all fascinating. 

Christmas 1942 on the ship was rather quiet, with the girl's waking up on their first Christmas from home to chocolates out front of their front door and the sweet smell of cinnamon wafting through the officer's quarters. It was all such a pleasant atmosphere. 

Even though it did happen to be the first Christmas away from home, Hazel found herself comforted by having Catherine and Lizzie by her side. She didn't think about Christmas from her childhood, she didn't think about any of the memories that had overwhelmed her past Christmases. She just focused on the joy she felt being with women who were like sisters. 

Docking in at Plymouth in the New Year, 1943, was an interesting experience from the time change as well as the atmosphere. It was all so lively and exciting, being in a different country, with British people. 

Hazel had never met a British person. 

The women were taken to a British Army base in Wiltshire, England. When they first arrived, the British soldiers there were all a bit, surprised. To see 3 American women being led into their mess hall, with their uniforms in pristine condition. But the surprising thing was, they were all so welcoming to the women. They wanted to get to know them and they invited them to the pubs on the weekends and they also were very much tuned into what each woman was like. Probably a military thing. 

Lizzie managed to wrap a poor Lieutenant around her finger, because she was just so wonderfully positive and the Lieutenant couldn't get past the sight of her. Lizzie was fairly oblivious as well, but she preached all the time about how she was here for war. 

All 3 women were here for the war and the training they would be provided. 

Hazel met Sergeant Robert Coleman, a member of the Special Forces who specialized in weapons and hand-to-hand combat, the things Hazel needed work on.