ONE night during the year 1915, whilst waiting up for my son who
worked on the trams, and, in consequence, was often late, I thought I
would while away the time by reading. When he came in and had supper
and we were preparing for bed I suddenly became aware of a pair of
muddy boots on the hearth rug. I looked at them again and again. Then
I looked up and saw putties, then pants and belt; then there was a
space where the body should have been. Still looking higher, I
distinctly saw the head and face of my son George, who was then
serving somewhere in France. All about his head were white bandages,
and just by his ear was a large spot of blood. I believe I fainted,
or something like it. My young son was frightened and called his
father who had gone to bed. I told them, “If George gets hurt it will
be in the head.” Five weeks later, on the 1st of June, word came that
he was in hospital with a bullet wound in the head. The wound was
exactly in the same place as I had seen the blood. My son George is
still living and most happily married.
“His Spirit Took This Chance”
THE following incident happened one afternoon during the War, when I
went to visit my husband’s mother. We were sitting in a room talking
to some other members of the family when, suddenly, my husband's
favourite sister came running downstairs calling out, “Mother, Dick
has come home!” We rushed into the hall, expecting to see my husband,
and were naturally very surprised, as we had had no intimation of an
intended leave. However, the hall was empty except for my
sister-in-law, who had just reached the foot of the stairs. She
seemed quite convinced that she had seen him standing there, in full
field equipment, and we searched the house to satisfy her that he had
not come home.
We did not hear from my husband for many weeks after this and were
very distressed, as we felt, after this strange event, that something
very serious must have happened to him.
At last, we had news that he was a prisoner of war.
When he returned after the War we told him of this strange incident
and gave him the exact time and day on which it happened.
Just at this time, it appears, he was captured by the Germans, one of
whom struck him with a rifle, rendering him unconscious.
I sometimes think that his spirit took this chance of leaving the
sickening horror, and, if only for so short a time, being near those
he loved.