Our ANZAC In The Attic

• Chapter 12 •

{ Elouise Green }
"Please welcome to the podium this morning Eli Shearer as he reads to us Laurence Binyon's poem 'for the fallen' and the ode of remembrance," Lieutenant Simmons, an old Vietnam veteran, announced.
Eli looked down at me, I rubbed his shoulder, he hobbled up to the podium placing his crutches on the wet ground.
Rain tickled our cheeks as he puffed his chest out proudly, a serious look moulded into his face.
"Today I stand before you as a grateful man. I am grateful for many things, such as my beautiful fiancé, my health, our town. I am grateful that I have a country that still remembers people who gave their lives 100 years ago today so our country could be free. I am grateful that I can stand before you and proudly say my life has been shaped by the ANZAC legacy. The legacy involves tenacity, pride, love, determination and mateship. Australia is my home, it is my land and the Australian and New Zealand soldiers proved more than they needed to not only on April 25th 1915 but every other day a soldier wakes up, missing out on his new daughters first steps or his wife's good morning kiss and fought for the country we all love. The legend doesn't tell you about the things they saw or heard or smelt or went through, because not just anybody can imagine or describe the feelings they felt as they charged into battle. I can't, but I can live a life of love, tenacity, pride, determination and display mate ship where ever and when ever I get the chance. We aren't all ANZAC's, in fact you might not even be related to one, but everyone in the entire world can live up to these morals, I speak to you today with pride and love, I am not a very fluent reader and you'll have to bear with me. When I was asked to read to you today I was hesitant because I knew this has always been my greatest fear, but my fiancé Elouise said to me 'Eli imagine you were sitting in that wooden boat, your hands shaking and heart racing, just like they will be when you're on that podium, imagine I was at home, a baby in my arms and a pray in my heart, imagine you were about to step onto a foreign shore and fight for a country you love, you're going to have to be brave to do what you're going to do on ANZAC day but mate, your bravery is nothing compared to theirs,' so ladies and gentlemen, for the fallen," Eli breathed out, his eyes focusing on me as the crowd clapped.
I blew him a kiss and gave him the thumbs up.
"For the Fallen, they went with songs to the battle, they were young, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, they fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; they sit no more at familiar tables of home; they have no lot in our labour of the day-time; they sleep beyond our countries foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, to the innermost heart of their own land they are known, as the stars are known to the Night; as the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, moving in marches upon the heavenly plain, as the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, to the end...to the end...they remain... Lest we forget," Eli read with no mistakes, he read slowly, but no mistakes.
As he stood up there, reading to the crowd and saying things I have heard him say a million times, made me realise how much I loved him.
That I was marrying a man, not just because he understood me but because I had an adventure to investigate and I had a new element to explore every day.
Eli hobbled back over to me and under my umbrella, I slowly and carefully wrapped my arms around his torso.
"I'm so proud of you," I whispered.
He just smiled and hugged me as tight as he could.
_______________
{ Angus Shearer }
"Three aces and that gentlemen is how you play black jack," I grinned placing down my cards and stuffing my 36 cigarettes I'd won into my pocket.
"Why do we even play against him?" Morgan Griffiths questioned handing me his flask of rum.
"Dunno we just loose our 8 rashers of bacon," Billy Carter sighed, placing the bacon in my hand.
"Gentlemen please, you're the ones that place the bets," I shrugged making them grown.
Harry laughed," Shearer are you being-"
"MAIL!" The boy bellowed down the trench.
"Private Dooley, Private Williams, Private Griffiths, Private Cook,"
Harry snatched the letter and read the address, a grin spreading across his face.
"Yes!" he cheered.
"Private Clark, Private Kelly, Private Smith, Private Shearer,"
I snatched the letter from his hand, instantly engulfed in a whole new world.
3 weeks of this torture and I was ready for some news of the outside world.
"Shearer read it aloud," Ollie stated.
"Yeah I wanna hear this," Harry smiled.
I curled my lips in as all the guys gathered round the dim light,
"Dear Shearer, I am most certainly missing you. I think about you everyday and my love for you continues to grow every time I look into our baby's eyes," I read with a smile.
All the boys cheered.
"At 4:20 am on April 25th 1915, Alistair Henry Shearer came into the world. I wish you could see him in the flesh, he's so beautiful my darling. Your genes nut be very strong because our little boy is a spitting image of you, with dark hair and green eyes and tanned skin, I think he's going to be just like his daddy.
We love you, more than anything else in the world. Alistair can't wait to meet you. Stay safe my sweet and come home as soon as you can. Love from your little family, Kiwi and Baby," I looked up at the boys, "She used my name, I'm a dad," I stuttered, tears forming in my eyes.
I pulled the picture from the envelope;

My eyes widened and I gasped, "my baby!" I announced holding up the picture proudly.
"She used the name I wanted," I grinned, I don't think I've ever felt so happy in my entire life.
"Let me see!" Harry grabbed it and saw the tiny baby fitting perfectly in Lucy's arms.
"Damn he's beautiful!" Harry exclaimed.
"Alistair Shearer, very masculine Angus," Ollie laughed.
"Baby Ali," I said, feeling the words roll off my lips.
"You're one lucky man Angus Shearer!" Mason Wood acknowledged.
All the boys cheered as I wished with all my heart I could be home with a little boy I fell in love with through a photo.
___________
Will Shearer ever meet baby Alistair?
Will Eli and Elouise ever find out what happened to Shearer and Lucy?
Will Gallipoli take more lives than we think?
Chloe here!
Like and comment!!
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️