Chapter Nine – The Recruitment Drive
In the weeks following the declaration of war, many young people in Tudhoe and Spennymoor volunteered to join the Army to go to France and fight the Germans. A fact that Emily was not reticent in pointing out to Albert.
Rumours in the pit were that the British Army was to have its first battle against the Germans and so, on the way home, Albert bought a newspaper.
“The BEF requires immediate and immense reinforcement,” he read to Emily. “It needs men, men, and yet more men. We want reinforcements and we want them now.”
“There you go,” said Emily. “They need men.”
“You want me to go to France and get myself killed?”
“There are lots of men from the village joining up.”
“Well, let them get killed then.”
“Oh, I forgot,” sneered Emily. “They said the
