Railway Tracks
Mia Green
“The Railway Unit: Reinforcements urgently needed!” the article announced. Thomas continued reading the black, printed words of the newspaper as he walked through the busy streets of Cobar. Multiple people were running towards the station, trying to catch up to the last train of the day headed to Sydney. Tom weaved in and out of people walking home from work like himself. He crossed the bridge and headed down his street, stopping in front of his parents old brick house, strolled up the path and opened the creaky door.
“The Railway Unit: Reinforcements urgently needed!” the article announced. Thomas continued reading the black, printed words of the newspaper as he walked through the busy streets of Cobar. Multiple people were running towards the station, trying to catch up to the last train of the day headed to Sydney. Tom weaved in and out of people walking home from work like himself. He crossed the bridge and headed down his street, stopping in front of his parents old brick house, strolled up the path and opened the creaky door.
“Tom dear, is that you?” Thomas’ mother, Anne, called from down the hall. Smells of Anne’s cooking wafted from the kitchen and Tom breathed in the wonderful smell of home. “No, it’s a stranger who’s come to rob the house!” Tom replied cheekily as he headed towards the kitchen, the newspaper still in his hands.
“Tom dear, is that you?” Thomas’ mother, Anne, called from down the hall. Smells of Anne’s cooking wafted from the kitchen and Tom breathed in the wonderful smell of home. “No, it’s a stranger who’s come to rob the house!” Tom replied cheekily as he headed towards the kitchen, the newspaper still in his hands.
“Oh goodness what will I do with you!” Anne exclaims as her head turns towards her oldest son when he appears in the room, her eyes gleaming with laughter. Tom sets the paper down on the table, the article facing up as he bends down to kiss his Mother on the cheek.
“Oh goodness what will I do with you!” Anne exclaims as her head turns towards her oldest son when he appears in the room, her eyes gleaming with laughter. Tom sets the paper down on the table, the article facing up as he bends down to kiss his Mother on the cheek.
“How was your day?” she inquired turning to face the organised mess in front of her as she prepared dinner for her 7 children and husband.
“How was your day?” she inquired turning to face the organised mess in front of her as she prepared dinner for her 7 children and husband.
“It was fine. I picked up the paper on the way home. There’s an article for railway workers needed in France. I think I may enlist.” Tom answers slowly, unsure of his Mother’s reaction towards him leaving. Anne stopped what she was doing and turned towards her son, looking at him like he had grown two heads.
“It was fine. I picked up the paper on the way home. There’s an article for railway workers needed in France. I think I may enlist.” Tom answers slowly, unsure of his Mother’s reaction towards him leaving. Anne stopped what she was doing and turned towards her son, looking at him like he had grown two heads.
“I don’t know what to say” she answers, her voice quiet. Tom takes her small hand in his, and kisses it softly.
“I don’t know what to say” she answers, her voice quiet. Tom takes her small hand in his, and kisses it softly.
“It’s ok Mum, I’ll be ok.” Tom says looking down at Anne.
“It’s ok Mum, I’ll be ok.” Tom says looking down at Anne.
“What are you going to tell Olive?” she asks, referring to Thomas’ girlfriend. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
“What are you going to tell Olive?” she asks, referring to Thomas’ girlfriend. “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
Three days later, Tom enlisted on November the 14th, 1917. 10 days after he enlisted in Sydney, Olive and Thomas Lee were married in St. Clemens Church, Yass.
Three days later, Tom enlisted on November the 14th, 1917. 10 days after he enlisted in Sydney, Olive and Thomas Lee were married in St. Clemens Church, Yass.
Christmas comes and goes along with Tom’s 24th birthday and soon after, Tom is at Cobar station surrounded by his family of 9 and his new wife. 3 horns are blared.
Christmas comes and goes along with Tom’s 24th birthday and soon after, Tom is at Cobar station surrounded by his family of 9 and his new wife. 3 horns are blared.
from the train, signalling that the train would be departing soon. The Lee family aren’t the only family weeping on the sidewalk of the station as over 5 other families are gathered in tight bunches, biding farewell to their loved ones. Tom’s 6 younger siblings are quiet as they hug him and Anne and John both wish him the best with tears in their eyes.
from the train, signalling that the train would be departing soon. The Lee family aren’t the only family weeping on the sidewalk of the station as over 5 other families are gathered in tight bunches, biding farewell to their loved ones. Tom’s 6 younger siblings are quiet as they hug him and Anne and John both wish him the best with tears in their eyes.
“Please come home soon.” Olive whispers into Tom’s uniform as she says goodbye. “I will.” he replies kissing her lovingly and then climbing on board the train with his bags in his left arm and the letter that Olive pressed into his hand in the other.
“Please come home soon.” Olive whispers into Tom’s uniform as she says goodbye. “I will.” he replies kissing her lovingly and then climbing on board the train with his bags in his left arm and the letter that Olive pressed into his hand in the other.
As the train moves out of the station, Tom moves down the hallway looking for his best friend until he comes to the second last compartment and Albert Miller’s hazel eyes stare up at Tom as he jumps to his feet and pulls open the compartment door so energetically that Tom has no idea how he didn’t rip the door off it’s hinges. “Tom! Attaboy get your big head in here!” Thomas’ lifelong friend ushered him inside the small room and slammed the door with as much enthusiasm as he opened it with.
As the train moves out of the station, Tom moves down the hallway looking for his best friend until he comes to the second last compartment and Albert Miller’s hazel eyes stare up at Tom as he jumps to his feet and pulls open the compartment door so energetically that Tom has no idea how he didn’t rip the door off it’s hinges. “Tom! Attaboy get your big head in here!” Thomas’ lifelong friend ushered him inside the small room and slammed the door with as much enthusiasm as he opened it with.
“Hey mate you’re looking great! You nervous?” Tom asks Bert, looking at his best friend’s happy appearance.
“Hey mate you’re looking great! You nervous?” Tom asks Bert, looking at his best friend’s happy appearance.
“Nope, not in the slightest! Although it was hard saying goodbye to Jane and Mum. Dad is really ill and I don’t think he’ll make it.” Alberts tan, freckled face turns into the shade of a ghosts and he looks awfully miserable as the train rolls past the green countryside.
“Nope, not in the slightest! Although it was hard saying goodbye to Jane and Mum. Dad is really ill and I don’t think he’ll make it.” Alberts tan, freckled face turns into the shade of a ghosts and he looks awfully miserable as the train rolls past the green countryside.
“That’s baloney Bert, he’s a tough man. He’ll be just fine.” Tom assures his friend. Albert’s face brightens at the words and continues talking until they pull into Sydney.
“That’s baloney Bert, he’s a tough man. He’ll be just fine.” Tom assures his friend. Albert’s face brightens at the words and continues talking until they pull into Sydney.
As soon as the railway soldiers get off the train, they are greeted by a crowd of supporters and then quickly transferred onto the troop ship that is headed straight for the Western Front in France.
As soon as the railway soldiers get off the train, they are greeted by a crowd of supporters and then quickly transferred onto the troop ship that is headed straight for the Western Front in France.
7 weeks later.
7 weeks later.
Thomas stepped off the small boat that carried the ANZAC’s to shore from the troop ships and stared at his surroundings. “This is France?” he thought as he took in the old buildings, the huge railway tracks and most importantly, the distant sound of bombing and deathly screaming coming from the nightmare called war. The streets were empty of people, it was eerie and definitely not as welcome as Sydney was to the soldiers.
Thomas stepped off the small boat that carried the ANZAC’s to shore from the troop ships and stared at his surroundings. “This is France?” he thought as he took in the old buildings, the huge railway tracks and most importantly, the distant sound of bombing and deathly screaming coming from the nightmare called war. The streets were empty of people, it was eerie and definitely not as welcome as Sydney was to the soldiers.
“How fun!” Bert exclaims behind Tom as he too, among with the multiple other soldiers who Thomas now called his friends, took in their new home, and they all laugh at Bert’s sarcasm. The soldiers were once again, rushed onto trains because as of right now, they were all in danger.
“How fun!” Bert exclaims behind Tom as he too, among with the multiple other soldiers who Thomas now called his friends, took in their new home, and they all laugh at Bert’s sarcasm. The soldiers were once again, rushed onto trains because as of right now, they were all in danger.
As soon as they arrived in the Western Front they were assigned bunks. The 106 young soldiers who enlisted to work on Railway transport in France were all close after spending over seven weeks on a ship together. Groups were divided up and Thomas and Albert were put in the same group which led to both men sighing in relief. Tom was given the title “Private” along with the other 48 men in their assigned group and over the next few months they worked to transport necessities to the soldiers in battle.
As soon as they arrived in the Western Front they were assigned bunks. The 106 young soldiers who enlisted to work on Railway transport in France were all close after spending over seven weeks on a ship together. Groups were divided up and Thomas and Albert were put in the same group which led to both men sighing in relief. Tom was given the title “Private” along with the other 48 men in their assigned group and over the next few months they worked to transport necessities to the soldiers in battle.
“Ok, we have another shipment coming in 10 minutes! We need to be ready for it as it is only stopping for 5 minutes in the station.” General Hawke states to group. “Yes General!” the group shouts and quickly start to prepare the railway for the train. The tracks are steep and no one dares to go near them until the train has pulled into the station. Tom and Albert prepare the shipment carriers for when the train lands to transport the weapons off of the train. All goes smoothly until 2 minutes until the train is supposed to come, there is a frightening scream and a sickening thud on the steep tracks.
“Ok, we have another shipment coming in 10 minutes! We need to be ready for it as it is only stopping for 5 minutes in the station.” General Hawke states to group. “Yes General!” the group shouts and quickly start to prepare the railway for the train. The tracks are steep and no one dares to go near them until the train has pulled into the station. Tom and Albert prepare the shipment carriers for when the train lands to transport the weapons off of the train. All goes smoothly until 2 minutes until the train is supposed to come, there is a frightening scream and a sickening thud on the steep tracks.
Everyone rushes to the side of the path and Bert is on the dirty tracks with what appears to be a broken wrist.
Everyone rushes to the side of the path and Bert is on the dirty tracks with what appears to be a broken wrist.
“HELP! HELP!” Bert screams to the group of soldiers who are looking helplessly at him. The men immediately take action and try to help rescue Bert with pieces of wood and anything they can find. A ladder is tossed down to him but it doesn’t reach high enough and with Bert’s injured wrist, he can’t climb too far. Everyone is panicking, as the train rounds the corner heading straight towards Albert on the tracks.
“HELP! HELP!” Bert screams to the group of soldiers who are looking helplessly at him. The men immediately take action and try to help rescue Bert with pieces of wood and anything they can find. A ladder is tossed down to him but it doesn’t reach high enough and with Bert’s injured wrist, he can’t climb too far. Everyone is panicking, as the train rounds the corner heading straight towards Albert on the tracks.
“BERT! Climb on the ladder and give me your hand!” Tom screams as Bert frantically scrambles up it. His clammy hand reaches out to Tom’s just as the train’s horn blares.
“BERT! Climb on the ladder and give me your hand!” Tom screams as Bert frantically scrambles up it. His clammy hand reaches out to Tom’s just as the train’s horn blares.