04-12-2025, 04:36 PM
John made them both tea and placed his cup down in front of his father before retaking his seat. He looked at the letters and replied to his father. "Yeah, not what I had thought I was going to get. The army have a way of changing things to suit their needs. I was suppost to be going to the training depot. Instruct new recruits but that's been changed. I've been given notification to expect embarkation orders to join the West Yorkshire regiment under the command of a Captain William St Claire. I have been asked by him to take up the position within the company he has formed from men of whitby as Company Sargeant Major."
John took a drink of his tea before continuing "I know you've never approved of my choice of career" he spun his cup around in his hand "but we both know deep down this was the right choice. If I didn't I would have ended up locked up like Eugene Longbottom. And quite frankly that would have probably killed mother and I'm not having that on my conscience" he rubbed his chin. "I'll hold my hands up. The article in the Whitby Gazette, found it's way into the hands of the officers in my regiment. I was facing a year in military prison for not declaring I had a criminal record. Captain St Claire has fought for me to join his company and they have agreed that if I do this. It's as 12 week round trip to where ever I'm going. My case will be disregarded and I'll walk away with my career intact. No black mark on my service and also keep the rank of Company Sargeant Major on my return to my original posting to the Training battalion."
He laughed "I may have also bumped into the journalist that tore our family through muck with his articles and stupidly gave him a hiding he would never forget but he apologised and we shook hands like gentlemen. After it I spoke with him and made an agreement that if I provide him with information from the posting abroad. He keeps our family out of the paper thus protecting my little brother and his wife, my siblings and both you and mother."
He sighed "I've always been the black sheep. The one who brought trouble to this house. Now I'm determined to protect this family"
John took a drink of his tea before continuing "I know you've never approved of my choice of career" he spun his cup around in his hand "but we both know deep down this was the right choice. If I didn't I would have ended up locked up like Eugene Longbottom. And quite frankly that would have probably killed mother and I'm not having that on my conscience" he rubbed his chin. "I'll hold my hands up. The article in the Whitby Gazette, found it's way into the hands of the officers in my regiment. I was facing a year in military prison for not declaring I had a criminal record. Captain St Claire has fought for me to join his company and they have agreed that if I do this. It's as 12 week round trip to where ever I'm going. My case will be disregarded and I'll walk away with my career intact. No black mark on my service and also keep the rank of Company Sargeant Major on my return to my original posting to the Training battalion."
He laughed "I may have also bumped into the journalist that tore our family through muck with his articles and stupidly gave him a hiding he would never forget but he apologised and we shook hands like gentlemen. After it I spoke with him and made an agreement that if I provide him with information from the posting abroad. He keeps our family out of the paper thus protecting my little brother and his wife, my siblings and both you and mother."
He sighed "I've always been the black sheep. The one who brought trouble to this house. Now I'm determined to protect this family"
