2010
It was at my grandads 73th birthday party in 2000, when he gave me his old diary from world war 2. I just found it again, and it was so interesting I thought I should write it down. By the way I’m Tom Trap and I’m 15.
27th August 1939
Hello, I’m Charles Trap from London, today is a very exciting day for me, because I’m going to Poland for my dads work. If you know me you will know my dad stops me from doing anything adventurous like climbing trees, which is sooo annoying for me and my younger brother Bobby. On the journey, an old person next to me kept on giving me sweets which I ate until I felt sick. I was just about to sneak up on Bobby when something caught my eye out the window, it was a bright, gleaming, golden field!
1st September
We just arrived, it’s beautiful here but however we might need to go back because of a so-called “war”. I don’t believe them though.
2nd September
Ok, now I believe them, bombs are falling elsewhere in Poland.
7th September
Just now, German soldiers came and took over and we couldn't get out. WE ARE TRAPPED!
8th September
It’s actually ok with them here, they have just come to guard the border.
9th September
I just found out something horrible. Let me explain, it all started last night when there came a knock on the door, it was a German soldier saying “If you see a Jew report them”. Simple enough. Then when I went to bed, I heard a shout of a soldier. I found out they were chasing someone. But who? So early in the morning, I went out to investigate so I ran to the woods.
Then suddenly I heard something…
I Stopped abruptly, I silently crept over to where the noise was, careful not to tread on any branches. I moved over to the noise (which by now I could tell it was someone crying) until I could make out a girl with brown hair of about 11/12 (as I later found out she was 12 like me). I hid behind a rock and waited till the right moment came to reveal myself. When it came, I moved from behind the rock and said “Hello, I’m Charles”. She stared at me for 5 minutes, then she said in a shy voice” I’m Mary”. Then she told me she was a Jew and just before I was about to report her, she said “Stop, they kill us”. I was horrified, I didn't
realize they kill Jews, so I was determined to get her safe. Here’s the plan, we run across the border when the soldier’s are swapping over, simple, right?
16th September
We have tried the plan lots now but there’s always someone on guard, so we have made a new plan, here it is. We go to a railway yard 10 miles away and she sneaks on to a train to Switzerland.
17th September
We set off at 10:00 pm with some food, first aid, and 3 torches. At first we followed the road but then we diverted through the woods so as not to be seen. After what felt like an eternity we made it to the railway yard, where we said our goodbyes, and exchanged address’s, so with that we shook hands, and she went to hide in an empty wagon, so moving back the way I came it became icy and cold, my fingers felt freezing.
Then all of a sudden I heard a car engine so with my heart pounding, I ran and slipped, fell and the next thing I remember was being told I slipped and knocked myself out.
Apparently, it was the doctor’s car that shocked me and when he saw me, he took me back and cared for me.
12th June 1941
We managed to escape safely to the countryside of England.
2010
Wow! I never knew about this. I always wondered who Grandad wrote to before he passed away last year. Now it’s time to read his next war diary.
Congratulations to Joshua Reynolds for coming second in the 2024 Copywork Cave creative writing competition for 10-11 year olds.
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