Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: googled (04/10/14)
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TITLE: Sword Beach Techno-Miracle | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robert Douglas Brown
04/16/14 -
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The D-Day landing had started with bombs and artillery guns exploding with a fury never seen before in history. Private First Class Davis Parks was sick from the rough ride on the 115 foot fishing boat that had been enlisted by the Royal Navy to carry men across the English Channel. The designated point for the King’s Royal 115th Army Regiment, was Sword Beach. PFC Parks and Corporal Henson Goddard were members of the 115th and on the same mission.
“Parks old boy, did you eat a rack of Lamb and 3 huge helpings of potatoes? spoke the corporal. Corporal Goddard and PFC Parks had been friends since their days in prep school in Kent, and had remained close friends.
“I am feeling a tad better, and am fit to battle Hitler’s forces.” spoke the private. The order was given and, all soldiers started climbing down the rope ladder into the Higgins Boats waiting to take them to Sword Beach.
This was a bitter-sweet return to Normandy. Nearly 300,000 British soldiers were almost pushed into the Channel in their hasty retreat on the Normandy Coast from the German blitzkrieg in 1940.
Fortunately many soldiers were rescued that day by brave civilian boat owners that crossed the channel. It was a very dark and sad day for England though.
Four years of misery plagued the good folks of the UK. Folks lived in fear due to the likely invasion by the German war machine. The situation was far worse for the French as they were now totally occupied by Hitler’s Nazi juggernaut.
“My dear friend, in a few minutes, we will start taking down the forces of evil that grip Europe in a dark nightmare controlled by Hitler.” spoke the corporal to his friend. “Let’s run the foul gits into the North Sea my friend.” responded Parks. Corporal Goddard grabbed Parks by the shoulder and brought him back to the ship. “What in blue blazes are you doing Henson?” shouted Parks.
“My dear friend, as good Christian men, we need to say a prayer before we embark on this battle field that could end each or both of our lives. Dear Lord, I know you are in control of everything on this old earth, and I know you hate war infinitely more than anyone including myself and my dear friend. Please watch and protect all good men fighting this horrible war. I ask this in Jesus’ name.” as the corporal ended his prayer.
The 2 soldiers hugged, and climbed down the rope ladder into the boat. It was an extremely choppy and cold ride in the Higgins boat that transported the men within 50 yards of Sword Beach. After a torturous landing, the 2 men carefully made their way inland through a barrage of machine gun fire, and the horrendous 88 millimeter canons that could rip several men apart if they were in its path when the shells exploded.
“Davis, Davis, where are you? Please, please answer me. Sergeant Hillbridge, have you seen PFC Parks?” screamed Goddard. “No, I have not seen anyone from our regiment corporal. We are getting pounded by the Germans; Follow me Henson.” screamed the sergeant at the top of his lungs.
In the meantime, Parks asked the commanding officer in his regiment about Goddard. “Has anyone seen Corporal Goddard?” “I last saw him just as an 88 millimeter shell exploded killing several men from our regiment. I am certain he was among those killed. I hate to tell you this dear boy.” sadly spoke his CO. Parks was grief-stricken over the loss of his friend.
Many decades had passed since the end of the war, and Henson Goddard was now a very frail man who had just celebrated his 89th birthday. His grand-daughter took him to the public library in Liverpool at least 3 times per week so he could use one of their computers to do research on the Internet. His time on the computer was just about up when he decided to do a Google search for PFC Davis Parks.
Goddard turned pale and nearly fell to the floor when a PFC Davis Parks in Birmingham, England appeared on the screen. In a library in Birmingham, England, a near identical situation took place when Parks did a Google search that same day for his long lost friend. A few days later, old prayers were finally answered. The reunion of the two old friends was a sight to behold!
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I look foward to your next entry.
God bless~
I would recommend that when writing dialogues, you put each voice in a different paragraph/line. Doing this makes it easier to identify who is speaking. Also, the ending seemed a bit crammed. Some of the events in the beginning could be altered/condensed so more words could be used to develop the ending a little more.
However, I enjoyed the twist in the end. I would have never guessed it. I also like the use of the topic. Keep writing.
This was well written using the facts of the time. Good information used to set the stage.
Well done.