WORDS AND WRITING

1958 Realising a Boyhood Dream

Yesterday on the spur of the moment, I posted the following comment on a Post on Facebook by the brilliant and devout young Priest Father Tochukwu ONYEAGOLU from Nigeria. Father had posted an extensive account of the life experience of a blog writer at the IMAGINATIVE  CONSERVATIVE:

".........I have come to love writing and discovered a natural talent of sorts, for it -  in Banking of all places, writing as an advocate, analyst, or opponent of some lending applications. As the clients went from private individuals to corporations to multi-national corporations, the skills had to develop and grow. Then I became involved in fighting the worst abuses of the post-Conciliar Church and then the financial reform of a major Archdiocese. Then I became involved in producing a Monthly Catholic Newsletter - "FOUNDATION", once again I was involved in Advocacy ( of Catholic orthodoxy) and the re-telling of History. But then came along the Internet and Blogs and Facebook. My Blogs "Vexilla Regis.Blogspot, But Nought.Blogspot, Edward Beckmann.Blogspot, Conrad Beckmann.Blogspot and Carl Dopmeyer.Blogspot are the major ones - the last three being on the lives of ancestors. Vexilla carries forward my Catholic advocacy. But Nought is a personal story of my life and likes. But all that being said, I have not got a creative writing streak at all - one has to be honest about one's limitations. "


So that was that. But not quite. It had set my mind to work about other aspects of the matter. It is a simple fact that I love, and have a great interest in words - their meanings, use, origins and fates.

Let me give an example: this morning there came to my mind the word "impertinent". It is a word that seems to be falling out of use. Whilst in its origins it obviously means "not relevant to the matter at hand, or to the circumstances being referenced, it had come to mean much more through usage : that is "out of place in an insolent or at least inappropriate manner", But To be useful in that sense, the word has to be employed in a firmly structured society. However, today we have a society in which "structure is falling apart" and is not well-regarded.

Some years back, I was in a clothing store when a young female attendant commented on the colour of the Polo shirt I was wearing, saying in effect, that it was a striking colour -an emerald green - that "most people couldn't get away with wearing, but that I could, because of my grey hair!" It was "impertinent " of her to comment on the personal choice and appearance of a client. But she was totally unmindful of the fact, and she meant no harm- nor was I really offended. But strictly it was "impertinent": out of place given the client /service person relationship. But changing manners had left the word without a job to do!

Another matter which my comment on Father's Post brought to mind, is how much I love recounting stories. This is especially so when through experience or learning, I am able to relate them in some significant way to either another story or I can cast some light on them from other learning - that is to say, when telling the story enables me to "add value" to the recounting.

A good recent example of this, is the story of the Roman General Paulinus and his 10,000 Legionnaries defeating 200,000 plus Britons in the Battle of Watling Road as we might call it - history did not give it a name. It was a remarkable victory for the discipline of the Roman Army. For the cost of  400 dead, the Romans killed 70,000 of the enemy warriors and several thousand of their female wives and camp followers. The remainder escaped for a time until Paulinus tracked them down and exterminated most of them. All of this came about because Boadicea the Queen of the Iceni Tribe and her two daughters were sexually assaulted by a minor Roman official in the course of executing an Imperial claim over the Estate of her late Husband. 

Boadicea was so outraged that she set about gathering all the surrounding tribes and finally almost all the tribes in England to rise up against the occupying Romans and their collaborators - often Britons who had become Wives of retired Legionnaries who had settled in what had become Roman Colonies. The revolt gathered quite a head of steam and sacked the Roman Capital of Britain at Colchester with the gruesome murders of thousands and their sexual assault in the course of that action. The details are too crude to relate here. The revolting Britons then moved on to London the commercial capital of Roman settlement - they burned it to the ground. When they had done with Colchester and London, they had killed and mutilated well over 65,000 Romans and their collaborators-men women and children.

General Paulinus had been in the South at Anglesea busily and successfully getting rid of the Druid Priesthood and their supporters when the unwelcome news of the Colchester and London horrors reached him. The remaining Roman forces in Britain were slow in getting the word and their response was inhibited by one of their Generals feigning ignorance of the situation and skipping the Country to Europe. Paulinus brought his 10,000 Legionarries to London but refused to stay there. He invited anyone seeking protection , to join his Army's Baggage Train. Along the Watling Road as it now is . he chose the battleground and waited for the slower army of 200,000 Britons to catch up.

For the Romans, this looked like a tragic "death and glory" last stand. but every measure was taken to ensure that it would be professionally, and with Roman honour, done. The result exceeded the Romans' most sanguine expectations. The Britons charged wildly in their customary ill-disciplined manner, fighting as Tribal Groups, subdivided into clans. The "hopelessly" outnumbered  Romans in the remains of three Legions, formed into three wedges as the hordes rushed on. They systematically attacked them with the short Gladius(sword) whilst using their Shields for protection and assault. The Britons had larger, heavier shields and spears, but were felled by the disciplined Romans. Simultaneously, the Roman Cavalry rode down the sides of the Briton hordes adding hugely to their losses and confusion. Soon the Britons were panicking and turning back in an effort to escape but they were knocked down by the forward surge of their rear fellows still rushing forward. Many it seems died, crushed underfoot by their own fellows.

Boadicea is reputed to have escaped with her daughters - she later committed suicide by poison.

Boadicea Statue at Westminster

Today, in the best British tradition, this inglorious debacle is commemorated by a heroic statue of Boadicea in a fictionalised version of her chariot beside the Thames and the approaches to London Bridge. The chariot is impressive in the classic European style even having scythes projecting from the hubs of its wheels! Unfortunately, that was nothing like Boadicea's actual chariot which had no scythes, whose brief upper works were wicker, and whose driver sat at her feet with his legs dangling over the front! But it is an impressive bit of statuary!

For the sake of modern (1902) political correctness of the patriotic variety, the woman is given her Icenae name "Boudicca" whereas History has used the Romanised form "BOADICEA". The same can be said of the statue which was entirely fictionalised and in fact not even cast in bronze until 1902 some 17 years after the death of the sculptor.

So writing can be a lot of fun and gives the opportunity, certainly, to add value to a story by adding to it more recent facets as in this case.

EVER THE OPTIMIST PART II ;OPTIMISM EVEN UNDER A CLOUD

PEACE ANNOUNCED IN SYDNEY 1945

So, we had despatched the Nazis and the Empire of Japan - PEACE - right? Well, sort of.  In Europe, those pesky, gloomy Russians were acting up, and their Communist cousins in Asia, China and North Korea, were keen for a fight.

Having just battled for years to make the world safe and free, the former Allies, though tired of struggle, were not about to see the entire effort brought to naught by the Communists.

But somehow we seemed, at least in some quarters, to lack the language to deal with the situation. After all, the Russians were our recent Allies! And every American academic and Hollywood producer LOVED China and the Chinese who had been "sold" to the Allied peoples as just so nice and right - they had been attacked by the Empire of Japan too, hadn't they?

WINSTON CHURCHILL DELIVERS "IRON CURTAIN" SPEECH

As so often in the past, Winston Churchill, now a rather older man than his years - he was 72 -  came to the rescue with his clear thinking and his mobilisation of the English language. On 5th March 1946 at Westminster College in Missouri in the USA, he gave a speech "The Sinews of Peace" in which he declared that an "IRON CURTAIN" had descended upon Europe dividing the free Western countries from the Russian-oppressed Eastern countries. As if scales had fallen from their eyes, the bewildered and politically-confused, and most Americans, now clearly saw that this was NOT Peace but in the words of American financier Bernard Baruch first used on 16th April 1947, it was "COLD WAR".The days of VICTORY hubris began to rapidly fade.

War did, in fact, break out again in Korea on 25th June 1950 when North Korea (backed by the Soviet Union and the by then Communist China invaded the Republic of Korea (South Korea) which was supported by the United Nations. Australia was actively involved in support of the U.N. with its Army, Navy and Air Force. Once again General Douglas MacArthur led the Allied Forces coming out of his role as post War "caesar" ruling defeated Japan in exemplary and impeccable fashion. After initial near-total success the invaders were outflanked and driven back in a brilliant and daring amphibious landing at Inchon.

GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AT INCHON LANDING

This little optimist was coming to terms with the world slowly unfolding around him. I had clearly been aware of the Second World War. I know this not only because it must have been so, but because of specific memories. On the 15th August 1945 the older daughter of our neighbours across the street, Judith Dryden ran breathlessly across the street to our back door to announce that the War had ended. "I know that," said 5 years old me "That happened months ago" back flashed the correction: "NO. THAT was the Germans. Now the Japanese have surrendered - it is all over". Clearly, my grasp of the situation had been less than perfect.I had been well aware of the Japanese involvement in the War - I can also remember having been to the movies with Mum and Dad one evening and seeing a War film in which valiant American pilots were outwitting diabolically evil Japanese pilots. On this evening rather than catch the bus home as we normally did, we went to Lidcombe Station To catch the train. As we waited on a crowded Platform 4, a plane flew overhead with droning piston engines. Suddenly the movie experience led this little fellow to announce at the top of his voice"How'd you like a Jap up there with you?" .Mum and Dad were quick to hush me up after this embarrassing unpatriotic challenge! 

But steadily, I became aware of a new topic of conversation: the Atomic Bomb.

At first, it was simply the awesome means by which we had brought the Empire of Japan to its knees and surrender. But gradually, it came to be spoken of as a threat posed to us by the Russians, who were believed to have developed such a weapon also. The sight of its explosion and mushroom cloud was horrifying and magnified in our imaginations by the movie Newsreels. Yet .....surely this would never happen! But the media were ever happy to oblige with scare stories and Government soon obliged with advice on "what to do if" ....most of it rather pointless as later revelations would show. 

But life went on...and that, at a gathering pace of prosperity and modernity. Post War Australia quickly shook off the remains of World War II: the Labor Government was defeated in 1949, rationing of food and petrol was gradually lifted and gone by the end of 1950  (good riddance to the wretched Ration Books symbol of deprivation). During the War, Australia's export trade had suffered badly, but imports - mainly of war materials from the United States, had soared. The result was that after the War Australia had substantial US Dollar debts and imports from the United States were severely curtailed. I can recall being amazed when I saw a marvellous new 1948 Buick Straight Eight which I was told in hushed tones belonged to a Labor Party Senator, at a General Motors Dealership in the city - it was the first car I ever saw which had internal lights that came on automatically when the door opened. For some people US Dollars were available! But I can recall much talk about the shortage of U.S. Dollars. There was also much talk about "putting value back into the Pound" (this was of course pre Decimal Currency which did not arrive until 1966.) To-day we would laugh at anyone attempting to roll back inflation!

The day to day improvements in life in Australia in some way distracted us all from the dreadful thought of the Mushroom Cloud which might have overshadowed my optimism.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASS 1947 SURROUNDS OUR BELOVED FATHER CON DONOVAN

YOUR BORN OPTIMIST IS SECOND FROM THE LEFT IN THE FRONT ROW

But it was not only material improvement that was affecting my life but also Spiritual and educational factors that were involved. In 1947 I made my First Holy Communion and my life was forever changed - far more than I knew at the time. Heart and mind and spirit I belonged to Christ and have done and will do to the end of the way. Educationally, I finished my Primary Schooling at St.Peter Chanel's Convent School run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. (Nuns were authentic Nuns and devout Catholics in those days.) and in 1950 commenced in Fifth Class at Marist Brothers High School, Lidcombe. I can't recall any of my fellow students being concerned about the Bomb - if they were, it was not deemed worth talking about.

There exists in Australia what is popularly known as the "she be" system.It comes from the expression "she'll be right" that is: no need to worry about (whatever) it will be OK". As should be obvious this is NOT a noble approach to many situations, it is not an admirable way of proceeding. But it has its uses - I guess it was able to deal with Atomic Bomb anxieties!