My Grandparents’ War

-

Helena

I've come to meet Jasper's son, my cousin, Adam. And this enormous graveyard was called a tratoro. -

Helena

Adam has a letter Jasper wrote to Cressida describing his life trapped in enemy territory. In prison, I trained myself not to hope, not to look forward, not to build but to live in the present. Escaping was just another thing to be enjoyed

as far as possible

living in an October beach forest of incredible changing beauty and generally speaking, being free. I was prepared to lie up indefinitely and let the battle pass over my head till I heard of Mark's getting back. What he's saying is Mark had the common sense to get on with it. They'd get through as fast as he could. He and others, lovely chestnuts, beautiful words. When he should've been getting on with him. And then he heard on the radio the news of Mark's escape. And so that then made him set off in early December. It's not very far to where the lines were. -

Helena

as far as possible

So he didn't actually have far to go? Not far in that sense. But we now know it was somewhere in this area here that he met his fate. You can see what the terrain is-- -

Helena

as far as possible

Jasper was killed just a couple of miles from the safety of the British lines. There were five of them. They had to walk through a minefield. They didn't know it. The first mine went off and probably killed at least three. And probably my father died on the second. We don't really know. So do we know when he, when the mine blew up? December the 13th in 43. But people did not know most of the way through 1944. This, so Violet, this is her diary entry but this is the 19th of July, 1944. It's a long time after December 13th. Cressida is wonderful and little Adam are great solace and occupation. How Jasper would have loved him. So you were two. Presumably she wrote, he knew that he had you. He did. He did, indeed. I don't know whether he had a picture. I don't think you could send pictures very easily. That was July, the 23rd of July. And this is the 17th of August. Met Cressida and Adam at Liverpool Street. The first time I have seen her. Her face moved me more than I can say in its indescribable suffering. I am haunted by her words, the unbeaconed future. (sad music) That is what she faces every hour. Oh, that I could go as Orpheus did to Hades and bring back Jasper and stay there myself instead. (sad music) Unbeaconed future. It's a great phrase. (sad music)