This week’s 100 word challenge is based around the learning we have been doing this week about the outbreak of war and Neville Chamberlain’s speech being announced on the radio. Make sure you don’t go over the word count!!
100 Word Challenge – ‘As we turned on the wireless…’
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Father anxiously turned on the wireless as it cackled to life. Neville Chamberlain had a slight anger in his tone as somehow I knew it was going to be terrible news. Father’s face has become as white as pure snow and Mother was fidgeting with her fingers nervously. Neville Chamberlain had just declared that we are now at war with Germany because Herr Hilter had not given any notice about withdrawing troops from Poland. I was too shocked to move while I heard my brother quietly and slowly tip-toed upstairs. My sister was trying to silently sob in the corner.
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The old, dusty thing crackled into life. Neville Chamberlain’s soft voice could be heard over the static. With it came the dreadful, tensed atmosphere. Father’s face was a pale, grim mask. Mother was fussing with the cushions and she’d bit her lip so many times that it was red and raw and bleeding. I suddenly realised the seriousness of the situation – it was no small thing that Chamberlain was announcing. Though my confused and befuddled mind was only able to catch one line, it was enough; ‘war with Germany’. Even more confused now, I burst out of the room.
The old wireless that had been living in the basement for years spluttered to life. Everyone gathered in to listen to the forlorn voice of Mr. Chamberlain. My heart was breaking through my lungs. It was like my family knew what was going to happen from the second the speaker started projecting the man’s speech.
I peeked through my hands. I felt a wave of awkwardness as Neville claimed that Adolf hadn’t replied to his note. Everyone looked so melancholy and sorry for themselves. I couldn’t tell if anyone wanted this to happen. This was the day my life changed.
I sat nervously on the floor with Rosie and Harry. Father leaned forward in his armchair, gripping the arms, whilst mother sat fidgeting on the sofa and reached over to press the old brass button of the wireless. It crackled into life, the solemn tone of Neville Chamberlain making his speech engulfed the tense room. I did not know how important this was, but I still bit my lip repeatedly and drummed my fingers on the hard wooden floor. I caught the words “and we are at war with Germany”. I ran out, sobbing, to hide in the garden shed.
I rushed into the room quietly and crouched by the unused wireless, mum dad and me were all shaking and I saw mum was petrified because of what she read on the news it creeped her out so much.A muffled voice crackled out of the machine and was a strange voice of a man who’s name was apparently Neville Chamberlin the I thought isn’t that the prime minister but I was just guessing.Then I heard we are now at war with Germany the second that was said mum waked the table screaming then dad finished the table off.
I rushed into the room quietly and crouched by the unused wireless. Mum, dad and I were all shaking. I saw mum was petrified because of what she read in the newspaper. It creeped her out so much.A muffled voice crackled out of the machine. It was a strange voice of a man whose name was apparently Neville Chamberlin. Then I thought: “isn’t that the Prime Minister”? But I was just guessing.Then I heard we are now at war with Germany. The second that was said, mum whacked the table screaming and then dad finished the table off.
We gathered round as Father flipped the switch that would bring us good or terrible luck. The voice was speaking now and everyone seems to be tense, waiting for an answer. Suddenly hope was upon us, but as we carried on listening, it (our hope) was flushed away by these words; “This country is at war with Germany!” I can’t describe it, but there was an eerie silence for a few moments before everyone reacted. First it was Father, his face bright red with rage. Uncle Tony just seemed to sit there, not really knowing what to do. I’m terrified.
As I turned on the wireless, it slowly crackled to life. I realised that this thing hadnt been used for several years and no longer worked. I stared at it. It was a relic of the past, a thing of old. In the year I saw it, 2006, my deceased grandpa had used it to listen to the war announcement by nevvile chamberlain. I wonder what it must have felt like to hear such a catastrophic thing. Foolishly, I turned away from it and look at an old plate, and that was my biggest mistake.