The Hidden Gem

About the Book

The 'Second World War' was to be the war to end all wars, but many men, and women, who returned from war-time military service still, had personal battles to fight.

Their stories had a similar theme; they had returned from the war mentally and physically a different person than when they enlisted. We had won the war, now we were going to live in a promised land; at least that was the hope.

The early years of so called peace, were more difficult than those of the war years; such hardships as food, and fuel shortages were aggravated by some of the coldest winters on record.

For returning 'warriors' there was the problem of getting a job, there is nothing more soul destroying than not being able to provide for a family; and having to stand in 'dole' queues.

'Un-employment' became a well used dreaded word; it affected men with skills as well as the unskilled. Men expected to return to the job they had before the war; but their jobs were no longer there.

Some people say that what happens to us in life must have been predetermined. Others believe that what happens to us is purely by chance, and how we accept or rejected chances will influence not only our own future, but the future of people we come into contact with.

This was certainly the case for Leslie Dalton and James Marlow. Two men who came from different walks of life, but were to rely on each other in their battle for a future.

About the Author

Born, Pendleton, Salford in 1930, christened 'Charles' answers to 'Chas'. One of seven surviving children who grew up in a two-up and two down terraced house… no electricity… no hot water… tin bath; Father was a strict hardworking ex Royal Marine, and we had a loving hard working mother. I remember my childhood with fondness, particularly my school years.

Lived through WW2 and the bombings; was evacuated to Blackpool in 1939, I left school aged 14 years, with an excellent leaving report; be-fitting a head prefect. I started worked at the Daily Mail for a wage of 21 shillings per 45 hr week. Then National Service, as an RAF photographer, stationed at St Athan, in South Wales, again happy memories.

My last job was in Warrington Cheshire, it included signing orders for between £20 and £30 million pounds of Steel wire rod per year. On my journey to retirement I was sacked three times and redundant three times… Oh yes and I suffered two heart attacks, and had a quad by-pass, resulting in a reluctant early retirement.

I started to write this novel when I retired, it has been a love-hate relationship in doing so; the books characters are now real to me. I am attached to my computer, and with the help of my son and grand children, enjoying it… my next project at the ripe old age of 77 will be a children's book; I used to be one a long time ago.