Local author, Jenny Martin, has written a new book, 'In Our Fathers' Footsteps', relating the experiences of her and her husband's families during the Second World War, and local MP, David Rutley, met with her recently, to learn more about their remarkable stories.
Giving moving personal experience of the impact of the War on those on the Home Front, the book contrasts Jenny's childhood in Cumbria without her father, Tom, who was fighting in Europe in the British Liberation Army, with that of her husband, Paul, whose father was a Minister in Northumbria. Jenny narrates how she and Paul retraced their fathers' wartime paths, starting with Tom's journey from the Normandy Landings to the Liberation of Europe, to her father-in-law’s hair’s breadth avoidance of the Nazi nuclear physics machine. The book ends with a journey back in time, taking in two famous battles, to Paul’s ancestor, Walcher, made Bishop of Durham by William the Conqueror in 1071. The book also features Macclesfield’s poignant war memorial on its front cover, and highlights how Bollington resident James Chadwick’s discovery of neutrons, which propelled the nuclear arms race. All proceeds raised by the book will be donated to the Royal British Legion (RBL).
Jenny, who lives in Bollington, originally qualified in medicine, specialising in chemical pathology. She first tried her hand at writing in 2007, encouraged by the leader of the local creative writing group that she had recently joined, with a successful poetry collection. In Our Fathers' Footsteps is her seventh book, following on from her previous successes including 'Mining Memories', a runner up in the Arts and Literature Section of the 2011 Hunter Davies' Lakeland Book of the Year Awards, and 'Aftermath', a collection of poems and short stories marking the centenary of the start of World War I, which earned foreword by Dame Vera Lynn, and which also raised funds for the RBL's Poppy Appeal. The books are available: from Amazon; directly from the publisher, Silverwood Publishing; or locally from Macclesfield Visitor Information Centre or the RBL Office at 76 Chestergate, SK11 6DY.
Speaking after his meeting, David said, "As the Second World War moves from living memory to written history, it is all the more important that the experiences of those who lived through this defining conflict are recorded for future generations. In Our Fathers' Footsteps gives just such an account, and it was fascinating to learn more about the impact of the War on Jenny and her husband. It is also great that the Royal British Legion will once again benefit from Jenny's literary talent. I wish her continued success in her future literary endeavours, and hope that local residents will take the opportunity to read Jenny's remarkable story."