Arlen the 20th Century Messenger

Arlen, conceived and driven by powerful and spiritual forces inherited from his ancestors. Begins his life at the turn of the 20th century, when he is born into a loving, free thinking family, who live in the shadow of Stonehenge the home of his ancestors. Through his childhood and his school years, a way of thinking together with life long friendships and relationships are established. As a teenager he is being prepared to face the horror of life in the trenches of the Western front, when he finds himself transported back to life in the Stone Age, where memories of adventures and spiritual guidance experienced by his ancestors prepares him to not only be able to handle the meaningless slaughter awaiting him, but also to be able provide help and support for his parents and comrades. On the Western front he quickly reaches manhood, managing to cope with the conditions and hazards whilst continuing to develop new friendships and relationships, until after a near death experience he is injured and returns to England, his days of combat over for the duration of the war. Aged by experience although still young in years, he is just starting to prepare for his peacetime occupation when he finds himself transported back to life as a crusader with King Richard the Lionheart,. After many adventures and further spiritual guidance he again finds himself in the present. As a rural postman with a round in Savernake Forest and the surrounding villages, enjoying the new peaceful life, his life changes dramatically when he finds an attractive young lady on his round who is also attracted to him and life became pretty good. It wasn’t long before they were married and starting a family in a pretty thatched cottage tucked away in Savernake forest, his wife Rosemary whose upbringing was not as freethinking as Arlen’s, quickly adjusted to her new way of life. With their family expanding and the global depression changing people’s lives, the honeymoon years were soon gone to be replaced by helping and giving guidance to the many looking for work. Eventually the depression eases and life returns to normal for Arlen and his family, as they introduce their children to the pleasures of village life. However, this respite was short-lived as war with Germany became reality and Arlen found himself recalled for service. Once again Arlen found himself transported back in time, to find his ancestral memories had taking him to Waterloo working as a spy for the Duke of Wellington in Napoleons army, and again after many adventures and further spiritual guidance he returns to the present. It wasn’t long before Arlen found himself with the 51st Highland Division fighting a rearguard action as the Dunkirk evacuation took place. There was no evacuation for them, captured by the Germans, marched and shipped to Stalag XXB in Poland. During the period of imprisonment Arlen again developed friendships and used the spiritual messages he had received to help them through those dark years. Eventually as the German war machine started to collapse and the Russians were pushing westward the POW camps were closed and the prisoners were marched to the west, in bitterly cold conditions, with little food or protection many prisoners died on the road. The march becoming known as, ‘The Death March.” Arlen survived, liberated by the advancing Americans he was shipped back to England, to once again be discharged from the army. Arlen spent the next few years, quietly working in his senior Post Office position, all his children were married with children of their own, one boy taking his family setting up home as migrants in Australia. One day after receiving a letter from their son in Australia they decided to pay him a visit. There they took the opportunity to visit many places of interest and on one of these trips they were passing through a town called Ballarat. Arlen noticed the name on a shop was the same as one of his friends from WW1, an Australian who had said he came from Ballarat and owned a hardware store. Sure enough he was right about the store, but found out from his friend’s son, his father had lost his life in the last few days of the war. Being made welcome the son was thrilled to hear Arlen’s account of the many yarns he had with his friend and asked if Arlen could possibly meet his sister Rose who lived on Phillip Island. After a few days on Phillip Island with Rose, both Arlen and Rosemary started to talk about migrating to Australia and settling on Phillip Island. Rose said she would be happy to put them up, until they had a place of their own. On return to England they applied to migrate and had just received their final approval when suddenly Arlen lost Rosemary to a stroke. Arlen, about to cancel the arrangements, was convinced by his family to go ahead.. With Rose’s good care, he stayed on until they eventually became fond of each other and became partners. It was then Arlen started to write this autobiography, asking Rose if she survived him to write the last chapter and have his ashes returned to be mixed with his beloved Rosemary’s ashes to be scattered in the forest. Soon after the last chapter had been written, Rose heard about a trip being arranged for relatives to visit WW1 graves in France, Arlen feeling too old to face the journey suggested she go with her brother. Rose worrying about leaving Arlen on his own went to sleep, torn between her wish to see her fathers grave and leaving Arlen, had a dream in which Arlen returned to his ancestors and in the morning awoke to find he had passed away in his sleep. Keeping her promise, she returned with his ashes to scatter them with Rosemary’s in the forest before visiting her father’s grave and returning to Australia.