Toy soldiers
Gabrielle Sing

“I was fifteen when Claude joined up. My favourite, laughingeyed brother: strong, gentle and mischievous, whose love was absolute.
My lifelong comrade and idol, who had not laughed when I cast aside my dolls and my spinning wheel, but had taken my hand and welcomed me as one of the boys. We ran down the hill, ignoring Mother’s scolding, barefoot in the dust, heedless of my clean skirts …”