Eleanor Collins' "The Last Chapter" shows European conflicts' multigenerational legacy

TOOWOOMBA, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA, November 11, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A World War 1 mass grave is found at Fromelles in France, providing clues to the disappearance of one Thomas Stanwell. Now his grandson is out to find out what really happened to him, travelling from Australia to Europe, intending to uncover the truth. So begins Eleanor Collins' moving novel portraying the lasting effects of the Great War and the Second World War, "The Last Chapter."

The Great War consumed around 15 to 22 million lives and was, at the time, also called The War to End All Wars due to the scale of industrialized bloodshed and destruction. Decades later, it was followed by an even greater conflict. Countless families were torn apart and after the fighting stopped, it was up to those left behind to pick up the pieces. Even after so many years, the scars remain. Collins' novel portrays this pain, how the violence changed lives and families, affecting even those born after the shooting has ended. She shows the dread of not knowing what happened to lost loved ones. As well as the process and lengths some undertake in order to find out or bring some semblance of closure or reconciliation.

"A news article detailing the finding of a mass war grave at the hitherto unremarkable village of Fromelles sparked my interest." Collins says, explaining her inspiration for the story. The battle unfolded from the 19th to the 20th of July, 1916 and was part of the greater Battle of the Somme. It was launched by British and Australian forces against German positions and resulted in thousands of lives lost.

"I visited the battle site on a trip to the region and was immediately overcome by the small area of the battlefield – about the size of two soccer pitches – over which thousands of allied soldiers from Australia and England lost their lives in over just 6 to 8 hours of fighting. There were 161 soldiers who were unaccounted for and their remains were to be found in burial pits in the surrounding woodland." Collins says. From this, the idea for the story germinated and developed over four years.

"For every hour I spent writing there was about 10 or more hours of research." Collins adds. “I happened to meet with the team from Oxford University who had been responsible for the identification of the bodies and learnt that the process described in the book was entirely accurate.”

Weaving historical facts with elegant fiction weaved with her skill as a storyteller, Collins portrays the grandson's journey to find the truth. In doing so, readers will see the rich tapestry of this family saga that spans both World Wars, involving two feuding clans and an unlikely love story that blossomed in a time of unprecedented anguish and sorrow. It is the story of descendants from opposing sides of the war, from Australia, England, Scotland and Germany - and the lives they had after a time of so much death.

“The message of this story is that everyone involved in a conflict is an important member of someone’s family. Whether victor or vanquished each life is precious.” Collins says.


About the Author
Eleanor Collins is a retired school teacher with a passion for history. Throughout history the narratives of battles have usually written from the perspective of the victors. In ‘The Last Chapter’ Eleanor has developed her knowledge and understanding of 20th century history to include insights from the perspectives of the vanquished.

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The Last Chapter by Eleanor Collins