My Friend the Enemy (24 page)

Peter Dixon
C/O Victory Press Ltd
St John's House
Warwick Square
London
3
^rd
November 1954

Dear Peter

I have tried many times to write this letter, but it is hard to know what to say. Maybe I can only say thank you for being my friend when I was alone and afraid. It is many years ago, but as if it happened yesterday.

I wanted to write to you for long time but when the soldiers took me, they would not tell me what was the place where you live called. They kept me in a camp that was not far away I think. It was a place where I could smell the sea. I was allowed to write letters to my family and after one year, they let me work on a farm that I liked very much. The people were kind to me like you and I learned to talk and write some English (forgive me if it is not so good, but I try hard). I should not have been afraid to be caught and I think it was better for me in the camp than up in the air. When the war was finished, I was sent home and now I am married and living in Hamburg with my wife and baby boy Peter.

I think about you and Kim many times and wanted to write a letter but did not know your adress until someone sent me your book called ‘The Souvenir'. I told them about you and they remembered your name and our story that you tell in your book, so I write to your publisher and hope you get this letter.

I hope you forgive me for the trouble I made for you and I hope that Kim was all right after that day at the water. I am very sad for what happen to your papa also. If he was like you, he must have been a very brave man.

I have written my adress so you can write to me if you get this letter and I cross my fingers and wait to hear your news.

Thank you for everything.

Your very good friend

 

Erik Friedmann

Acknowledgements

I'm not sure exactly where the seed of this book came from, but I do know that a lot of hard work and support from a great number of people has helped it to grow and put it in your hands. So thanks must go to my agent, Carolyn, who always tells me the truth, no matter how painful it might be. Thanks also to Barry, both Rachels and all the fantastic staff at Chicken House who have welcomed me into the coop and worked so hard to make this book what it is. A nod and a knowing smile go to my wife and children who are not only my first readers but have to put up with all my distant looks and forgetfulness. I really couldn't do it without them and I'm always thankful for their encouragement and understanding.

I'd also like to acknowledge all those who suffered in those dark years between 1939 and 1945.

From the Chicken House

My uncle was a rear-gunner on a bomber in the war, and when he was shot down I hoped that someone would look after him. This is the choice facing our hero Peter, who finds out that being brave sometimes means doing what is most difficult. Loyalty to real values is even harder when war seems so black and white. Dan Smith's courageous story is exciting, moving, and full of conflict. I think you'll find yourself really CARING about what's going to happen next.

Barry Cunningham

Publisher

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Text © Dan Smith 2013.
Cover design by Steve Wells.
Cover design by Steve Rawlings.
First published in Great Britain by The Chicken House in 2013.
This electronic edition published by Scholastic Australia Pty Limited in 2013.

E-PUB/MOBI eISBN 978 1 92506 306 6

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, unless specifically permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 as amended. .