The Silver Hand

This romp through the last months of the Great War includes an encounter with the young Corporal Adolf Hitler and Baron Von Richthofen, the Red Baron.  Aimee lives in the village of Bray which had changed hands several times during the fighting.  Her mother Colette is unbeknown to Aimee, part of the White Lady spy group helping the British.  A spy is however discovered in the British camp and Aimee is allowed to help her mother root him out.  They discover early on who it is, but he also discovers Aimee has overheard him and pursues her.  Alongside this story is that of Marius, a young German who works in the hospital and befriends Aimee.  Captain Ellis, the spymaster as it were, manages to mix up two rucksacks and thus the real pursuit of the two young people begins.

This as I said, a romp, as so many unlikely things happen, including Aimee being allowed up in a balloon which is to take photos of German positions, being allowed to travel towards the battlefield at Peronne, being allowed over the river there by the Australian army who are ferrying material across, to the two protagonists being blown apart in the last moments of the war.  There are some moments of seriousness, particularly when the songs of the time are written down for the reader.

In this the centenary of the end of the Great War, this story jars somewhat.  Children will read it because Terry Deary wrote it, but there are many better historical novels which give a real feel of the time, of the tragedy and pain of war.