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A timeline detailing the events in the life of Jimmy Rodgers and his family.

Timeline[]

October 7, 1931, Rallo, Texas - Jane Rodgers gives birth to a male child, the father being Clyde Rodgers. He is christened Jimmy Munroe Rodgers.

February 3, 1932, Haskell County, Texas - The Rodgers family leave Rallo to the countryside of Haskell county due to the increased cost of living in the city.

July 12, 1932, Haskell County, Texas - Clyde Rodgers begins farming duties on the land he researched. Family fortunes rise. 

October 28, 1932, Haskell County, Texas - Jimmy Rodgers contracts Influenza. 

(POD) October 29, 1932, Haskell, Texas - Not following his wife's advice to remain home, Clyde takes his son to the town of Haskell to get a doctors help.

November 1, 1932, Haskell, Texas - To the Rodgers family's relief, the young Jimmy makes a full recovery from his Influenza.

Jane and Clyde Rodgers (1933)

Jane and Clyde Rodgers on the family's farm, 1933

August 12, 1933, Haskell, Texas - Jane Rodgers gives birth to her daughter, Maria Cherlie Rodgers.

October 12, 1933, Haskell, Texas - Clyde travels north to McLean in Northern Texas after it became apparent drought was setting in around Haskell.

November 23, 1933, Haskell, Texas - The Rodgers family sell their farm home in Haskell to buy a property up north in McLean. Clyde moves up to their new farm land to finalise the deal, whilst the rest of the family moves into Clyde's cousin's house in Rallo.

December 18, 1933, Haskell, Texas - Clyde Rodgers officially signs the paper work for purchasing the farm property in McLean. He rushes back to Rallo with the news.

December 25, 1933, Rallo, Texas - Richard Rodgers, Clyde's cousin, purchases a Ford Model A for Clyde and his family. Jimmy, who's family background was one of pro-segregationist attitudes, is bought a Confederate Half Dollar coin. The coin would later become a keepsake for the young Jimmy. 

January 22, 1934, McLean, Texas - The Rodger's move north for McLean. A final minute gift, a Beau Brownie camera, is given by Richard's wife, Janine, to Jane Rodgers.

February 6, 1934, McLean, Texas - Clyde, alongside Jane and a family friend, Henry Cox, started work on the new family farm, discovering the fertile ground they had purchased.

Jimmy Rodgers (1934)

The first picture of Jimmy Rodgers, taken in 1934

April 15, 1934, McLean, Texas - In a moment that would go down in the life of Jimmy Rodgers, his first picture is snapped by his mother on their farmland home. 

May 6, 1934, McLean, Texas - Jane and Clyde form the unofficial  "McLean Produce Company", to sell vegetables to the people of the town at an inexpensive cost.

July 19, 1934, McLean, Texas - As the drought throughout Texas worsens, the Rodger's shut down shop on their "company", and over the ensuring months, the family begin to lose their savings.

October 3, 1934, Amarillo, Texas - Whilst shopping for food in Amarillo, they young Maria Rodgers gets infected with the Smallpox virus.

October 6, 1934, McLean, Texas - As days passed, it became apparent that Maria Rodgers was infected with the Smallpox, and in a rush of desperation, Clyde attempts to drive to town in the middle of a minor dust storm to get Maria medical attention. 

October 7, 1934, McLean, Texas - After hours of waiting, it is revealed to Clyde that Maria had died after his arrival at the hospital. This sends Clyde into a deep depression, but instead returning home, he stays for testing.

October 8, 1934, McLean, Texas - Jane receives the news about her daughters death, and after being transported to McLean's hospital, it has become apparent that Clyde also received the virus.

October 28, 1934, McLean, Texas - After days of waiting and worrying, Clyde Rodgers sees his family again after intensive care, scared and disfigured by the Smallpox.

November 7, 1934, McLean, Texas - After days of tests, Clyde returns home after the traumatic incident, and prepare a funeral for the young Maria Rodgers. 

November 28, 1934, McLean, Texas - The Rodgers, alongside family friends such as Henry Cox, and Ted Burns, hold a family funeral for Maria Cherlie Rodgers.

January 5, 1935, McLean, Texas - After suffering their worst tragedy, the family is shaken even more as a dust storm blows through their property, destroying crops and ruining the once futile soil. After the death of Maria just 3 months earlier, the dust storm and the ruining of the soil, Clyde becomes extremely melancholic.

January 17, 1935, McLean, Texas - Clyde takes to drinking to excess to find solace following the past few months. However, he began to lose the confidence in his family.

February 14, 1935, McLean, Texas - Clyde comes home in a drunken rage. Jimmy is hit as Clyde is thrown into a rage. He knocks himself out after 5 minutes of drunken rambling. 

February 16, 1935, McLean, Texas - Jimmy is taken to hospital after his father hit him, resulting in a fractured arm. Clyde, a man of remorse and empathy, regains the trust of his wife by driving his son to the hospital and overlooking the child over the following days.

McLean Dust Bowl (1935)

The McLean dust storm ravaged the town and the Rodger's property

June 13, 1935, McLean, Texas - In an effort to begin teaching, Jimmy begins "classes" with his father. He develops extremely quickly for a child in his 4th year, and by the end of the year, he begins reading. 

August 19, 1935, McLean, Texas - In one of the most profound, life changing events for the Rodgers, a major dust storm his the town hard, burying much of the family's land, and effectively ending the chance of recovering the farm.

August 29, 1935, McLean, Texas - After days of debating, the Rodgers, alongside their family friend Henry Cox, decide to move to a far more prosperous state, much like many others affected by the Dust Bowl. However, unlike many other immigrants, the Rodgers decide to immigrate to Alabama, as Clyde's father, James Rodgers, lives on and owns a plantation outside of Fayette.

September 4, 1935, McLean, Texas - As the heat bares down upon McLean, Clyde sells his home to a neighbour, and packs everything he could take inside his Ford Model A, and alongside Jane, Jimmy and Henry, they begin their arduous journey East to the state of Alabama. 

September 5, 1935, Shamrock, Texas - The Rodgers arrive at the town of Shamrock to the sound of other immigrants fleeing from Oklahoma in the North. After staying for 2 days, the group continue onto interstate 40.

September 7, 1935, Erick, Oklahoma - The group arrive in Erick 8 hours after leaving Shamrock. Crossing over the border, they witnessed thousands of immigrants march to the West seeking California. 

Jimmy and Angus (1935)

Angus (left) and Jimmy (right) would go onto form a strong friendship in Fayette

September 8, 1935, Elk City, Oklahoma - The group reach Elk City to find hundreds waiting to leave, and many more packing up their supplies. Gordon Marriman, a farmer from outside the Oklahoma city of Leverne, as well as his son Angus, join the group in heading East.

September 10, 1935, Clinton, Oklahoma - The families reach the town of Clinton. They sell items to buy food to support all the members of the caravan, and stay for 3 days due to the road ahead being blocked by a large dust storm.

September 13, 1935, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - After reaching the capital of Oklahoma, the group sets up camp to stay until the dust storm to the East of the city has settled. It was here in which Jimmy finds out about Communism through a group of protesters, however, due to his young age, he fails to grasp the idea of political parties, or even politics to begin with.

September 15, 1935, Henryetta, Oklahoma - After the dust settles over the horizon, the group continue to their next destination, Henryetta. The cluster of immigrants from the centre of Oklahoma falls into small camps of misplaced farmers. Clyde, befriends a former soldier and so-called "Okie", Burt Cavland. Whilst sharing similar segregationist views, he also was forced from his home by a dust storm. After 4 days, the group, now joined by Burt, continue.

September 19, 1935, Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma - The group comes across Lake Eufaula and the first lake filled with water in months. Whilst playing along the shoreline, Angus and Jimmy begin to form a friendship that would continue to form over the course of the trip. They also began to speak to each other, despite the fact that both couldn't communicate as well as they should.

September 20, 1935, Sallisaw, Oklahoma - As they continue to pass through Oklahoma, and as December crept closer, both the population and temperature began to fall. They failed to make money by sale of their items, and in a sheer act of desperation, Jane sells her memento, the Beau Brownie camera to get cash for oil. 

Henry Cox (1937)

Unbeknownst to them at the time, Henry Cox was the man featured in this 1937 photograph pictured in Kansas

September 21, 1935, Fort Smith, Arkansas - The caravan leaves behind the Dust Bowl as they enter the state of Arkansas via Fort Smith. Hundreds of immigrants filled the streets, and by nightfall, many more arrived. Henry Cox decides to leave his friends behind as they move on, stating that he should find find his own way to go and he will "meet them somewhere south".

September 23, 1935, Ozark, Arkansas - After a 8 hour trip, the group, now numbering at 6, arrive at Ozark. It was at this point in which the group listened to a radio announcement by Roosevelt, after which Clyde, Burt and Gordon pact to swear they shall "never vote for a lying thieving hack like a democrat".

September 24, 1935, Clarksville, Arkansas - The group arrive at Clarksville as they took to hauling supplies, as they ran out of oil outside of town. Now faced with a dilemma, the group decide to continue onto Little Rock instead of going through scrub-land.

September 26, 1935, Knoxville, Arkansas - With time now increased, and winter coming in fast, the group hurried to Knoxville before it got to cold. In the city, they paid for a ride to Little Rock using a number of items the took from their farmland, including a gold ring Clyde's uncle gave him. Using the money they had left, they continued onto Little Rock.

September 27, 1935, Little Rock, Arkansas - The party reached the capital of the state as they slowly lost more money hiring a bus service to continue onto Forrest City. With the air dry, and the temperature cold, it was to be expected that snow would fall in Arkansas 1935. 

September 28, 1935, Forrest City, Arkansas - In the cold, early morning air, the group arrive at Forrest City to the sound of protest, however, unlike Oklahoma City, it was the capitalist that was protesting this time. The marching of the protesters and their slogan "End to the Socialism" would later impact the beliefs of Clyde, Gordon and even the young Angus, who was in awe of the march, despite not knowing a thing about it.

September 29, 1935, Memphis, Tennessee - The southern sun was approaching the group as they entered Tennessee to the bustling nature of the capital city, Memphis. Astounded by amount of immigrants getting out of the Dust Bowl, the family stayed for a day to buy food with any remaining money they had. 

September 30, 1935, Tupelo, Mississippi - Getting closer to the city of Fayette were Clyde's father would see them to his plantation, the group entered Tupelo, Mississippi, the home town of a future American icon, Elvis Presley, but for know, a small town half way between the two great cities of Memphis and Birmingham.

October 1, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - After 790 Miles, on road or on foot, through the scorching heat of the Dust Bowl and the coming winter in the South, the group finally made it to the town of Fayette, Alabama. Once remember as a town showcasing the culture of the South, it fell on hard times. Clyde especially saw this as his last memory of his home town was just before the depression in 1929, visiting when his father was sick. When they reached the down and out town, he described it as "a depressive town if I ever seen one". They then continued to the down the winding dirt path, and finally, they reached the gate to the Rodgers plantation.

Clyde Rodgers (1936)

Clyde Rodgers on the plantation in 1936

October 1, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - Despite Robert's initial unwillingness, Clyde persuaded his 75 year old father to let everyone in the group onto the plantation. As they entered the plantation, Robert saw his grandson for the first time. With his birthday coming up, Robert found a "toy sabre" in Birmingham, and during dinner that same night, he presented it to the young Jimmy.

October 2, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - Robert Rodgers sets ground rules for Burt Cavland and Marriman family. As long as they worked on the plantation, they could stay and live at his house. Taking up the deal, everyone settled into their new home, as the winter season for the South began to draw ever so closer.

October 7, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - Jimmy Rodgers celebrates his 4th birthday following his families flight from the Dust Bowl. Now living in one place, it was up to Clyde and Robert to decide if Jimmy would attend school in 1937. in which Clyde sided against his father, deciding that Jimmy should have a formal education after the move from Texas to Alabama, and the fact that he himself received education from his father. However, Robert, wished to teach the boy on the plantation, wishing to "strike the fear of god into him".

October 15, 1935, Birmingham, Alabama - to officially celebrate the groups hardship in coming over from Texas, Robert takes everyone out to Birmingham. For the first time since he was a child, Clyde stepped inside the boundaries of Birmingham, a town he hadn't seen since 1905. As for Jimmy, it would be not the first time he would travel to Birmingham, going back again and again many more times during his life.

November 2, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - After witnessing produce sales rise in Fayette, Clyde decided to begin his own produce shop in town to sell his fathers crop. However, Robert, being skeptical of his son, decides not give, or even sell any of his produce to him.

November 17, 1935, Birmingham, Alabama - After his fathers refusal to sell any of his produce to him, Clyde decides to find a job in Birmingham. Originally lost, he finds an open spot for paper delivery, in which he takes due to lack of jobs he is qualified for. After a month, he begins making money for his family back on the plantation.

November 23, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - Jimmy Rodgers and Angus Marriman become extremely close friends, spending much of their time together, exploring the nearby forest, and having coherent conversations.

December 11, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - Richard introduces a part-time farm hand, James Dixon, to his son. After

Robert Rodgers (1924)

Before his withdrawal back to Alabama, Robert Rodgers worked at a logging camp in Michigan

a brief introduction, James reveals that he too has a son, named Ned Duncan Dixon. Clyde introduces the 5 year old to Jimmy, and soon they become friends, much to the hatred of Angus. 

December 24, 1935, Fayette, Alabama - For the Sunday Christmas Eve mass, Robert takes Clyde, Jane and Jimmy, all Methodists, to a Southern Baptist church. Whilst the different churches create a small rift between Clyde and his father, the church itself was seen as incredibly boring to the young Jimmy, as he began to develop a dislike for the religion he did not yet understand.

December 31, 1935, Birmingham, Alabama - To get his family a taste of Alabama, he takes them to a small fireworks display over Birmingham. Whilst the kids are fascinated by the awe inspiring fireworks, Clyde and his father are continuing to tear at each others throats, as Roosevelt ushers in the new year over radio. Robert, a lifelong Democrat took to fighting against his son, now a vowed Republican, over what/who caused his and his families flight from Texas.

January 13, 1936, Birmingham, Alabama - As the election year begins, Clyde begins to make people know his political views in his workplace. Despite becoming more welcomed by the bosses of the newspaper, he begins to get scrutinised by his fellow workers. 

February 2, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Robert Rodgers begins to teach Jimmy, Angus and occasionally Ned in Sunday classes. Despite his best efforts however, he could not get Jimmy or Ned to listen to his words, and only Angus took it in. 

February 7, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Whilst playing alongside a nearby river during a day out, Angus is teased by first Ned, then Jimmy, resulting in the jealously he had been keeping inside to force Ned into the river. However, due to river being low this time of year, he wades back to shore. Shortly after, Angus is canned by his father, but still holds his jealousy inside. 

February 9, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Ned develops Pneumonia like symptoms, however, they are much less obvious and fatal than the actual disease. Over the ensuring days, Jimmy begins to shun Angus, blaming him for Ned's sickness. This causes Angus to hit Jimmy, and after the fight both get caned by their respective parents.

February 16, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Robert, alongside Clyde and Gordon institute mandatory Sunday classes for Jimmy, Angus and eventually Ned. Soon, it becomes apparent that Angus is extremely obedient and unlike Jimmy and Ned, he never steps out of line, or at least until the adults aren't around. 

March 23, 1936, Birmingham, Alabama - Seeing his ability for labour intensive work, the newspaper bosses move Clyde from newspaper delivery to the factory outside of Birmingham so they could put his muscle to good use. 

May 14, 1936 Fayette, Alabama - As both Ned and Jimmy continue to misbehave in Sunday classes, Angus slowly gains the confidence of the adults around him. This however, leads to the other kids bullying him over his supposed "weakness" if he is confronted by adults. But, he continues to suffer at the hands of his friends, not wanting to lose his friendship with them. 

May 29. 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Burt Cavland proposes that he and Clyde join the military. Burt, who was a member of the occupation of Haiti during the 1920's, felt that work on the plantation was one for "folks who had always been that way". Whilst Clyde originally wants to leave, Jane persuades him not to, as he still has to look after his son, and that if "he were to lose you, we would be ruined". Burt agrees with his decision, and due to their close friendship, refuses to leave also.

June 6, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Jimmy stands up against his father for the first time. Refusing to go to his Sunday class, Jimmy vehemently stood up against Clyde, resulting in him being caned and eventually going to the class anyway. This however would be a forward for what was to become more rebellious behaviour.

Jane Rodgers (1936)

Jane Rodgers on the plantation in 1936

July 2, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - For Jane Rodger's 36th birthday, her husband buys a silver ring from a local shop in Birmingham. After the lose of the Beau Brownie, Jane no longer had a keepsake, and the gift of the ring would become her keepsake, especially for what was to come next. 

August 11, 1936, Birmingham, Alabama - News is received by the local paper that hostilities have begun in Spain. News quickly spreads around the establishment, and by midday, Clyde, working in the factory, finds out about it. A few days later, he and Burt become fascinated with the conflict and by the end of the month, decide that they should go.

August 31, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - A new family move into the town from the states capital of Montgomery. The four person Osborne family is comprised of Daniel, Victoria, Joan and Tim. 

October 7, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Jimmy Rodgers 5th birthday is held at his grandfather's house. Being Jimmy's final yeah before going off to school, his present brought by all his family was a move ticket for the Birmingham cinema. However, with only 3 tickets, he chooses Angus to go over Ned as the former was feeling sick on the day.

October 13, 1936, Birmingham, Alabama - With a day off work, Clyde takes his son and Angus Marriman to the Birmingham cinemas. Whilst the experience was a first for both kids, it was not memorable. However, Jimmy Rodger's love for the wild west originated on this day as he saw the film serial The Phantom Rider.

November 3, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - Keeping true to their words, the three men vote for the Republican candidate Alf Landon in the election, despite not knowing about, nor truly caring about him or his policies. Jane stays home to look after the children, and that leaves Robert the only person on the property to vote Democrat. A day later, it has been announced that Landon lost in a landslide, shacking the pact that the three men made.

November 17, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - A late night fight causes the young Jimmy to walk out of the house. When he was found in the field the following morning, his father explains to him that he and Jane were arguing about "Burt and I going oversea". 

November 21. 1936, Fayette, Alabama - After another argument causes Jane to storm out of the house. Robert comforts his crying daughter-in-law, however, takes the side of his son, especially since Robert served in the Spanish-American war, and believes that a man's job is to fight. Finding herself surrounded by friends and family that support Clyde, Jane bows out, allowing her husband to go.

December 11, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - After Clyde talks to his son about what is going and and why he will be leaving, Jimmy takes to the side against his father leaving for Spain. Jimmy, who dislikes violence yet is physically strong, has slowly become aloof from the violence of the outside world, but understands a little on what is going on in Spain. In a moment that would cause a mental battle in Clyde, his son says "I don't want you to be them".

December 19, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - After suffering for almost a week, the headstrong Clyde does not take the word of his son, but instead decides to go to Spain, specifically, Cartagena to fight for the Republican government alongside his friend Burt, who actually had military experience. After his announcement, he left his saddened wife as he left for Montgomery to arrange transportation to the war torn nation.

December 25, 1936, Fayette, Alabama - After arranging transportation in the state capital, Clyde and Burt return to the plantation to have one final Christmas with his family before being shipped off on January 8 the following year. Giving his son the Confederate Half Dollar which he was hanging onto, Clyde passed on a memento to his only child, and in time, it would become a keepsake.

January 6, 1937, Montgomery, Alabama - Burt says goodbye to his family and friends as he and Burt take leave to Mobile. Whilst Burt is unattached to anyone but Clyde, Clyde leaves behind a sobbing wife and child. However, in his fathers eyes, Clyde has now become a man. 

January 8, 1937, Mobile, Alabama - In the great war time city of Mobile, Burt and Clyde board a medium sized

Cyle Rodgers in Spain (1937)

Clyde Rodgers (left) and Burt Cavland (centre left) shortly after arriving in Spain

boat that would look inconspicuous whilst crossing the Straits of Gibraltar. Captained by former soldier Alexander Perry and holding five other American volunteers, they set sail at afternoon, leaving behind America and the new world to fight and die and the old. 

January 15, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - With the absence of Clyde and Robert taking a break from teaching, Jane Rodgers decides to teach the children until the enter school this year. Coming from a liberal background, she taught the children in the ways of moderation and unlike Robert, did not teach them from the Bible. This would affect the kids in separate ways. Angus, the one most calm and obedient during the classes, would become angered at what Jane was teaching. Ned would take almost nothing away, never learning from the classes and only wanting to have fun, and finally Jimmy would listen to every word, slowly evolving and taking up his mothers positions, despite not knowing half the things he believed in though. 

January 21, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - Now with Clyde and Burt gone, the plantation and its inhabitance began losing money, fast. Unable to find salesmen willing to buy his produce, Robert betrays his own words, and begins his own local business. With the help of Gordon and Jane, in two days he sets up a bench, and like his son, begins selling produce at a low cost. With local business booming, and the economy improving, the plantation slowly begins making money.

January 29, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - After a month and a half on the sea, Alexander Perry and the volunteers arrive at the port town of Cartagena. The 8 men are interrogated by the local authorities, and for 2 days they are held for questioning.

February 3, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - After being released to a nearby barracks, the men are enlisted into the service of the Spanish Republican Army, set for training over the next two months. However, they are still constantly bombarded with questions by the commanders of the local military, and are put under pressure by much of the local populace for being "outsiders".

February 17, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - Nearing the end of the school year , Jane and Gordon send their respective children to school "interviews". The Jimmy and Angus both pass the test, however, Ned, doesn't. In a deal with the school, James Dixon allows his son to stay after school for "mandatory study". This becomes a problem for the free willed Ned, not wanting to got to school anyway, and would cause problems later down the line.

April 12, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - During the middle of a long school weekend, a women by the name of Elizabeth Dorren takes her daughter, Lauren Dorren to the park. At this park, she begins to hit it off with both Angus and Ned, but not Jimmy, who to her seemed to stuck up and arrogant. Also, like the three boys, 1937 would be her first year at school, attending the same the boys would.

April 17, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - During training, Burt is put under constant attacks by other soldiers. With his more right leaning views, and his attacks on socialism in which many soldiers in the Cartagena Republican Army supported, he was belittled by even the commanders, who put him in solitary confinement to "protect him".

April 28, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - Burt and Clyde, alongside 5 other American volunteers complete their military training, and are going to be transported to the front lines in Madrid. However, one of the volunteers died suddenly and mysteriously. In his wartime journal, Burt concluded that his death was caused by a Heart Attack after being forced to "exercise" for 11 hours by other soldiers.

May 1, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - After another meeting a week before, Elizabeth Dorren allows her daughter Lauren to visit the plantation. Initially stunned by the property, Elizabeth is taken aback by Jane's liberal views, and begins to not want her daughter hanging out with the family. Seeing both defying her mother in both action and in mind, she both continues to hang out with the boys, and even declares herself anti-segregationist, despite not knowing what it even means. 

Clyde Rodgers on the front line (1937)

In Madrid; from left to right, Alexander Perry, Clyde Rodgers and Burt Cavland

May 29, 1937, Madrid, Spain - After being transported to Madrid, constant bombings and the threat of attack begin to resonate in Clyde's head, as he begins to have second thoughts about the venture. At one point, he wakes up screaming after dreaming about his dead daughter. Not wishing to abandon his friend, he stays with Burt despite the severe damage it is doing to his mind.

June 11, 1937, Mobile, Alabama - For Ned's 6th birthday, the family take the boys down to the beach in Mobile. Whilst Lauren was invited, her mother disallowed her due to disagreements with Jane. At the beach, Angus, who isn't the most proficient swimmer, begins to fall under the waves, however, Jimmy, who is far better at swimming, pulls him up onto shore. After a short while, Angus is forced by his father to thank Jimmy, however, in his mind, he feels that not saving himself was "weak".

June 18, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - The last day of school; with school out, and many of the older students now able to do as they please, Ned and Jimmy start staying home more and begin helping on the farm than going to places like the park, out of fear that something bad would happen to them. Angus on the other hand, to prove his courage, goes out more than ever before. This causes him to have a run in with a girl by the name of Joan Osborne outside of a retailers. Whilst both are shy at first, they begin to take a liking to one another, and at the end of their meeting, Gordon invites the Osborne family over to the plantation. 

July 1, 1937, Northern Brunete, Spain  - For a reason unknown to the American volunteers, they are moved in the afternoon from inside Madrid to  the north of Brunete. Though the initial reason for the move was given as "the defence of Western Madrid", the next few days would show why they really were relocated.

July 6, 1937, Northern Brunete, Spain - Early morning bombardments wake up Clyde and Burt. going to a officer, he explains to them that they are relieving pressure on the soldiers to the North. Receiving their orders, they were to stay in Brunete until ordered to attack. The battle of Brunete had begun.

July 7, 1937, Brunete, Spain - At 11:00 at night, the Burt and Clyde are awoken to the sounds of their officers voice. They have been ordered to attack the nearby village of Villanueva de la Cañada, and allow the stalemate to end so they could move on. This was to be Clyde's first major battle. Burt on the other hand had already fought during the occupation of Haiti at Port au Prince, thus giving him knowledge of military fighting. At 5:00, they alongside the British brigades, attacks the village. Clyde, who was hard pressed to take cover, was forced into the open alongside Burt and the other volunteers. Under heavy machine gun fire, and surrounded by 2 dead volunteers, Clyde admits that he wants to return back home, not wanting to die without his family in Europe. 1 hour later, the machine guns stopped; the British battalion had rounded up the remaining troops left in the village, and the remaining American volunteers came out of their cover. Through the rest of the day, both men began to talk about their willingness to return home.

July 8, 1937, Brunete, Spain - After waking up to the sounds of new orders, it became quickly apparent that they were on the move. Since yesterday, the moral of not only Clyde, but also Burt, was falling, especially after they admitted their want for home. Then, bombardment. From the sky rained tens of bombs, shot from the banks of the nearby river. The fascists were attacking. For a couple of minutes, the volunteers were in disarray, unable to hear the shouting of their commander of their rattling of machine gun fire and the heaving of the Earth caused by the mortars. Burt and Clyde stuck together in the back of the line as hundreds of nationalist soldiers started pouring towards the village. More time passed as the enemy tore towards Clyde and Burt's position, however, the arrival of more British battalions lead to the flight of the fascists, and the safety of the 2 friends. Clyde's emotional state was tested by the attack, after which he began to want Alabama more than ever. He would get his chance soon.

The Osborne Family with Angus (1937)

The Osborne family with Angus (right)

July 12, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - Away from the brutal fighting in Spain, the success of Roberts business and the teaching of the children gave the plantation a peaceful aura. It was on this day in which Ned, Angus, Jimmy and Lauren met all for the first time. Whilst both Ned and Jimmy were jealous of Angus at the beginning, they all found themselves finding new, or strengthening old friendships. However, Ned began to find himself swoon over the new visitor, Lauren, and over the ensuring days, a rift began to form between Angus and himself. 

July 18, 1937, Brunete, Spain - After days of gun fights throughout the hills of Brunete, an uneasy silence spread throughout the area on this particular morning. What was to come next was both a blessing and a curse for the home-sick Clyde. A massive counter-attack by the fascists begun, quickly overrunning the village that both Burt and Clyde were stationed in, and in the ensuring disorganization of the troops, bullets and bombs, a grenade was thrown by one of the republican soldiers. However, the grenade was not headed towards the enemy, but landed a few feet away from Clyde. A deafening explosion occurs in which he is thrown to the ground. The nearby Burt grabs his friends by the collar and begins to pull him to the defensive line, and with the help of one of the 4 remaining volunteers, saves Clyde's life. They were safe, for now, and it was time to look at the damage caused the the explosion. I was horrific for his friend; Clyde had shrapnel strewn throughout his left, and countless smaller pieces buried inside. He was to be moved back further behind the line to go through surgery. 

July 19, 1937, Brunete, Spain - Surgery on Clyde's leg begins as more enemy soldiers begin pouring in around them. Having to hurry before more arrive, the doctor almost tears every piece out of his leg, causing damage to the nerves and the tissue. However, as the fascists continue to move, the commander orders a tactical retreat back West, and the relocation of injured soldiers to Madrid.

July 20, 1937, Madrid, Spain - The rushed surgery in Brunete causes problems for doctors working on Clyde, as they must make a decision to either amputate the leg, or operate, guaranteeing his lower leg would never work again. After much debate, the choose to operate on it. With more time and less pressure around them, they get the shrapnel pieces out, however, the nerves and tissue of this leg are torn. Fixing that problem as best as they can, they work on his leg until night, but it would soon become apparent that he would not be able to use his leg like he used to.

Lauran and Joan (1938)

Lauren and Joan photographed on the plantation in 1938

July 29, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - For the first time in over a month, Elizabeth Dorren allows her daughter to go over to the plantation and hang out with her friends. Angus however, also called over Lauren, and when both of them arrived both Ned and Angus fell for the women. Not just one however, but both, causing conflict between both of them. Watching over the mess that was being caused by the two women was Jimmy, not wishing to get involved in the antics of his friends, but silently, he was falling for both women also. Yet, despite the aggressiveness around them and the apparent jealousy, both girls became close friends after meeting each other again the following weak. 

August 1, 1937, Madrid, Spain - After getting out of his drug induced daze, Clyde receives a visit from Burt, explaining to him that his leg would probably never work the same way again. Expecting to be saddened by this, Burt is surprised when Clyde begins to laugh. After explaining how his leg would be a way out of Spain, Burt begins to wonder how he would too get out of the war torn nation. Only time would tell.

August 15, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - After travelling into Birmingham, Robert buys his grandson a personal diary. Despite never seeing or hearing about a diary before, he quickly learns to express his feelings in it, and it becomes the first of three diaries he owned over the course of his life. In his first writing, which was more scribblings than writing, he talks about "loving" Lauren and Joan, despite not knowing or exploring the deep feelings he has for each girl, nor even discussing it with them.

August 17, 1937, Madrid, Spain - Clyde begins to walk again, however, he needs crutches for support due to the weakness of his leg. Throughout this, Burt became the only surviving member of the American volunteers, with Alexander Perry dying after a sniper found him in his cross-hair. With time on his side, Clyde began to negotiate a way out of Spain, originally wanting to travel to America via airship, his confidence in such an escape was shattered by the Hindenburg disaster, the news of which reaching him the month before. 

August 24, 1937, Birmingham, Alabama - Whilst in Birmingham, Jimmy becomes fascinated with reading whilst in the town library. This would become the beginning of a more intellectual side of Jimmy, who over the ensuring months, especially after going to school for the first time, would become more interested in theory and politics, despite not truly having a passion for it. However, the new intellectual side of Jimmy would alienate him from Ned, who began to get tired from his self appointed intellectualism. 

September 3, 1937, Madrid, Spain - Clyde is released from his service in Madrid to return to Cartagena. This would be the last time he would ever see Burt, having a tearful goodbye to his friend whilst boarding the train. It would also be the last time Clyde would ever hear from him again, as two days later, Burt's fate would be decided by a gun shot and a fractured skull whilst fighting against the fascist enemies outside of the capital. 

September 9, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - After arriving back in the port town of Cartagena, Clyde began to discreetly negotiate a way out of the nation and returning home to Alabama. He would enlist the help of Donald Asher, a Briton who was trapped within the city following the outbreak of the war, and the subsequent blockade by the nationalists. Donald, who owned a fishing boat, planned for months to escape to Gibraltar, then travelling back home to Britain. Now with the help of Clyde, they both had a better chance of escape and returning back home.

September 15, 1937, Cartagena, Spain - After midnight, the pair travel to the beach where Donald's boat is located. Whilst the silence of the sea was threatening, they cared more about escaping the Republicans who locked down the city, than the nationalists, who would most likely set them free if their fabricated stories worked. After pushing the vessel into the dark ocean, they set out to Gibraltar.

Fayette School (1937)

Fayette school in 1937. Jimmy is the second from the left

September 16, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - The first day of school for Ned, Jimmy, Angus, Joan and Lauren. Despite not being 6 yet, due to it's closeness to the beginning of the school year, he was allowed to enter. Surround by new people and new ideas, the most social of the group, Ned, gained many new "friends", despite not knowing that much about them or caring about them. However, in the academic arena, he was best known for the only kid in his group to receive a caning on his first day of school. The rest of the group, especially Angus, hanged around the girls, mostly wanting their attention in this new, almost alien like world. Their teacher, Mrs Bollard, was incredibly old and shrewd, and after school, the universal agreement in the group was that she is one of the "worst people we have ever met or are going to meet".

September 19, 1937, Gibraltar, Southern Spain - After sailing across the sea for 4 days without incident, arrive at crown colony of Gibraltar looking down the barrels of the local police. Both told a sob story if their ever was one, but after a day in prison, Donald is released due to his valid passport, unlike Clyde. However, after 3 days in prison, he proves his identity through not only his passport, but also his military service certificates. After he proved his identity and was released from prison, he had to find a way to get back to Mobile. 

September 23, 1937, Fayette, Alabama - The discovery of cuss words for the kids. Whilst they have been open and around the words before in their life, they took almost no notice, however, whilst in recess, an older kid starts swearing to one of the teachers. This opens them up to using such words, and Ned begins using them in defiance of the teacher, who would go onto cane the young kid. After more words began to make their appearance in their vocabularies, they began to use them to "attack" adults that they believed wronged them, but outside of their hearing range unsurprisingly.

October 3, 1937, Gibraltar, Southern Spain - after selling his bayonet to a local shop owner, Clyde manages to find a ship that convoys between Gibraltar and Mobile, the town he wants to be at. After talking to the captain of the ship, he buys his way onto the vessel, and in a way to get food, he takes up cleaning. Despite it being degrading and punishing, he had found the ticket back to his home, and more importantly, back to his family.

October 8, Mobile, Alabama - After 8 months away from his family and country, Clyde Rodgers steps again onto American soil. After facing challengers throughout the past 4 years, he begins the trek back to the plantation, thinking along the way what he had to go through to get here; the Republican armies pushing of the American volunteers, the nationalist attacks, the surgery, the escape to Gibraltar, the imprisonment and the return back home to America, with only a road now between him and his family.

October 14, Montgomery, Alabama - Clyde reaches the capital after a 6 day walk in pain and suffering, mostly due to his torn leg. It is at this point in which Jane begins doubt her husband and if he is alive, due to the fact that he stopped sending letters in June, and that Burt sent his own letter explaining what happened to her husband. It was also at this point in which Jimmy began to fully take the views of his mother over those of his father, who he no longer seemed to care that much about, and this was expressed after he wrote this in his diary; "Dad has been away to long. I can not wait".

Jimmy and Clyde (1939)

By the time Clyde had returned, Jimmy no longer kept his fathers views as his own

October 23, Fayette, Alabama - The arduous trek is over. After months of gruelling hardship in the way of war and struggle, in the face of oppression and death, Clyde Rodgers steps onto his property, calling out to his wife and child, however, the only one to come to him was his father, as the rest were away at the Birmingham park. After being taken inside and resting, he tells his father an abridged version of what happened and how he managed to return home. Later that evening, the rest of the occupants of the plantation returned, and much to the astonishment of Jane and Jimmy, he was alive. Whilst Jimmy cared little about the return of his father, being disappointed that he had gone to war and had not made an appearance in months, Jane was stunned that her husband was lying right in front of her. After a tearful embrace, he told his family and friends everything he had to go through to get here. After that, Robert took a look at his son's leg, seeing is anything could be done, after doing so, he responds by saying "doubtful". 

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