Dear Mr Snippet by Roseanna Rolph is a heart-wrenching true story of enduring love, told through real WWII correspondences between a husband, wife and their children.
Follow newly-married couple John and Rita, as their lives, home and family are transformed by the trials of World War II. Featuring photographs alongside real letters and diary entries shared between the couple and their children, transcribed painstakingly by their granddaughter Roseanna, this touching World War II memoir sheds light not only John and Rita’s story, but also the highs and lows faced by many military families, both during World War II and beyond.
The impact of war on children becomes an increasingly important focus as the story progresses, with John and Rita’s two young children struggling with absent parents and separation, housing difficulties, ill-health, and constant uncertainty, to name but a few. This focus, combined with her own childhood experiences with parental absence, led Roseanna to contact Little Troopers, a charity supporting all military children who have parents currently serving in the British Armed Forces. The charity is delighted to be collaborating with Roseanna on this project, using Dear Mr Snippet to help raise awareness of its incredible work.
Roseanna says:
“As I researched and wrote Dear Mr Snippet, I not only learnt what it was like for my grandparents to live through WW2, but also the effect this war had on their children during periods of separation. Curious, I started to explore what military children’s lived experience is like now, and what support is available to them. I was privileged to have the opportunity to meet with members of a military family, and a serving Padre, and during discussions with them it became apparent that many parallels can be drawn between the themes in John and Rita’s story and the experiences faced by similar families today. Whilst they may have amazing opportunities, these can compete with unique challenges, and times of uncertainty and change.
I began to wonder if I could use John and Rita’s story and their voices from the past to cast light on this. That is when I found the wonderful charity Little Troopers, who aim to support military children, both at home and in school, through a child centred approach, by finding ways to nurture the parent and child relationship, connect children through shared experiences and be a place for these children to turn to wherever they are living in the world and whenever they need it. The letters from my grandparents were a gift to me, but I believe this gift is to be shared and, if possible, and in celebrating my grandparent’s story, used to make a difference and benefit others.
I am thrilled and so very proud to have the opportunity to be collaborating with Little Troopers. It is my greatest hope that, as readers enjoy the story, they will also grow to understand some of the ways that we all can support military children and in so doing create, unbeknownst to my grandparents, a meaningful legacy.”
About Little Troopers:
Being separated from loved ones for long periods of time is one of the hardest aspects of serving in the military, and children of our Armed Forces personnel can find this separation particularly challenging. This remains just as true today as it was for Rita and John’s children during World War II.
Thousands of British Armed Forces personnel are still deployed overseas on military operations each year, and despite advancements in technology, communication with their families back home is still limited, sporadic and often reliant on the written word. The connection between a parent and child often requires nurturing during this time, which is why the charity Little Troopers was established in 2011 by British Army veteran, Louise Fetigan.
Louise’s husband also served in the Army, and their daughter struggled to cope with having a parent in the forces, particularly during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Unsure where to turn for help, Louise set up Little Troopers as a tri-service charity so that all children from Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force families, who have one or both parents serving, have somewhere to turn whenever they need it and wherever they are living in the world.
Growing up with a parent in the forces is a unique way of life. It can bring amazing adventures, memories and friendships, but it can also bring a lot of change and uncertainty. Frequently moving house and school is another aspect of military life that can be challenging for young people, with some children attending up to ten different schools during their childhood.
Through its resources, programmes, events and initiatives, Little Troopers supports thousands of military children each year. Many of the charity’s resources can be accessed by families at home, such as the Little Troopers Separation Pack, which supports children while their parents are deployed or away for long periods of time, and the Little Troopers Letters Pack, which aims to ease the anxiety children might feel when they have to move home to a new military posting by encouraging them to stay in-touch with old friends. The charity also has a dedicated Little Troopers at School programme, empowering teachers to support military children in the classroom, and a programme of in-person events called ‘All Together’; connecting children through shared experiences. Both at home and in school, Little Troopers is always working hard to ensure military children feel recognised, included and celebrated.
If you would like to support Little Troopers or learn more about the charity’s work, please visit www.littletroopers.net.
Dear Mr Snippet will be released on the 15th of April 2025, and is available to pre-order now!
