Long lost children's book published after 75 years for Salisbury Hospice Charity
It was written in 1945, just after World War II
Last updated 22nd Dec 2020
A book written by a Japanese Prisoner of War for his eight year old son has been published for the first time to raise money for Salisbury Hospice Charity.
Arthur Stiby penned 'Now It Can Be Told' at the end of World War II for his son Robert, who was in boarding school.
The story had been lost until Robert, now 83 living in Downton, stumbled upon the book when going through some old family stuff.
He found it a bit damaged and with some parts of the manuscript missing and decided to do something about it.
Robert joined forces with his nephew Jamie Stiby-Harris to illustrate and finish the book and publish it privately, 75 years after it was first given to him.
Robert said:
"My father died long ago, but recently I have had time to sort out a lot of family stuff and there in a dusty old box, I found this tattered, dog-eared copy of the original, but incomplete, manuscript.
I was overjoyed. Although I am no longer eight - I am now in my eighties - reading it again was such fun that I decided to publish it. I persuaded my very talented nephew Jamie Stiby-Harris to do the illustrations and between us we completed the missing pages.
It bought back so many memories. I was only eight years old when my father came home and we met, not as father and son, but as strangers to each other. Writing ‘Now It can Be Told’ was his way of bringing us together."
All the funds raised from selling the book will go to the charity.
Arthur was a Major in the Royal Artillery when he was captured by the Japanese in 1942.
He survived incarceration, starvation and humiliation, as well as the horrors of the Burma Railway.
When he returned home and recovering from his wartime ordeal, Arthur decided to write 'Now It Can Be Told' and send it to Robert in easy to read weekly instalments.
Robert told Greatest Hits Radio that despite not seeing it for 75 years, he knew what it was straight away:
"Immediately I recognised it and as soon as I saw it I went back 75 years to my boyhood, it was very moving, and I had two thoughts do I just keep quiet about this or do I share it and so I decided to publish it and I'm now very proud of it and very proud of what my father did.
The Salisbury hospice as always been something very close to us, my wife was a volunteer driver for the charity, I've had many close relatives who have benefitted from end of life care and so I know how important the hospice is and the work that they do so I just wanted to do my little bit to raise some money for them and maybe give people a bit of fun in the process."
The story follows the adventures of a little dachshund called Vicky, who is involved in a secret wartime mission never revealed before, based on their family dog.
You can buy the book by visiting the Salisbury Hospice Charity website.