Wartime Friends, page 14
‘We’ll hitch,’ Beryl had said. ‘We’ll be together and everyone stops to help girls in uniform.’
Carolyn had agreed with her friend, but she wasn’t sure her family would.
Cocooned in their own little circle, the girls heard little from the outside world. By the time they read the newspapers or listened to the BBC, the news was always several days old. They’d heard about the fall of Singapore before they’d arrived here, but now it felt to them as if the war wasn’t going on anymore. At least, not where they were. They didn’t hear about Bomber Command launching a round-the-clock campaign against enemy arms factories, or the British Commandos’ attack on a Nazi U-boat base. On a lighter note, they didn’t learn until much later about the British Board of Trade dictating that skirt hems should be shorter and menswear should no longer have double-breasted jackets or trouser turn-ups. All in the cause of saving fabric. And yet, the ATS girls were at the heart of it. It was strange that although they were so closely connected to the progress of the war, they knew very little about what was actually happening. The messages they took down so faithfully were a complete mystery to them.
‘It’s all gibberish,’ Beryl said as they walked across the field at the end of their first month. ‘I just wish sometimes we knew what they were all about.’
‘It’s probably best we don’t know. At least we can never be accused of giving away information.’
‘That’s true, but I never tell anyone what we’re doing. Do you?’
‘Heavens, no,’ Carolyn said. ‘They don’t even know at home exactly where we are, and certainly not what we’re doing. I didn’t even tell them about our training at Trowbridge. We’d probably end up in the Tower of London if we tell anybody anything.’
‘You’re right, of course,’ Beryl smiled, ‘but that doesn’t stop us going out and having a bit of fun. We’ve got quite a few hours off now until our next pattern of shifts start, though I don’t think it’s long enough to go home. It’s about another two weeks before we can apply for a forty-eight-hour pass. So, let’s go and find Noreen. I reckon she’s the one who knows where the action is.’
‘You’re on.’
‘No time like the present. She’s just ahead of us. Let’s catch her up and we can ask her.’
It turned out that the nearest ‘action’ was to be had in Loughborough. The next time the three girls had a few hours off in the evening, they went into the town to a dance at the Town Hall. It seemed as if all the servicemen and women in the area were there with only a few locals able to get in.
‘There aren’t many fellers in civvies, are there?’ Beryl remarked.
‘They’re probably away in the forces,’ Carolyn said, glancing around at the few girls in pretty dresses. ‘While their girlfriends are flirting with the guys in uniform.’
Beryl chuckled. ‘But have you noticed, it’s us girls who are in uniform who are getting all the attention. Look out, there’re a couple of lads coming towards us. I bags the tall one . . .’
Twenty-Two
‘Carolyn, I’ve organized a double date for us,’ Beryl began and, before Carolyn could protest, she rushed on, ‘Please say you’ll come. I so want to get to know Jeff better – a lot better – and I thought it would be so much easier if we went out as a foursome.’
Carolyn was not angry; she was amused. ‘So, who am I getting lumbered with?’
‘His friend. You know, the tall, dark-haired one. I think his name’s Michael.’
Carolyn nodded, trying to sound nonchalant. ‘You mean those two RAF lads who were at the dance last week?’ She smiled to herself. Carolyn hadn’t really wanted to go dancing; she had never learned the proper steps, but nowadays the floors were so crowded with servicemen and women looking for some fun that it didn’t really matter. She was secretly delighted to be paired with Michael. Trying to look as if she wasn’t staring at him, she’d taken in every detail of his appearance that night. She’d thought him the most handsome man in the room, with film-star good looks, sleek black hair and dark eyes. He was courteous and charming too, but it had been his brooding eyes that had captivated her.
Beryl’s beau, Jeff, was nice-looking, a little taller than Michael, with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Both young men were resplendent in their RAF uniforms, but Jeff didn’t make Carolyn’s heart leap at the sight of him as Michael did. The two young men arrived in a car borrowed from one of Jeff’s mates to pick up the girls. They roared down the quiet village street, coming to a skidding halt in front of the billet.
Michael proved to be all Carolyn had hoped he would be. He took her arm as they crossed the street towards the nearest pub and made sure she was comfortable before he sat down himself. Beryl, however, seemed really smitten with Jeff even though he didn’t seem as thoughtful as Michael. Carolyn watched as Beryl hung on Jeff’s every word and gazed up at him adoringly, even though this was only the second time that they’d spent any time together. Oh dear, Carolyn thought, if she’s like this on a first proper date, what on earth is she going to be like if the friendship progresses? Perhaps, she thought, Beryl had had little experience with men. Although they were already good friends, Carolyn still didn’t know an awful lot about Beryl’s home life or her background. She’d never spoken about having a boyfriend before, not even when Carolyn had confided in her about Peter. Beryl was strangely reticent about her family and her friends back home.
As they arrived back at the girls’ billet, Michael said, ‘May I see you again, Carolyn?’
‘That would be lovely.’
‘Perhaps’ – he hesitated – ‘without the others next time?’
In the darkness of the blackout, he wouldn’t be able to see her smile, but she squeezed his hand in silent agreement.
‘Oh, Carolyn,’ Beryl clasped her hands together, her eyes shining, ‘I think I’m in love. Jeff is just wonderful. I’ve never met anyone like him before. He’s asked me out again. D’you mind? I mean, he wants us to be on our own.’
‘Of course I don’t,’ Carolyn said, making it sound as if she were being very generous, but in fact she was secretly pleased. She waited for Beryl to ask her if she was going out again with Michael, but the question never came; the girl was too wrapped up in her own romance.
The two girls began to see the young RAF men whenever they had time off that coincided. They didn’t spend so much time together in their off-duty hours now, but because they worked together on the same shift and shared a bedroom, their firm friendship endured.
Even though they were now stationed closer to Carolyn’s home than they had been, leave that allowed time to go home only came around about every six weeks or so. They hadn’t used their first forty-eight-hour pass during April, preferring to explore the countryside and the delights of the two nearby cities, but the next time a longer leave of three days occurred, Carolyn said, ‘We’ve got the weekend off, so I’m going home this time. You’re welcome to come with me.’
‘Not this time, but thanks. I – um – might go to see my folks.’ Beryl smiled archly. ‘What about Michael? Are you taking him with you?’
Carolyn hesitated. She and Michael were growing closer, it was true, but she wasn’t quite ready to introduce him to her family. She wasn’t sure what sort of reception from her mother awaited any young man who wasn’t Peter Carter. ‘Not this time,’ she answered. ‘I might tell them about him first and see how the land lies. What about you? Are you taking Jeff to meet your folks?’
‘Lord, no,’ Beryl answered before she stopped to think. Her swift, unguarded reply needed clarification. She sighed. ‘Like you, it’s a bit soon.’
Carolyn didn’t question her any more. Her answer seemed credible because it was the same reason as hers. And yet, although she couldn’t put her finger on it, Carolyn felt there was something more than her friend was telling her.
Their work was hard and intense, but the times out with Jeff and Michael were oases of rest, relaxation and fun. Occasionally, they still went out as a foursome, but usually they went out in their separate pairs. As she had told Beryl, Carolyn was not quite ready to take Michael home with her, so when the three days’ leave came, she went to Skegness alone. On arrival at the railway station, she rang her grandfather from a telephone box in the town, knowing that Frank or Harold would be only too pleased to collect her in the farm’s truck.
Sliding into the seat beside Frank, she leaned across and planted a kiss on his weathered cheek.
‘It’s good to see you, lass. How’re things?’
‘Fine. The work’s hard, but we find time to have a bit of fun too.’
Frank chuckled. ‘And might that “fun” include a boyfriend or two?’
Carolyn laughed too. ‘Grandad, really! I’m not that sort of girl.’ She paused and then added, a little shyly, ‘But there is one young man I see quite a lot of when we’re off duty at the same time.’
‘Tell me about him.’
‘His name is Michael and he’s tall, dark and handsome . . .’
‘Would he be anything else?’ Frank teased.
‘But he’s also polite and charming.’
‘That’s good. Has he got a good sense of humour?’
‘Yes, he has. We laugh a lot together. Why do you ask that?’
‘Because, in my book, a good sense of humour is what carries a couple through the bad times as well as the good. A marriage doesn’t end with a fancy wedding. It’s only just the beginning and, to my mind, an ability to see the funny side of whatever life throws at you is more important than good looks.’ There was silence between them until Frank said, ‘So, you haven’t brought him home to meet us yet, then?’
‘No, Grandad. I wanted to tell all of you about him first. I – I need to see how Mam will react.’
‘Ah!’ Frank said understandingly. ‘Now, sadly, though she’s me daughter and I love her dearly, your mam hasn’t got that all-important sense of humour I was talking about. She sees life as one long battle, which is rather sad.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t understand why both of my children are rather – what’s the word – dour.’ He sighed heavily. ‘Harold used to have a sense of humour before he went to war. He came back very changed, Carolyn, from the young man who went away. I hope that doesn’t happen to you young ones this time around.’
‘They must have gone through horrific experiences in the trenches, Grandad,’ Carolyn said quietly. ‘This war’s bad – of course it is – but it’s different somehow.’
They were both silent for a few minutes before Frank said, ‘Your grandma and I could always see the funny side of anything that happened. Even if things went wrong on the farm, we’d always try to have a laugh.’ He chuckled. ‘I remember in 1912 we had the most awful wet summer and the harvest was all but ruined. But yar grandma said, “Frank, love, I reckon we’d better start building an ark”.’
Even though he was smiling at the memory, he wiped a tear from his eye and Carolyn realized how much he still missed his wife.
As he drew the vehicle to a halt outside Carolyn’s home, Frank leaned across and squeezed her hand. ‘Tell them about Michael, lass, but I should tell yar dad first. He’ll understand and back you up if it’s needed. Besides, it’s high time all this nonsense about you and Peter stopped. Me an’ yar dad can see that.’
Carolyn sighed. ‘Oh, I wish it would.’ Again she leaned across and kissed his cheek. ‘Thank you, Grandad.’
‘Good luck,’ he called to her as she alighted from the truck’s cab. Giving him a cheery wave as he turned the truck and drove off, Carolyn picked up her kitbag and went towards the back door to face the lion – or rather lioness – in her den.
Twenty-Three
‘When do you go back?’ Lilian asked after she’d greeted her daughter. Carolyn hid her smile. She knew her mother didn’t mean it, but rather than asking ‘How long can you stay?’ the way she phrased the question sounded as if she wanted her gone.
‘I’ll have to leave early on Monday morning. Grandad picked me up from the station and he said he’ll take me back there.’
‘How did he know when to meet you?’
Carolyn grinned. ‘This new telephone is very useful.’
‘Oh yes. I was forgetting. I haven’t quite got used to the idea yet.’ Lilian paused. ‘No Beryl with you this time?’
‘No, she thought she might go home to see her family in Sheffield.’
‘It’s a shame you can’t stay another couple of days until your birthday, but I’ve made you a cake. You can take it back with you and share it with Beryl.’
The Holmes family spent a pleasant evening around the range exchanging news, though Tom had to complete his two-hour stint tuned in to the wireless. After all the usual pleasantries and Carolyn catching up with how all the members of the family were, the conversation inevitably turned to the war and its progress – or otherwise.
‘It sounds as if the Russians are holding their own,’ Eddie said. During the last week in May, the newspapers had been full of war news, both good and bad for the Allies.
‘Just,’ Carolyn said solemnly, repeating only what she had read. She sometimes gleaned a little more at work, not from the messages she took down – they were still a mystery – but from her colleagues, though she still had to be careful not to repeat any of that information. ‘We’re not doing so well against Rommel in Libya though, are we?’
‘True, but it was in yesterday’s paper that the RAF have inflicted grievous damage on Cologne,’ Eddie said.
‘It saddens me, though, that we have to demoralize the ordinary people to win the war.’
‘Well, that’s what they tried with us. Have you forgotten the London Blitz? And then there was Coventry, and Sheffield, and – oh, a host of other cities,’ Lilian said defensively. ‘Don’t try to tell me they’ve played fair.’
Carolyn sighed. ‘Sadly, there’s nothing fair in war. I don’t suppose there ever has been.’
At about nine-thirty, a knock came at the back door and Lilian jumped up. ‘That’ll be Steve.’
As his wife hurried to open the door to their visitor, Eddie said, ‘He’s the young soldier who collects Tom’s notes most nights. He’s stationed at the Point, though what’s really going on there none of us can find out. Nice young feller. Got a wife in Hull, apparently.’ He smiled. ‘Yar mam’s taken to him. She likes spoiling him. She bakes three times a week now, just so she can load him up with cakes and scones to take back to camp.’
‘Does that bother you?’
‘Heavens, no. I’m only too pleased to do whatever we can to help the lads in the services.’ He glanced at her. ‘I only hope someone where you are is being as nice to you.’
Before she could answer, Lilian came back ushering in a stocky young man with fair hair and smiling eyes. He was only a couple of inches taller than Carolyn, but his build was broad and strong. ‘This is Steve Wilson and this is our daughter, Carolyn. As you can see, she’s in the ATS. She’s got leave for the weekend.’
‘Pleased to meet you, miss.’ His handshake was strong and warm. He had a Yorkshire accent that was a little similar to Beryl’s but somehow not quite the same. But then she realized that Steve was from Hull, whereas Beryl was from Sheffield. No doubt the accents were just slightly different.
‘Sit down, sit down,’ Lilian said. ‘I’ll get you something to eat.’
Carolyn listened in amazement. She could hardly believe the change in her mother. Lilian was positively animated.
‘That’s very kind of you, Mrs Holmes, but I can’t stay tonight. I’m a bit late and I’ve got to call at Mr Fox’s yet and then ride to . . .’ He grinned. ‘Well, I can’t tell you that, but it’s quite a distance.’
‘Surely you’ve time for a cuppa?’ Lilian’s disappointment was palpable.
‘Oh, go on, then.’ He sat down beside Carolyn and grinned at her. ‘Where are you based, then?’
She laughed. ‘Now, you should know better than to ask.’
‘Aw sorry. Comes natural to ask, doesn’t it?’
As they chatted, Tom left the room and came back with a sealed envelope which Steve put straight into an inside pocket. ‘I hope this is worth my long ride. It’s starting to rain out there.’
Now it was Tom’s turn to laugh and say, ‘I couldn’t possibly say.’
Steve pulled a comical face and then said, ‘Well, one thing I can tell you that wouldn’t be giving away any secrets is that whenever I arrive at wherever I’m going, they grab the two envelopes – yours and Mr Fox’s – and rush off with them as if they can’t wait to tear them open and find out what you’ve sent. So, yes, I think what we’re all doing must be valuable.’
At that moment, Lilian returned carrying a cup of tea and a bulging paper bag.
‘I’ve put some scones for you in here. You might feel peckish before you get back.’
‘You’re very kind. Thank you. I wish my Sally could bake like you. She’s a grand lass, but she’s no cook.’
‘Have you heard from her recently?’ Eddie asked.
Steve shook his head. ‘No. Post is a bit hit and miss. Sometimes you don’t hear for ages and then four letters arrive all together. It’s a worry though. Hull’s had quite a lot of bombing and although I’ve made sure Sal and her mam have got a good shelter to go to, I do worry about both of them, ’specially if I don’t hear.’
‘Do all your family live in Hull?’ Carolyn asked.
His face sobered suddenly and he shook his head. ‘I haven’t got any other family. Only Sal. I was brought up in the orphanage in Hull. My dad was a sailor and was lost at sea just before I was born and my mam died of tuberculosis when I was about one, so I’ve been told. I don’t remember her.’
‘Oh that’s so sad,’ Lilian said. ‘Didn’t you have any aunts or uncles?’
Steve pulled a face. ‘To be honest, I’ve no idea. Obviously, no one who was willing to take me in. Times were hard then,’ he said with a shrug. ‘If there was anyone, then I can’t blame them for not wanting to take on another mouth to feed. But my family now is Sal and her mam. She lives in the same street, just a couple of houses away, which is nice for Sal while I’m away. They’re very close and they both have a lot of friends, so Sal’s got plenty of company and help if she needs it.’
