The Road to Liberation: Trials and Triumphs of WWII

by Marion Kummerow

  Sally couldn’t believe her ears. Who had done that? “The Daltons?” she squeaked.

  “No, they seemed content to just beat him. These injuries were inflicted some time ago. Perhaps six months to a year ago. Has he said anything?”

  “No, but I haven’t spoken to him much.” Sally shook her head and then remembered. “Rachel said he was in a place called Dachau, in Germany. She said her father died there, after he and her brothers and other Jewish men were rounded up and sent to live there. Harry and his father were sent there too.”

  “That would explain it. I’ve heard about Dachau. He is lucky to have been released and even luckier to have been on the train. Most survivors of the camps don’t stay free for long. They disappear or are locked up again. The Nazis don’t like examples of their handy-work walking the streets.”

  Sally told them what Rachel had said about her mother collecting her father’s ashes. Maggie burst into tears. “Those poor darlings. Such lovely girls,” Maggie sobbed. “What sort of animals would do something like that?”

  Sally handed her a hanky. The doctor coughed before he continued. “I am hearing similar stories when I go to London to visit my club. Most hope it is lies or exaggerations. I have met many German doctors, fine men. I can’t imagine they would condone anything remotely like that. What’s been happening in Germany since the early 1930s is a disgrace. What’s worse is nobody did a thing about it and now we find ourselves in the middle of a war. Another one.”

  Sally didn’t want to discuss the last war. She quickly steered the conversation back to the matter in hand, addressing the Reverend. “Those other boys, the ones I left on the farm. What will happen to them?”

  “We,” The Reverend glanced at the men, “will go there now. I am very disappointed with two regular churchgoers. I will appeal to their better natures.”

  “Good luck with that, Reverend,” Sally muttered but she sensed he heard her, as his eyes widened but he didn’t argue. She had to be alone. To grab a couple of seconds to process everything before she had to put on a smile for the younger children.

  “I best get home and get some water on for that young man’s bath. Thank you for looking after the children, Maggie.”

  “Pleasure. They were darlings, all three of them. Ruth played mother, Tomas was a soldier, and Liesl was her usual happy self. A little ray of sunshine.”

  Tears made her voice shake. “Thank you all. Reverend be gentle with those boys, they are terrified. Constable, Mr. Dalton threatened me.”

  “What did he say he’d do?”

  “He said Derek wasn’t here to protect me so I should go home and mind my own business.” Sally didn’t add what Aggie had said about her mother. She’d tell that to Maggie when they were alone.

  “I shall remind Dalton that your husband is away fighting for our country. If you have any more trouble from him, Mrs. Matthews you are to tell me right away. Can’t have anyone threatening nice young ladies, like that.”

  Sally blushed, although the constable was old enough to be her father. “Ask Rachel to drop the children home for me, will you please, Maggie?” Sally called, as she walked out the door.

  “I’ll call to check on you later, Sally,” Maggie said. Sally heard her tell the constable to get Dalton on a short leash as she wouldn’t be held accountable if he touched a hair on Sally’s head.

  Good old Maggie, she was always there when she needed her. Sally strolled to her own house, trying to get her emotions in check before she went inside. She had to be strong for the child waiting for her. Despite his fifteen years and his conviction he was old enough to look after himself, she sensed he was terrified. Who wouldn’t be, given his experiences?

  21

  She opened her front door, calling out to let Harry know she was home. She didn’t want to scare him.

  One glimpse at his face told her he’d been crying but she sensed he’d rather she ignored that. She headed straight into the kitchen.

  “Would you like a sandwich while I heat the water for your bath? Dinner won’t be ready for a while.”

  “I can wait. Thank you, Aunt Sally.” He gave her a hesitant smile.

  “You can call me Sally. You’re a man, after all.”

  He smiled again, completely transforming his face. She could see he’d be handsome once he got regular good food and lost the haunted look from his eyes. How could anyone hurt this child and others like him? She pushed those thoughts aside. She had to concentrate on the tasks at hand, as dissolving into a puddle of tears wouldn’t help either of them.

  “The bath is upstairs, in the bathroom.” She pinched herself as she said it. Rose cottage was the first home she’d had with an indoor bathroom. Shivering, she thought of the old days in her grandmother’s house, when she’d had to fill a tin bath with water, bathe, and then empty it out again. Now, thanks to Derek’s talents as a handyman and his savings, she enjoyed all the luxuries. “But it will take a while to get enough hot water. Sit down and I will make you a drink.”

  He smiled, as he took a seat at the table.

  “You are kind. Tomas has grown very big. Baby too.”

  “They are wonderful children.” She turned to face him. “Both of them.”

  He nodded. “I will keep my word.”

  Relaxing slightly, she started preparing the dinner. Although he’d said no to a sandwich, she gave him one anyway.

  “When was the last time you ate?” she asked, as it disappeared in seconds.

  “Yesterday. Lunchtime. Farmer said we didn’t do enough work so we couldn’t eat.”

  The rage inside her built up again. She chopped the vegetables fiercely, through her tears. He stood up and took the knife from her. “You chop fingers off. Not help anyone.” He grinned as he took over preparing the vegetables.

  She made them a cup of tea. When the water was hot enough, she led him to the bathroom giving him a towel and showing him where the soap was. She pointed to Derek’s shaving stuff. “You can borrow those if you want.”

  He nodded, glancing around.

  She pointed to the bedroom opposite. “That is a small room filled with bits and pieces, but I can clear it out for you, or you can share that one with Tomas. It is up to you.”

  “I share.”

  She nodded. “Put your clothes in the corner. I can wash them, although I doubt they can be saved. Do you have something else to wear?”

  “My Sunday clothes.”

  His tone told her everything. The Daltons couldn’t have let the boys attend church wearing the rags she had seen. She looked Harry in the eyes.

  “Did you want to attend church?”

  He shook his head. “We not have choice.”

  “You do here. If you want to come to church, you can. If not, you don’t have to. Tomas said no, so he stays with Rachel and Ruth. They also mind Liesl.”

  “You not mind?”

  “Harry, you are free here. Free to make your own choices.”

  She couldn’t say anything else but turned and walked down the stairs.

  22

  The next few months passed so peacefully, everyone found it hard to believe Britain was at war.

  “Aunt Sally, we got more children in our school today. They arrived on trains and have brown paper bags with them. They are so lucky. They have biscuits and chocolate, tins of meat, and milk. They said it was called iron-rations. I don’t understand that. Is iron not a metal? And, why do they look so sad, when they have such nice food?”

  “Tom, those children are sad because they had to leave their families and their homes. The Iron-rations are the name given to the food parcels they were given to last forty-eight hours until they find new homes.”

  “Are they Jewish too?” Tom looked so puzzled that Sally couldn’t hide her smile.

  “No darling, although some of them might be. They have been sent here, as the Government doesn’t think they are safe living in London. They live in areas near the docks, which could be bombed. So, they have to live in saf
er areas.”

  “They are like us then. I should be friendly to them.”

  “Yes, darling. You should. They will be placed with different families in the village.”

  “Will some come here to live with us?”

  “No, we don’t have room. Now, what are we going to do today?” Sally wanted to get off the reason for the evacuees leaving their families.

  “Heinz wanted to take some pictures with the camera. You said he could. It’s a sunny day. Could we go to Brooklands?”

  “Brooklands?” Surprised, she looked at him. “What do you know about Brooklands?”

  Tomas stared at her as if she had two heads. “Every German boy knows Brooklands. It’s where the car drivers used to race their cars. Can we go see it? Please?”

  “Not now. It’s not a racetrack anymore. It’s been turned into a factory and we wouldn’t be allowed near there. Why don’t we go to Virginia Water instead? To the lake? Would you like that?”

  Tom considered for a few seconds, “can we bring a picnic?”

  “Yes Tom, now go and get ready.” Sally exchanged a smile with Harry.

  “He loves living with you. He is so happy here.” Heinz reached over to hand Liesl to Sally. “Liesl loves you too.”

  “You don’t mind that she calls me Mum? It was the first word she said to me.”

  “No, you are like her mother. You protect her, feed her, keep her warm. You are a good parent.”

  Embarrassed, she looked away. “Do you think Tom minds? He’s sleeping a little better, I think. He has lost that haunted look he had when we first met at Liverpool Street station. But I think you building the Anderson shelter at the weekend made him a little scared.”

  Heinz grimaced. “I tried to turn it into a game. He has to know if the siren goes, he must go to the shelter. Tomas is right. All Germans know about Brooklands. The Luftwaffe will know it is near London and could use it as a target.”

  Sally didn’t want to think about bombing raids. It was frightening enough to have to carry gas masks everywhere.

  “When we get back this evening, Sally, I will have to cover the windows for the blackout.”

  “Thank you, Harry. I don’t know what I would do without your help.”

  She could see he was pleased, even if he found it hard to show it.

  When they got home from the picnic, Harry and Sally covered all the windows in Rose Cottage. On the inside, they covered the windows in a crisscross fashion with tape.

  “This way, if the glass breaks it won’t fly all over us,” Sally explained. Harry helped her hang the black-out curtains. They had to be closed carefully every evening or the ARP man would come around and threaten to fine her. Sally made sure she never broke any regulations. She’d listened to enough horrible comments from her old friend, Enid Brown, as well as Aggie Dalton, to know that having Germans living in her house caused suspicion.

  “Harry, soon it will be Christmas. I always have a Christmas tree, will that upset you?”

  “Me? No. Why?”

  “I know Jews don’t celebrate Christmas.”

  “No, but you’re not Jewish, Sally, unless you want to convert. I would say it is not the best time.”

  Sally laughed at his black humor. “I would like to have a tree. It’s not Christmas without it.”

  “I shall go and find you the best tree there is. My thank you for looking after my family.”

  “I will take everyone out for a treat. We shall go and see a Laurel and Hardy picture.”

  “But it will be in English. You shouldn’t waste your money.”

  “No Harry, don’t think that way. You will laugh so much your tummy will hurt. I promise.”

  Her prediction turned out to be true. Rachel and Harry, seated together, both laughed so much they cried. Maggie and Sally enjoyed seeing the young couple act their age for once and not have to act like an adult.

  At Christmas, Reverend Collins, Maggie, and the girls came to Sally’s house where she cooked a traditional Christmas dinner.

  “Have you heard from Derek?”

  Sally shook her head. “I got a letter, but he doesn’t seem to have got any of my letters. He’s somewhere in France. I don’t know where, but he says he is involved in training men. He was supposed to get leave but fell ill and landed in hospital for a bit. He wasn’t bad enough to send him home.”

  Maggie patted her back.

  “I never thought I’d wish my husband ill, Maggie but if he had been worse, I could have seen him. It’s so hard not seeing him. I miss him so much.” Sally turned away not wanting her friend to see her tears.

  “Sally, go upstairs and let the tears come. You’ll feel better. Come back in a while. The children won’t even notice.”

  Sally escaped while she could. After a good cry, she felt much better and rejoined the celebrations. When she came back downstairs, she found Harry alone in the front room.

  “Harry, it’s freezing in here. Why aren’t you in the kitchen with the others?”

  “I needed to think.”

  “You miss your family?”

  “Always but it is not what I think about. I wonder what will happen to me. I can’t stay here without going to school or working. I feel useless.”

  “Never say that Harry. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “You are very kind Sally but not everyone is like you. At some point, people will wonder why I do not contribute to the war effort. I should be fighting the Nazis, not sitting here while my people are being murdered.”

  Sally didn’t want to hear any more. “Wait until you are older, Harry, please.”

  He didn’t answer but stayed sitting in the dark, while she returned to the others. Maggie glanced at her, concern in her eyes but she smiled to reassure her friend. She had to put a brave face on for the children.

  23

  January 1940

  “Maggie, did you hear the news?” Sally called, as she pushed open the door to the rectory.

  “I didn’t need to. I saw the queues in Callaghan’s shop. Everyone was buying up all the tea, bacon, and butter they could afford. Mr. Callaghan almost had a riot on his hands. He sold out of everything.”

  Sally looked at her empty basket. “I was just going down there now. I guess you saved me a trip.”

  “I did more than that. I got some for you. I didn’t bother with bacon as I guessed you don’t cook that for the boys. But I got you butter and sugar. I know how you like your tea.”

  “When do you think tea will go on ration? The newspapers haven’t said when but they said it will happen.”

  “Margarine, cooking fats, and tea will be next, according to the Reverend. Don’t know where he hears things but I’ve learnt to listen. I know we shouldn’t hoard things, Sally but I can’t live without my cup of tea. It’s the Irish in me. I have a good excuse.”

  Sally burst out laughing, taking Maggie by surprise, until she laughed too.

  “Did you see Constable Halton? He mentioned he was going to call on you?”

  “Me, why? Please say it’s not because of Harry.”

  The puzzled expression on Maggie’s face made her feel better.

  “No, it’s to do with pigs.”

  “What? I don’t know anything about raising pigs.”

  “They are going to raise two pigs at the police station. Constable Halton read about it somewhere. Seems the idea is the whole community contributes food for the pigs until they are ready to be slaughtered. When that time comes, everyone who fed the pig gets a share.”

  “Eww, I don’t fancy that, do you? I think if I raised a pig, I would think of it as a pet.”

  Maggie splurted her tea out over the table. “Sally Matthews, you’d never make a farmer. Where do you think your meat comes from?”

  “I prefer never to think about it.”

  Maggie chortled. “I will remind you of this conversation later in the war when Germany has starved us.”

  “Maggie Ardle. You should be ashamed of yoursel
f. You can’t let people hear you say something like that. You will be accused of defeatism.” Although joking, Sally didn’t want to think about the government warnings that food supplies would run short if they weren’t careful. The government posters were worrying enough, without Maggie driving the point home.

  “Ah, will you go on with you. I’ll keep your shopping for myself if you say things like that.”

  Sally kissed her friend on the cheek. “I’ll send Harry over to collect it. It will give him a chance to see Rachel.”

  “Are you still trying to match-make between those two?”

  Sally grinned. “I think they are in love and its very sweet. We need something to make us smile in times like this.”

  She left Maggie giggling behind her. Harry took over shopping for rations, leaving Sally free to volunteer at Botley’s Park hospital. The patients at the mental hospital had been moved to another facility to create room for injured servicemen.

  She enjoyed the time at the hospital although there weren’t many war patients. She liked chatting to other women her age and then going home to the children after her shifts. She had the best of both worlds.

  24

  June 1st, 1940

  Sally almost crawled home from her shift at the hospital. She should have finished hours ago but the wounded kept on coming. The sheer numbers of injured men overwhelmed the small hospital. She’d tried her best to help the harassed nurses but rolling bandages, cleaning bedpans, and making beds were as much as she could do. She admired the nurses’ skills, as much as their ability to remain calm, even cheerful, in the light of so much suffering.

  She checked the face of every new patient, looking for Derek, thankful that she didn’t find him.

  As she got closer to Rose Cottage, she noticed a small crowd standing outside. What was going on?