A Flight of Golden Wings

by Beryl Matthews

  Because Simon had run his own flying school before the war, he was doing more and more administration work at the ATA school. Not that he minded. He was making regular flights in the taxi and at least one delivery a day, so he was still doing plenty of flying.

  With work over for the day he was relaxing in the Mess when he saw Jack wander in looking distracted. Ever since Pearl Harbor, Simon had been expecting him to say that he would be returning to America. Quite a few of the others had gone, except Rob, who had no intention of leaving. Simon was hoping Jack would stay as well. He was an excellent instructor and the pupils got on well with him. He was going to be sorely missed if he did leave them.

  Jack was standing just inside the doorway, and then he spotted Simon and headed for him.

  ‘Hi, Simon, mind if I talk to you?’

  ‘Sit down, Jack, and tell me what’s on your mind.’ Simon pushed a mug and the pot towards him. ‘The tea’s still hot.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Jack poured and stirred sugar into the tea. After a pause, he looked up. ‘I’ve always been restless. That’s why I took up flying. I thought barnstorming around the country would help me to find what I was looking for. But it didn’t. When I decided to come here I had no idea what to expect. I found death and destruction, beauty and kindness, freezing cold lodgings and terrible food. I found laughter and sadness, and a dogged determination to survive, whatever the cost.’

  Simon wondered where this was leading, but he said nothing, allowing Jack to talk freely – something he rarely did.

  ‘I’ve also found genuine friendship, and I’ve never been so happy. I love what I’m doing; I love the country and the people. For the first time in my life I feel as if I’m where I should be. I’ve thought long and hard about what I should do. I can’t leave, Simon. I belong here and I’ve decided to stay.’

  ‘That’s good news indeed, Jack. We need you.’

  ‘Thanks.’ He sat back and smiled for the first time. ‘It’s taken a lot of soul-searching, but I know I’ve made the right decision.’

  ‘And talking of need, could you fly the taxi for me tomorrow?’

  ‘Sure, no problem.’

  ‘Thanks, I’ll give you the schedule in the morning.’ Simon was delighted Jack was staying. Not only was he a first-class pilot, but also he had become a good friend, and Simon had enormous respect for the tall American.

  The girls had collected their delivery chits and were waiting for the taxi, which was coming from White Waltham today. Ruth smothered a laugh as she watched Gussie. Fed up with spending too much time on the ground because of short days and bad weather, and missing Don, her friend had taken up knitting. She was sitting in the corner of the Mess, a deep frown on her face and tongue caught between her teeth. The wool was a tangled heap, as usual, and Ruth knew it wouldn’t be long before it was dumped on her to sort out. Gussie had even tried to knit in the taxi, but that only resulted in more dropped stitches. The sooner she found herself another boyfriend, the better, because Gussie didn’t appear to have a creative bone in her body.

  One of the recent additions to their group at Hamble was Sylvia, a petite, glamorous blonde, but a good pilot. The only problem was that it was sometimes difficult to see her in the cockpit and it was disconcerting to see a fighter flying itself. She was also not known for her patience.

  ‘We’ll lose this slot of clear weather if we don’t get going soon.’ She sighed irritably. ‘Where the blazes is that taxi?’

  ‘Just coming in now.’ Gussie thrust the knitting at Ruth. ‘Do the usual, Ruthie.’

  Stuffing it in her bag, Ruth fought back a smile. Perhaps she could lose it during the day.

  ‘Ah, it’s the big man himself.’ Gussie’s frown disappeared as Jack strode in.

  ‘Hi, gals, who wants a lift this morning?’

  Sylvia sidled up to Ruth. ‘Who’s that? I haven’t seen him before.’

  ‘Jack Nelson. He’s one of our American instructors.’

  ‘Really?’ Sylvia hadn’t taken her eyes off Jack as he talked with Jane, receiving further instructions for the day. ‘I wouldn’t mind him instructing me in a few things. American, you say?’

  ‘That’s right,’ Ruth said. But she was talking to an empty space. Sylvia was already across the room.

  ‘Why didn’t you warn her off, Ruthie?’

  ‘He doesn’t belong to me, Gussie.’

  ‘No, but that’s your fault. You try to pretend that you don’t care for him, but you do. Why on earth don’t you make a move – just like that bundle of sex appeal is doing right now?’

  Jack had his head bent as he listened to something Sylvia was saying, a smile on his face. Ruth turned away, not wanting to acknowledge the stab of jealousy she felt. ‘I’m not going to chase after any man. You know the American men aren’t slow when it comes to chatting up the girls, but Jack’s never shown the slightest interest in me, except as a friend. I’m not going to make a fool of myself!’

  Gussie pursed her lips. ‘But you are going to invite him home for Christmas?’

  ‘Of course. My parents want him to come.’

  ‘Of course.’ Gussie raised her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. ‘And your feelings don’t come into it?’

  ‘Certainly not. I admit that I’m attracted to him, but it’s up to him to make the first move, if he’s interested.’

  ‘Right, gals, lets get this show in the air.’ Jack waved across the room to Ruth and Gussie, and then walked out with Sylvia at his side.

  ‘Men are so easily taken in by a pretty face, aren’t they?’ Gussie muttered as they piled into the Anson. ‘Not that yours isn’t lovely, Ruthie,’ she added hastily.

  Ruth laughed. ‘Do you know, Gussie, I believe there’s a real romantic under your devil-may-care attitude.’

  ‘Course there is. Have you only just discovered that?’

  Three of them got out at Cowley; the rest were going on to another factory airfield at Aston Down.

  When Jack jumped down to help them out, Ruth took her chance to mention her parents’ invitation. There was no telling when she would run into him again. ‘My parents would like you to join us for Christmas again – that’s if you’ll still be here, of course.’

  ‘Tell them thanks, I’d like that.’ His smile was one of genuine pleasure. ‘I’m not leaving, Ruth. I’ve decided to stay here.’

  ‘Oh, I’m so glad.’ Ruth couldn’t hide her relief at Jack’s decision to stay, and then tried to cover it by saying, ‘Simon and everyone at the flying school will be pleased that both you and Rob are staying.’

  ‘So they’ve said.’ Jack tipped his head on one side, thoughtfully. ‘And what about you, honey; are you pleased I’m staying?’

  ‘Of course I am,’ she admitted. What was the point of denying it? ‘And my parents will be over the moon.’

  ‘Jack!’ There were calls from the inside of the plane. ‘Will you stop gassing? We’ve got work to do.’

  ‘You’d better get going,’ Ruth laughed, ‘or they’ll take off without you.’

  He spun around quickly. ‘Whoa, gals, don’t worry – I’ll get you there in no time at all.’

  With a couple of easy moves, Jack was back in the pilot’s seat, the banter continuing as he turned for take-off.

  Gussie and Ruth were waving and grinning. Sylvia was still standing beside them.

  ‘Erm … you seem very friendly with him, Ruth. Would I be treading on your toes by making up to him?’

  ‘Not at all,’ she lied. ‘He’s a good friend, that’s all.’

  ‘So you don’t mind?’

  ‘Do your best.’ Ruth smiled sweetly as the thought ran through her head – and I’ll break your neck if you succeed.

  They went their separate ways. Ruth collected a Spitfire for delivery to Ternhill, and soared into the air, elated. Jack was staying and she’d just admitted to herself that her feelings for him had grown to more than friendship. She was a fool, of course, but with his decision to stay the day of parting had
been postponed.

  She listened to the sound of the Merlin engine and felt the power of the plane. This aircraft could do so much but, as ferry pilots, they had to fly them straight from one destination to another. She glanced around, up, down and behind, to check that the sky was empty. No one would know.

  For ten minutes she indulged in rolls, spins and even a somersault. When she straightened out again she was breathless with sheer joy. The Spitfire certainly lived up to its reputation. What a plane!

  Another quick look around showed she was still up there on her own. She’d just broken all the rules, but that was the kind of mood she was in.

  ‘Just you watch out, Jack Nelson,’ she shouted. ‘You’re next, and to hell with the consequences!’

  Chapter Fourteen

  There was a lot in the mailbox that morning and Lucy shuffled the letters looking for the important ones. There were two from Jack, one for each of them. He could send letters addressed to both of them, but he never did. Their mother always received a separate one from him. He was thoughtful like that, and she knew it meant a lot to their mom.

  Lucy’s hand shook slightly when she saw the letter she had been waiting anxiously for, but she’d save that for later, knowing her mother would be upset if it was a date for her to go to Canada at last. After the terrible attack by the Japanese, she was praying that the idea of sending female pilots over to England had not been cancelled. Even if Jack came home, she still wanted to go. If the scheme was cancelled then she would make her own way to England. Ruth would help her when she arrived, she was sure.

  ‘Anything from Jack?’ Bet was waiting for Lucy. She handed over her mother’s letters, and they both sat down to read.

  ‘He’s not coming back, Lucy.’ Bet’s voice was heavy with disappointment. ‘I was sure he would now we are at war as well.’

  Jack obviously hadn’t gone into detail in Bet’s letter, but in Lucy’s he had spelt out his reasons for staying. It listed the good and bad points and how important he felt the work was. But the unspoken words came through loud and clear: he loved what he was doing and he loved where he was. She read this out to her mother.

  There was silence for a moment as Bet digested her son’s reasons for staying with the ATA. Then she gave Lucy a tremulous smile. ‘He’s happy, isn’t he?’

  ‘Yes, Mom, I believe he’s found something special in England.’

  ‘I’m sure glad about that. He was a restless boy from the moment he was born. And as he grew he was always looking over the horizon to see what was there. I never did know what he was looking for, but I guess he’s found it at last.’ Bet read further down her own letter. ‘He says he’s spending Christmas with Ruth’s folks again. I wonder if there’s a romance between him and Ruth?’

  ‘He’s never said.’

  ‘No, well, he wouldn’t. You know your brother, Lucy.’

  ‘Sure do. Whatever he feels for her, he’ll keep to himself.’

  The next letter Lucy opened was from Ruth. She yelped with delight when a photo fell out. ‘Wow, look at this, Mom! It’s some of the girls sitting on a Spitfire!’

  Bet was immediately next to her daughter as they studied the picture. ‘Which one’s Ruth?’

  ‘She says she’s on the wing, third from the left. There, that’s her. Oh, look at the way they’re all laughing, and isn’t she pretty? And don’t they look terrific in their uniforms!’

  ‘They’re a fine bunch.’ Bet stifled a sigh when she saw her daughter’s animated expression. ‘Now Jack’s staying I suppose you’ll still go and join them?’

  ‘I’d have gone even if Jack had come back.’

  ‘Course you would. I raised a couple of brave youngsters, didn’t I?’ She kissed her daughter’s cheek. ‘Have you heard anything yet?’

  ‘I think this is news.’ Lucy studied the letter in her hands, but made no move to open it.

  ‘Don’t keep us in suspense. See what it says.’

  Lucy slit open the envelope, her heart thumping, and read slowly.

  ‘Well?’

  ‘I’ve been asked to go to Canada in six weeks’ time to go through various tests.’ The excitement and relief suddenly became too much for her and she leapt to her feet, dragging her mother up and dancing her around the room. ‘They want me, Mom! They want me!’

  ‘Never doubted it for a minute. You and your brother are the best damned pilots in the whole world.’ Bet joined in her daughter’s celebration with enthusiasm. ‘I’m real proud of both of you.’

  Christmas came and went, followed by the New Year. No one knew what 1942 would bring, but one thing was for sure: if Lucy did well in Canada, she would soon be heading for England. And so would a lot of American troops, by the look of things.

  Bet had joined up with a group of women and thrown herself into fundraising to help the war effort. She had also gone to work in an engineering factory making parts for tanks. Lucy was relieved to see all this activity. At least her mother wouldn’t be sitting at home alone while both of her children were overseas.

  The time arrived for Lucy to make her way to Montreal, and she was pleased she’d spent the last few months training for her instructor’s rating. She’d seen Jack do this before he’d applied to join the ATA, and she was sure it had helped her in the selection process.

  There were twenty-five girls hoping to be chosen, and it was an exciting time. After trying out in Harvards and undergoing lengthy medical and other flying tests, the first ones were selected. Lucy was overjoyed to be chosen as one of the first five to make the journey. The others would follow at intervals. Then it was on a train to Newfoundland to await the convoy to take them to England.

  Spring was just around the corner, and Ruth wandered in her mother’s garden. It was always referred to in this way because it was entirely Alice’s domain. Ruth had two days off and had come home to relax. The Hamble pool had doubled in size since they’d moved there, and the women had progressed, taking on more and more different aircraft. Ruth and Gussie had applied for the Class 4+ rating so they could fly all types of twin-engine planes, but they hadn’t heard anything yet.

  ‘Hi, Ruth.’

  She spun around, surprised. ‘Jack! I didn’t know you were coming. I could have brought you in my car.’

  ‘I didn’t know myself until Simon told me to clear off for a couple of days. Only not as politely as that.’

  ‘Why did he do that?’ Now she came to look closely at him, he did appear to be rather drawn and tired.

  ‘Jane told me that the first batch of American women are on their way. Lucy’s one of them.’

  She guessed immediately his concern. ‘You’re worried about the sea journey.’

  ‘Yeah, it’s damned dangerous.’

  ‘You made it all right, Jack, and there’s no reason why Lucy shouldn’t.’ She placed a hand on his arm in a gesture of reassurance.

  He clasped her hand. ‘I know that, but some haven’t.’

  She was well aware that some pilots had been lost at sea on the way over when their ships had been torpedoed, but she spoke brightly. ‘I’m really going to meet her at last! Do you know when she’s arriving?’

  ‘No, Jane couldn’t give me that information, but she said she’d let me know as soon as the ship docks.’

  ‘Tea’s ready!’ Ruth’s mother called.

  Jack still held Ruth’s hand as they walked back to the house. She couldn’t help remembering her wild ride in the Spitfire and declaring that he was next on her list. But she hadn’t done anything about it. They were closer now and they shared an easy friendship, but he’d only ever kissed her on the cheek, like a brother. She just couldn’t fathom what his true feelings for her were, so she kept their meetings light. However, she was pleased he’d come to her when worried about his sister, but he was certainly different from some of the American troops who had arrived at the end of January. From the tales she’d heard, they pursued the girls with enthusiasm, and loved the British pubs. They were determined to make the b
est of being so far away from home, and no one could blame them for that.

  ‘Why don’t you both go to the pictures tonight?’ Ruth’s mother suggested as she handed round the tea. ‘They’re showing Gone with the Wind again at the Rex cinema. You haven’t seen it yet, have you, Ruth?’

  She was about to protest that Jack wouldn’t want to go, but was stopped.

  ‘What?’ Jack looked at Ruth in surprise. ‘You haven’t seen it yet?’

  ‘I just haven’t found the time.’

  ‘We’ll have to put that right.’ He turned to Alice. ‘Do you know what time it’s showing?’

  ‘Last house is seven o’clock.’

  ‘Shall we go, Ruth? It’ll do us good to relax. It’s a great film and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.’

  He seemed so enthusiastic that she couldn’t refuse. At least it would take his mind off worrying about his sister for a while. She nodded. ‘We can take my car. I’ve got enough petrol for that short journey.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that, my dear.’ Her father gave her a sly wink. ‘I’ve got a couple of gallons in the garage. I’ve been saving them for you.’

  ‘Want to drive?’ Ruth asked as they were leaving. When Jack nodded, she tossed him the keys.

  He seemed more relaxed now and began to talk about his barnstorming days, and some of the crazy things he and Lucy had got up to. ‘There was this Austrian pilot who chased Lucy from show to show. She couldn’t get rid of him. He was nice enough, but she just wasn’t interested. The war in Europe put a stop to it when he had to return home – much to Lucy’s relief.’

  That reminded Ruth about Sylvia, and she couldn’t stop herself from asking, ‘Have you seen much of Sylvia?’

  There was a slight hesitation, then he said, ‘I’ve tripped over her now and again.’

  The way he’d phrased the answer told her that Sylvia had indeed been running after him. She was quite lovely looking and had caused a lot of interest amongst the men. They were queuing up to take her out, and Ruth couldn’t imagine that Jack would be immune to her obvious charms. ‘She’s been interested in you ever since she first saw you. Have you taken her out?’