Together Under the Stars

by Beryl Matthews

  Steve could see Tom was greatly concerned and he was sorry to have caused this fine family more heartache.

  They returned to base the next day and he was pleased to see Sandy already there. ‘How were the Lakes?’ he asked.

  ‘Beautiful, and I even managed to fit in a quick visit to York. Did you and Nancy go exploring?’

  ‘We saw as much as possible in the time available, and we really enjoyed ourselves.’

  Everyone came back that day and they soon settled into the military routine once again. Two days later their transfers came through – much sooner than expected, causing a variety of reactions. There was excitement they were going home, but Luke and Ricky were sad they had to leave their wives behind after such a short time together. They had no idea how long it would take for permission to come through for them to come to Canada. Steve knew it was going to be distressing to leave Nancy not knowing if they would ever see each other again, but that was the situation and he had to accept it. The only one of the group who didn’t have a problem was Sandy.

  They were sailing from Liverpool in four days’ time, and they all agreed that the speed of their departure was probably a good thing, as it gave them less time to fret over what they were leaving behind.

  It was a frantic rush to see everyone. Steve had wanted to go and see the farmer and little Beth, but there just wasn’t enough time, so he wrote them a long letter giving his home address, and saying that he would be pleased to hear from them if they felt like writing.

  They all made a mad dash to London and spent an evening at the pub with Harry and the regulars.

  On their last night at the base, they threw a huge party for the ground crews who had looked after them so diligently. Steve also handed Sarge his address, asking him to write and let him know how he was getting on.

  Sybil had arrived from London, although they had tried to convince the girls not to come and see them off because it would be too upsetting for all of them. They flatly refused, determined to wave their men off on their voyage home.

  ‘Wow! Look at that,’ Ricky exclaimed, when they arrived at the dock the next morning. ‘This ship is going to be packed. I haven’t seen this many Canadians since we left home.’

  A sailor came up to them and said they should report in at the office and then board as quickly as possible.

  The girls were there to see them off, and so were many more who had come to wave off the men they had become attached to.

  Steve gathered Nancy in his arms, and held on tightly for a moment, saying only, ‘I love you,’ then he turned and strode away, for there was nothing else to say.

  They were soon being ushered up the ramp and on to the ship where they pushed their way to the rail for a last look at the girls. There were tears in many eyes as the ship sounded its horn and began to pull away from the dock. Slowly they began to move out to sea with everyone still waving franti­cally.

  As the shore faded in the distance, Luke sighed. ‘I’m going to miss Sybil, the Lancaster, as well as everything else, and everyone we have met.’

  ‘Me too, it’s hard leaving so much behind,’ Steve admitted. ‘It has been quite an experience, and those Lancasters were a joy to fly.’

  Sandy nodded. ‘It was like hell at times, but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. And to be honest, after the first mission, I doubted we would ever see our homes again.’

  Ricky turned to face the open sea. ‘Somehow we made it, and at least we won’t have submarines chasing us this time. Let’s go and find out where we can bunk down. Space is going to be at a premium by the look of things.’

  Conditions on the troopship were crowded and uncom­fortable, but the food was plentiful, and they didn’t give a damn because they were going home. The weather was calm and they spent most of their time on deck, where all sorts of activities were going on, mostly gambling, and all four of them avoided that. Some of the men were going to be broke by the end of the voyage.

  When their country came into sight, they crowded the rail, eager to see the place they called home, and very aware they were lucky to be seeing it again.

  ‘Wonder if anyone will be there to meet us?’

  ‘It will depend on whether they have received our letters in time, Sandy, but I doubt it.’ Even so Luke scanned the crowd hopefully.

  ‘I know, but it would be lovely to have someone to welcome us back.’

  ‘Well, look at that crowd, and there’s even a band playing,’ Ricky pointed out excitedly. ‘We are getting a big welcome home even if our folks aren’t here.’

  The moment the ship was tied up they disembarked and searched the crowd in the hope there might be someone there they knew, but they couldn’t see any of their families.

  ‘Sirs.’

  They spun round to find a young airman standing behind them. He saluted and studied them for a brief moment before informing them that he had come to take them to the Shearwater base. ‘If you will come with me, sirs, I have a car waiting outside.’

  When they arrived at the base, their documents were checked and they were given a meal of steaks, much to their delight. After that they were shown to quarters and slept soundly all night.

  The next morning, they were welcomed back by the commanding officer, and told there was a transport plane leaving in two hours for Alberta. ‘It will be landing at your old training base, so you can catch a ride and that will get you home much faster.’

  They hurried off to collect their kit, delighted to have this chance to fly back instead of a long train journey.

  When they boarded the plane, they strapped themselves into the pull-down seats and smiled at each other. They were nearly home.

  The moment they were airborne, Steve rested his head back and was instantly asleep.

  ‘I wish I could do that.’ Luke had to shout above the noise of the engines.

  The other two nodded and settled down to wait out the journey.

  The moment they touched down Steve awoke and they were all eager to get a glimpse of the place they knew so well. After reporting in they were given a meal and an even larger steak this time.

  ‘Now I know we are home,’ Ricky said, popping a piece in his mouth and rolling his eyes with pleasure.

  When the meal was over, they began to explore their old training ground. Most of the people they had known had moved on to other places, but they did find one flying instructor who was still there. He was pleased to see two of the pilots he had trained and had clearly acquitted them­selves well.

  It was the next morning before they were summoned to present themselves to the officer in charge. There had obvi­ously been a change here as well, because they didn’t know this officer. He greeted them with a smile. ‘Welcome home.’

  ‘Thank you, sir.’ They all saluted smartly.

  ‘Your requests for demob are being processed, but with the volume to be dealt with it could take several weeks. However, as of now you are officially free to return to your homes. You will be informed when your release comes through. You have served the RCAF with distinction, so go home, rest and relax. You have earned that.’

  Just then there was a tap on the door and an airman came in. ‘An urgent message, sir. A private plane is requesting permission to land here. He is only fifteen minutes away.’

  ‘Name of pilot?’

  ‘Allard, sir. He said he is coming to enquire about his son and friends.’

  ‘Permission granted.’

  The airman ran out and the officer fixed his gaze on Steve. ‘Flying comes in the family, it seems.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘You had better get out there, then.’

  No sooner were the words out of the officer’s mouth when there was a stampede to get out to the airfield, just in time to see a small plane make a smooth landing. The moment the plane stopped and the engines were switched off, Steve was running towards it. The man who got out was an older version of his son, and they hugged in joy at the unexpected reunion.

  His
father held him away so he could study him carefully. ‘My word, your mother is going to be shocked. There is no sign of the boy we waved off to war. You have changed.’

  He shrugged. ‘Couldn’t help doing that.’

  ‘I don’t suppose you could. You’ve matured into a hand­some man.’

  ‘Must run in the family,’ he joked, running his hand along the wing of the plane. ‘Lovely Cessna, did you hire it?’

  ‘No, we bought it as a home-coming present for you, and I’m glad you like it. I couldn’t get a Lancaster,’ he said dryly.

  They looked at each other, both having the same vision of the huge plane landing on their small airstrip, and burst into laughter.

  ‘She might be small in comparison, but I love it, and there will be plenty of room for my friends. Thank you, Dad.’

  There was a hint of emotion in Bill Allard’s eyes, but like his son he was quite good at hiding his feelings. ‘Ah, but it’s good to have you back. There were times when we listened to the news reports we wondered if we would ever see you again.’

  ‘You don’t want to believe everything the news puts out, especially in wartime. They always exaggerate,’ he remarked casually. ‘You have arrived at just the right time because we have been told we are free to leave now. Come and meet my friends.’

  The introductions were made and Bill said, ‘I can’t believe I had the luck to come this day and find you all here. My intention was just to try and find out when you would be arriving. We only received Steve’s letter today. He tells me you have all been given leave to return home. I believe you all come from Alberta, so we can give you a ride, if you like.’

  All accepted the invitation eagerly.

  ‘We’ll have to draw up a flight plan so we can drop you all off as close to your homes as possible.’

  ‘Ricky is the best navigator you could find, Dad, and he’ll plot you a course.’

  ‘Thanks. I’ve got all the maps you might need.’

  Armed with the various locations, the flight plan was soon ready and filed for their departure.

  ‘I’ll just go and have a word with the man in charge, Steve, and see if we can take on extra fuel here. You lads go and collect your kit and I’ll be right with you.’

  The plane was being refuelled when they arrived back, and Bill was overseeing the operation. ‘Nearly ready,’ he said. ‘Do you want to fly her, Steve?’

  ‘Would you mind?’

  ‘Of course not, she’s yours.’

  When the tanker pulled away, they climbed on board, Steve in the pilot’s seat and his dad as co-pilot. They strapped themselves into the comfortable Cessna with smiles on their faces, looking forward to getting home again, and for a moment the sadness at leaving so much behind was pushed aside.

  As they took off, Steve noticed his father had the route in his hand and it reminded him of the flight he had made in the Lysander. Only this time it was light, he wasn’t over enemy territory, and his father was beside him giving him course directions.

  It took most of the day to drop off their passengers as there were lengthy goodbyes and promises to stay in touch. It was hard to part from friends who had shared the danger, highs and lows of that extraordinary time. It was then the full import of what was ahead of him struck home. Fitting in to his old life again was going to be damned difficult.

  Chapter Thirty

  Their ranch was a mixture of farmlands and cattle, and Steve took in the scene and nodded with satisfaction. ‘I see the harvest is in. Was it a good one?’

  ‘Excellent, and we have plenty of winter feed.’

  A few more minutes of flying and the ground below was full of cattle spread over a large area. ‘You’ve increased the herd.’

  ‘There has been a constant demand for meat, and I’ve managed to buy land from a rancher who was selling up.’

  He turned and nodded to his father. ‘You’ve been busy while I’ve been away.’

  ‘Very. I’ll fill you in with the changes when you’ve had a chance to settle in again.’

  When the ranch came into sight, Steve smiled. It looked impressive from the sky, and even more so when you walked into it.

  ‘Buzz them to let them know we have arrived,’ Bill sug­gested, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

  ‘Do they know I am with you?’

  ‘Of course. The moment I knew you were free to come home I sent a message. Your base commander was most accommodating and promised to see it reached its destina­tion quickly.’

  Steve altered course and as they came in low over the house, he could see people running from all directions.

  ‘There’s your mother,’ his father laughed. ‘I bet she’s already crying, and all the hands are rushing to welcome you home.’

  They landed and taxied towards the large shed that housed the plane. When he switched off the engine, they could see cars roaring towards them, and his father asked, ‘Are you ready for this?’

  ‘I guess so.’ By the time he had unstrapped himself, his father was already out and opening the door for his son, not able to hide his pride as he watched him jump down.

  The car his mother, Rose, was driving screeched to a halt and she rushed over to her son, throwing her arms around him. She was laughing through her tears as he lifted her off the ground and swung her round. ‘I have missed you so much, and so has everyone else.’

  ‘I missed you too.’ He put her down and kissed her wet cheek, then turned to the crowd waiting to greet him. He took time to speak to all of the hands, although all he wanted to do was collapse in a chair with a large brandy. It had been an emotional day.

  Eventually he managed to get away, and the moment he walked into the peace of his home he tossed his hat onto the stand by the door, loosened his tie, and then went straight to the huge lounge. His favourite chair was still there by the fire, and he sat down, giving a deep sigh of pleasure.

  ‘Cook is preparing a special meal for you, but because we didn’t know you were coming home today, it will take a while,’ his mother told him. ‘Would you like something while we wait?’

  ‘I could use a stiff drink.’ He glanced at his father.

  ‘Brandy?’

  ‘Perfect.’

  They all enjoyed a welcome home drink together, and then his mother went off to see about dinner. Steve closed his eyes and was instantly asleep.

  The next thing he knew his father was shaking his arm, his eyes shot open and he leapt to his feet before realising where he was.

  ‘Steady, son, I didn’t mean to startle you. Dinner is ready.’

  He ran a hand through his hair. For a moment he had been back at Scampton with the sound of Lancasters roaring in his head. He gave a wry smile. ‘I didn’t know where I was for a moment.’

  ‘I understand. It will take you a while to adjust to being on the ranch again. You just take your time, son.’

  ‘I will.’ He followed his father into the dining room and stared at the amount of food waiting to be served. This feast would feed several families for a week in Britain. His mind turned to the Daltons who had welcomed them into their home, Harry who had taken them to the British Restaurant and Nancy … Those memories hit him with such force he had a mighty struggle to keep his composure. Everyone was so pleased he was home he mustn’t appear distressed in any way and spoil their pleasure. ‘My goodness, I haven’t seen this much food for the last couple of years,’ he managed to say with a smile on his face.

  ‘Sit down, son, and enjoy.’ His father held out the chair at the head of the table.

  ‘That’s your place, Dad.’

  ‘You are now ready to take your rightful place on this ranch. From now on I will be playing a supporting role. All important decisions will be made by you.’

  ‘Are you serious?’ he exclaimed.

  ‘Perfectly. Your mother and I have talked this over, and decided this is the right time for you to take overall charge.’

  His mother squeezed his arm. ‘Don’t look so shocked. You knew this was
going to happen one day.’

  ‘Yes, but not quite so soon. You’re still a young man, Dad, and I expected you to be in charge for a long time yet.’

  ‘Oh, I have a good many years in me, and I will work side by side with you.’ He gave his son an affectionate slap on the back. ‘But the responsibility of keeping this ranch running smoothly and profitably will be up to you. We have complete confidence that you will be able to do that, and probably a lot better than me. I’ll be honest, Steve, I have missed your sound advice while you have been away.’

  He grinned at his father. ‘I don’t believe that for one minute.’

  ‘It’s true.’ He gave his son a sly wink. ‘And your mother thinks it is time I took things a little easier.’

  ‘Not possible,’ he told his mother. As he looked at his parents’ smiling faces, he heard the sound of a door closing and the key being turned in the lock. At the back of his mind, he had seriously been considering returning to England after a while to marry Nancy if there was no other way. The love and generosity of his parents could mean he would never see the girl he loved again. He felt like moaning in despair, but of course he didn’t. Instead, he sat in the chair offered and smiled, giving the appearance of being delighted and honoured with their decision. Which he was, of course, but the pain of knowing that faint hope of having Nancy with him had been stripped away was hard to take.

  However, using every bit of self-control he had, the meal progressed with laughter and his parents’ obvious joy at having their son back home again. When they asked him about his time at Scampton, he told them the amusing stories about his friends, but nothing about the missions, or the friends they lost. Those memories were locked away, never to be spoken of.

  After the meal, he went and thanked Cook and her staff, then joined his parents in front of a huge log fire until he was able to excuse himself and go up to his old room for some much needed sleep. It had been quite a day, and everything seemed strange, making it difficult to sleep in the large bed. He had been accustomed to bunk beds and friends close by, but eventually he drifted off.