The Spitfire Sisters

by Margaret Dickinson

  ‘What – what does that mean?’

  ‘After any mission, they talk to all the crews to find out everything that happened,’ Henrietta explained gently. ‘Or as much as they can tell them.’

  ‘I just wish I knew where he was,’ Peggy whispered. ‘And if he – if he . . .’

  ‘As soon as we know, Peggy dear, we’ll arrange for you to go to him. I promise you that.’

  ‘Daisy, I have a special job for you today,’ the Operations Manager greeted her as the girls arrived at the office to collect their chits. ‘A Lancaster crashed last night on Romney Marsh and the crew need to be taken back to Coningsby as quickly as possible. They’re on their way here by lorry and you’re to take them back in the Anson.’ She grimaced sympathetically. ‘I know it’s fairly near where your folks are, but I can’t allow you any time off to visit them this time. Sorry, but we need the Anson – and you – back here.’

  Daisy hid her disappointment quickly. ‘Of course. I’ll be ready when they get here.’ She said no more, but silently she was thinking, oh please, don’t let it be Harry. Then she shook herself. That would be far too much of a coincidence.

  Half an hour later, the covered lorry arrived, bringing six exhausted and shocked crew members. After greeting them, she said, ‘Let’s get you a quick cuppa before we go.’ As she guided them towards the mess, she said, ‘I thought a Lancaster had a crew of seven. Who’s missing?’

  ‘The pilot. Harry.’

  Daisy’s heart lurched. ‘Not – not Harry Nuttall?’

  One of the airmen moved forward. ‘Yes, that’s him.’ He paused and then said, ‘You must be Daisy.’

  ‘Yes, yes, I am. How did you . . .?’

  The airman tried to smile through his weariness. ‘He was trying to get to you. To Hamble. He said, “If we can get to Daisy somehow, she’ll help us”.’

  Over their tea, the story unfolded. The flight engineer, whose name she discovered was Bob Hudson, explained, though with one or two interruptions from his fellow airmen.

  ‘We were on a low-level mission to the Dortmund-Ems Canal . . .’

  ‘It was the second one. We’d tried the night before and had to abort because of fog.’

  ‘And last night was a bit of a disaster as well. We certainly lost two aircraft that I know of – possibly more. We were hit as we were turning for home and badly damaged. Harry decided to alter the route a bit. He said if he could keep us flying over land and get across the Channel at the narrowest point, we could land at one of the southern airfields.’

  ‘He’d got it all planned out in his mind. If he could get us as near Brenzett as he could, they’d help us get to Hamble and you’d take us home.’

  Daisy nodded. ‘His brother’s at Brenzett at the moment and I’m here.’

  ‘And also he reckoned Romney Marsh would be a good place to let the aircraft crash after he’d bailed out. Only he didn’t – bail out, I mean.’

  ‘We were losing height all the time, but he managed to get us across the water,’ Bob went on, patiently allowing his colleagues to interrupt now and again. ‘I’ve never been so pleased to hear our navigator say, “we’ve just crossed the English coast”.’

  ‘Then, when we knew we were over land, he told us to bail out, which we did, but he carried on, trying to find an airfield, we thought.’

  ‘But we understand now that he crash-landed on Romney Marsh.’

  ‘Sounds as if his undercarriage wouldn’t operate because he belly-landed in a field and smashed into some trees.’

  ‘At least he didn’t crash on houses, which is what he wanted to avoid. I bet he picked Romney deliberately.’

  ‘Killed a cow though, by all accounts.’

  ‘So we all started walking towards Brenzett and met up there.’

  ‘Do you know how Harry is and where he is now?’

  ‘The lads at Brenzett saw the aircraft crash and sent an ambulance.’

  ‘He was badly smashed up, we’ve heard. He might lose his left leg and he’s got injuries to his face.’

  ‘He’s been taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.’

  Daisy frowned. ‘Why there? I’d’ve thought there was somewhere nearer.’

  ‘Because there’s a fantastic surgeon there who will save Harry, if anyone can.’

  ‘He’s a protégé of the man who operated on Douglas Bader.’

  ‘Ah,’ Daisy said. ‘Then he couldn’t be in better hands. Did he see his brother, d’you know?’

  Bob shook his head. ‘We didn’t know anything about his brother. He just mentioned you at Hamble.’

  Daisy nodded. She’d have to let Luke know as soon as she could, but first, she must telephone the hall. ‘And now, I’ll get you back to Coningsby, but can you give me five minutes? I must make a telephone call.’

  ‘To his family, I presume?’ Bob said.

  Daisy nodded.

  ‘Just tell them where he is and his injuries, but not all the details we’ve told you.’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Granny?’ Daisy was saying a few minutes later. ‘Have you heard about Harry?’

  ‘Yes, Daisy, but we know very little.’

  ‘All I can tell you is that he’s been taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. His left leg is very badly injured. He might lose it, but there’s a splendid surgeon there. I can’t tell you any more, but I think you should get Peggy and Sam down there as soon as possible.’

  The urgency in her tone spoke volumes to Henrietta. Luckily, Peggy was at the hall, insisting that working would keep her mind occupied and she’d also be on hand if messages came through. Five minutes later, Henrietta was saying, ‘Of course you must go to him, Peggy. He needs you.’

  ‘But I – I daren’t go on my own, Mrs Maitland. I’ve hardly ever been out of the village. And Sam – well – I dun’t reckon Mester Dawson’ll let him have time off.’

  Betty gave a derisive snort. ‘You leave Len Dawson to our mam. She’ll sort him out.’

  ‘You can go down by train or we’ll get Jake to take you. But first, we must sort out some accommodation for you. I know just the person to help with that. Leave it to me and you go home and pack, Peggy. Betty, you go with her and help her.’ Despite the gravity of the news they’d just had, Henrietta’s mouth twitched. ‘And ask your mother to go to Mr Dawson’s workshop and tell Sam.’

  Fifty-Five

  ‘Milly? Is that you, dear?’

  ‘Mrs Maitland. Is anything wrong?’

  ‘I’m afraid so. Milly, I need your help.’

  ‘Of course. Anything. You know that. What’s happened?’

  Swiftly, Henrietta explained. ‘Harry’s in the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading and I need to book a hotel as near to the hospital as possible for Peggy and Sam. Can you recommend anywhere?’

  ‘Nonsense. They must come here. I insist. You put them on a train in Lincoln and tell them to take a taxi here when they arrive and I’ll look after them after that. We can easily get to Reading and back from here each day one way or another.’

  ‘Are you sure, Milly? It’s rather an imposition . . .’

  ‘I’ll be glad to help. I’m rattling around this flat on my own most of the time. Paul works such long hours. I’ll be glad of the company, though not, I hasten to add, in these circumstances. Is he – is he very bad?’

  ‘Yes, I’m afraid he is. Even if he survives – and at the moment even that hangs in the balance – he’s likely to lose his left leg and the left-hand side of his face will be badly scarred, by all accounts.’

  ‘How dreadful,’ Milly murmured, tears in her voice. ‘Does Pips know?’

  ‘Not yet. We’re trying to get word out to Pips and Luke. Daisy already knows. It was she who telephoned us to let us know where he is, but she didn’t go into further detail.’

  ‘Just send Peggy and Sam down. I’ll get everything ready.’

  ‘Thank you, Milly. You’re a dear.’

  Replacing the receiver, Henrietta put on her hat a
nd coat and walked to Peggy’s cottage. Since they were so short-staffed these days and Betty had already gone with Peggy, Henrietta must do such errands herself.

  When she arrived at the cottage, she found Peggy still in a daze, but Betty had taken charge. ‘She hadn’t got a suitcase, poor lamb, but I’ve fetched her mine from home and Mam’s gone down to see Sam and Mr Dawson.’

  ‘I’ll wait until Sam gets here. I must give him instructions how to get to Mrs Whittaker’s flat, or they’ll likely get lost in the big city. It’s a bit of a daunting place for us country mice. Jake will take them to the station when they’re ready and see them onto the train. He knows what to do.’

  The village grapevine seemed to work faster than ever. Within an hour everyone knew about Harry’s accident and that Peggy and Sam were going to Reading to be with him.

  Bess Cooper was the one to go to the workshop to stand outside with her arms folded, ready to do battle if necessary.

  ‘Len – I need a word.’

  ‘What now, woman?’ he muttered, but he was honest enough to realize that no one bothered him at his place of work unless it was urgent. So, he dropped his hammer and moved out into the September sunshine.

  ‘I need to speak to Sam. He and Peggy have to go to London and then to Reading straightaway. Harry’s been injured in a crash.’

  For a brief moment, Len stared at her. ‘Bad?’

  Bess nodded. ‘’Fraid so. At the moment, they’re not sure if he’s going to make it.’

  They stared at one another and Len could read the anxiety in the woman’s eyes. He nodded then turned and shouted, ‘Sam. Get yarsen out here.’

  A moment later, Sam appeared, wiping his hands on a rag. When he saw his mother-in-law standing there, he stopped, knowing instinctively that something was wrong. Swiftly, Bess explained, adding, ‘You’re to go to London – right now. Mrs Maitland’s arranged everything. You’re to stay at Mrs Whittaker’s and she’ll take you to the hospital.’

  ‘My boy, my poor boy,’ Sam began – but when he turned anxiously towards Len, Bess said, ‘You need to go, Sam, lad. You need to go to Harry. Now.’

  By the time the couple had made the mesmerizing journey to the capital, had been greeted warmly by Milly and given a meal, word had reached Pips and Luke. Luke at once applied for compassionate leave and was granted it. He was coming to the end of a tour of duty anyway and his senior officer saw no reason not to grant his request in the circumstances. Daisy couldn’t get immediate leave, but she had three days due shortly and would hurry to Reading then. Pips too would visit him as soon as she could.

  ‘It’s too late for you to go today,’ Milly said, ‘but we’ll set off first thing in the morning. In the meantime, would you like to telephone the hospital for any news of him?’

  ‘Would you do it for us, Mrs Whittaker?’ Sam asked. ‘I’m not very good with them things.’

  Milly telephoned at once, but the only news they would give out was that he had had an operation to remove his left leg and that he was ‘comfortable’.

  ‘Well, I doubt that,’ Sam said. ‘But it’s the stock phrase, isn’t it?’

  ‘So,’ Peggy’s voice quavered, ‘they – they’ve taken his leg off.’

  ‘I’m afraid so, my dear.’

  Peggy closed her eyes and groaned in anguish.

  Peggy paused at the entrance to the ward, her glance scanning the beds down each side.

  ‘This way, Mrs Nuttall.’ A softly spoken nurse led them into the long room and to the bed nearest the door. Half of Harry’s face was bandaged and the part that they could see glistened with sweat. The mound of bedclothes held up over his left leg was testament to the injury.

  Tentatively, Peggy approached the bed. ‘Harry?’ she whispered, hardly daring to speak.

  ‘It’s all right to talk to him, Mrs Nuttall. It’s what he needs.’

  Peggy pressed her lips together to try to stem the ready tears, but nodded. A little stronger, she said again, ‘Harry?’ Sam too moved to the bedside and spoke his name.

  Harry’s right eye opened, but it was bloodshot and Peggy doubted he could see them. Fresh fear gripped her. Was he blind too?

  ‘Mam?’ Harry croaked out of the side of his mouth.

  ‘We’re here, Harry,’ Peggy said. ‘We’re both here.’

  ‘How . . .?’

  ‘Mrs Maitland organized it all.’

  The corner of Harry’s mouth twitched in an attempt at a smile. ‘Aunty Hetty. God bless her.’ There was a pause before he said bitterly, ‘They’ve cut my leg off, Mam.’

  ‘I – we – know, but I expect it’s to save your life.’

  Harry muttered something, but they couldn’t quite hear what it was. He closed his eyes and began mumbling words that were unintelligible. The nurse, still hovering nearby, said, ‘He’s feverish and keeps lapsing into a semi-conscious state.’ She paused and glanced at them both before saying quietly, ‘There was no way they could save his leg. It was – mangled, is the only word I can use to describe it. Sorry to be quite so graphic, but you need to know the truth.’

  ‘Please don’t apologize,’ Sam said. ‘You’re right. We do want the truth.’

  They sat beside his bed until nightfall, the ward sister allowing them to stay beyond normal visiting hours. Just as they were getting up to leave to go back to Milly’s, Luke slipped quietly into the ward.

  ‘I got here as soon as I could.’ He kissed his mother and gripped Sam’s hand. ‘How is he?’

  ‘We think a little better,’ Sam said. ‘He’s not sweating so much.’

  ‘Sister said I could have five minutes. I’ve only got a forty-eight-hour pass.’

  ‘Where will you stay?’ Peggy asked. ‘We’re at Mrs Whittaker’s. She’s been so kind.’

  Luke smiled. ‘I’m sure if I turn up with you, she’d welcome me, but I don’t like to impose upon her good nature. I’ve already been in touch with Mitch. He’s in London at the moment and I can go there. I can kip on his sofa if necessary.’ He paused, though his gaze was still on his brother. ‘Has Daisy been yet?’

  ‘She can’t get leave until next weekend. She’ll come then. Mrs Whittaker’s already said she must go there.’

  ‘She’s a good sort, is Aunty Milly. You get off and I’ll stay for as long as Sister will let me.’

  As his mother and Sam left, Luke sat down beside the bed. ‘Poor old chap,’ he murmured, though he doubted Harry could hear him. Luke had faced death many times in his Spitfire and had been lucky to escape from Belgium like he had. He smiled as he thought yet again about Daisy’s brave rescue. For some unaccountable reason, he’d never thought that it would be Harry who’d be so badly injured and yet, flying bombers over enemy territory night after night, he’d been lucky to survive until now. But at least it looked as if he was going to live, thanks to the clever doctor. But how would Harry face up to the loss of his leg and of his good looks?

  Betty answered the tentative knock that came on the back door of the hall. She opened it to find a white-faced Kitty Page standing there, twisting her fingers nervously.

  ‘Is it true about Harry?’

  ‘Come in, duck, and I’ll tell you everything I know.’

  Half an hour later, after Betty had finished telling Kitty every little detail, the girl said, ‘But he will live? You’re sure he’s going to live?’

  ‘As far as we know at the moment, yes, but he’s still very, very poorly.’

  ‘Can I go to see him?’

  Betty stared at her open-mouthed. ‘You mean – you mean – you’d go all the way to Reading on your own?’

  Kitty nodded. ‘I’d do anything to help Harry. That’s if – that’s if you think he’d want to see me.’

  ‘I’m sure he would. He’ll need the support of all his friends.’

  ‘I suppose he’ll have all his girlfriends round the bed,’ Kitty said in a small voice. ‘Perhaps he won’t want me.’

  ‘Well, that’s as may be,’ Betty said briskly, ‘but I’m s
ure he’d be glad to see a friendly face from home, that is if the nurses will let you see him. That might be the only problem. When someone is very ill in hospital, you know, they only let close family in to see them at first.’

  Kitty nodded. ‘I understand.’ She paused and then added hesitantly, ‘Then you think I should leave it a while till – till we hear how he is?’

  ‘I do, duck, but I promise you I’ll keep you posted. How would that be, eh?’

  Kitty nodded, but Betty could see the disappointment and the anxiety in the girl’s face and so, when Kitty had left, Betty went in search of Henrietta. ‘Could I have a word with you, ma’am?’

  ‘Of course, Betty. Come into the parlour. We won’t be disturbed there.’

  Moments later Betty was recounting Kitty’s visit. ‘She wants to go to see him, but I don’t like the thought of that young lass going all that way on her own. She’s never even been on a train.’

  ‘Quite right, Betty.’

  ‘But she’s determined – I could see that – once we hear that he’s well enough to have visitors other than his immediate family, that is.’

  ‘Mm.’ Henrietta was thoughtful for a moment. ‘There might be a way. Jake has been asking after Harry constantly. He’s always been so fond of all three of them ever since he began taking them riding as children. And, though he’s a country boy at heart, he has travelled a little. Perhaps he would agree to take her. Leave it with me, Betty, I’ll think about it.’

  ‘She’s not looking for charity, ma’am. She says she has enough money to pay for her fare.’

  Henrietta’s eyes twinkled. ‘We’ll see about that. I would treat them both to a couple of nights in a modest hotel. You can’t do that sort of trip in one day.’

  ‘Do – do you think Harry would want to see her?’

  Henrietta’s face sobered. ‘He’s going to need all his friends – his real friends – to rally round. I’m very much afraid that many of his so-called girlfriends will fade away. Only the ones truly devoted to him will stay.’