by Kerri Turner
There is so much in this story that is based on fact that it is sometimes hard for me to remember where the fiction begins. Evie, Flynn, Lucy, Bee, Humphrey and Alvin are all characters of my own devising, but the world they inhabit is based on real life places and events.
The Victory, that strange performing boat at the centre of this story, is an amalgamation of a number of things. I took burlesque performances, which were illegal at that time, and combined them with the concept of tramp steamers (boats that would travel from port to port collecting whatever work they could) and added a sizeable dose of the floating theatres found on the Mississippi River in the United States. The size, layout and history of the Victory was modelled on the SS Robin, which is currently the world’s oldest complete steam coaster. I made a few adjustments to make her novel counterpart performance-ready, but otherwise they share most details. You can find out more about the SS Robin at ssrobin.com.
Throughout this novel, Evie and Flynn are both heavily influenced by the work they did during the Second World War. Both of their roles were real. The 93rd Searchlight Regiment was the first all-female searchlight regiment. Testing had been completed a year prior to the regiment’s creation to see if women were capable—both physically and mentally—of carrying out such a demanding role. Most of those involved in the testing believed women could not do the work, and it was only thanks to the insistence of General Sir Frederick Pile that an experiment took place and women were able to prove the doubters wrong. It was extremely dangerous work. Tasked with lighting up enemy aircraft so that the anti-aircraft guns could fire at them—hoping to bring them down before the planes could reach London and continue their bombing—any return fire was directed at the lights, and thus the women who operated them. I have worked hard to make sure every detail depicting this searchlight work in the novel—from the different positions and the uniforms to the daily routine—is correct. Even the anecdote of a woman disappearing and coming back with fresh milk from a cow she found in a paddock was taken from real life. Likewise, I have based the women’s attitudes to their new work on the anecdotes of real-life searchlight women. Despite the dangerous nature of the work, many women found it exciting and relished the independence and excitement it brought them.
Flynn, on the other hand, had a job no one in real life wanted, but many had to do. Again, I’ve tried to keep all details of life as a Graves Registration unit man correct, including their initial training, involvement at Omaha Beach, day-to-day work (such as sewing abandoned parachutes into shrouds and injecting saline solution into fingertips to take fingerprints from the bodies), the horrific and heartbreaking scenes of Malmedy’s thawing bodies, and the continued work of the graves men long after the war was over. In particular I wanted to convey the extraordinary amount of respect and care these men took in the handling of their fallen comrades, and the lengths they went to in order to bring the families waiting back home knowledge of their loved ones’ fate. Men who served in the Graves Registration service were far more susceptible to PTSD in later life (although it was not called that) and sadly there was little to no help or support for them.
Other wartime details are also based on fact. The announcements Flynn hears while working at Smith’s Union Bar (another real-life location, which is still operating today), are the same ones people in Pearl Harbour would have heard on that day. Life for Londoners living under the barrage of the Blitz was a strange combination of fear and restrictions, and just getting on with things. Scenes depicting food shortages, ration coupons, the café serving horse meat, the London Underground tunnels as air raid shelters, backyard Anderson shelters, the fear of the sound of a ‘doodlebug’, Gamages’ famous electric toy train and the Salvo’s café offering dripping on toast to tired workers all come from life, as do the conditions for both Polish air soldiers and American GIs in Britain. The Polish air fighters were well liked due to their high success rate. The Americans were also popular with locals, for they brought with them money, stockings, cigarettes and candy—all things which had been hard to come by for many years. The American troops however were operating under their country’s segregation laws, which caused problems. Some white troops targeted the black troops and tried to pick fights; these fights sometimes escalated when locals supported the black troops, whom they considered to be more polite due to their tendency not to be so flashy with their cash.
Many of the smaller details in this novel are also taken from history, as I found them too interesting not to include. The Matrimonial Post and Fashionable Marriage Advertiser that Cynthia so fears advertising in was a real publication whose entire purpose was in advertising to find a husband or wife. The Windmill Theatre where Humphrey and Alvin met was famous for its tableaux vivants, Windmill steeplechase, and for staying open right throughout the war, and theatre manager Vivian Van Damm’s daughter did appear as a nude girl under the stage name Betti Talbot. Osborne House, where Humphrey takes Lucy for a day out, was Queen Victoria’s favourite home, and is open for the public to view (you really can see the queen’s billiard table, the children’s vegetable gardens and the Swiss Cottage that was made as a life-size playhouse). The village of Bonchurch where Lucy lives, with its duckpond and small beach, is perhaps more beautiful than I was able to convey, and nearby Ventnor still has the same ice cream kiosk and colourful beach huts. Every pulp title that is mentioned is real, and even Lucy’s Dismal Desmond dog was a once-popular toy.
Having created a background in the searchlight regiment for Evie, it made sense to continue her love of lights. For the Victory’s live performances, I drew on my own dance performance background, as well as the expertise of people who have worked with stage lights for many years. I was incredibly lucky to find two vintage Strand Electric booklets—the exact kind Evie reads in the novel—from the era this book is set in, and so much of my information comes from these (including the use of Cinemoid filters and a biscuit tin as a hood).
As always, any mistakes or inaccuracies that have slipped through despite my best attempts are all my own.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Once again I have a team of people to whom I owe so much. Without them, this book would not be in the hands of readers. My gratitude goes out to all of the following:
My agent Haylee Nash, for feedback, advice, reassurance, late-night emails when I need them, early-morning emails when I need them, and continuing to stick by me on this journey of authorhood. I said at the launch for my last book that I feel like I’m bragging when I say she’s my agent, and that remains true.
My publisher Rachael Donovan. She has to juggle a thousand balls at any given time, yet never gives less than her best—even when a particularly tricky blurb makes life difficult. Her love and enthusiasm for this book, and her belief in my writing, mean the world to me.
Julia Knapman, for continuing boundless enthusiasm, editorial skills, keeping everything on track and moving forward, and having genius blurb ideas. And for talking about the characters as though they are real people, just like I do.
I was once again lucky enough to have Nicola O’Shea as my editor, and I am more grateful to her for her work than I can say. She doesn’t just edit the story, she embraces it. She gave clarity and structure to a story I deeply loved but was struggling to convey clearly.
Sarah Fletcher, for her attention to detail in proofreading a story which goes to so many places and times. Sarana Behan and Natika Palka, for all their efforts to make sure readers hear of me and my books. Hazel Lam for her exquisite cover design. And the rest of the team at Harlequin for being so passionate about every book they work on.
On a personal note, thank you to my ever-supportive husband Ross, for talking me off the metaphorical ledge when I felt overwhelmed, giving me confidence when it disappeared, following me to talks and signings, proofreading my correspondence, promoting my books, and always having my back in this crazy journey.
To Nelson, for always being by my side while I write.
To everyone who showed support and enthusiasm fo
r my debut book: family (in particular my parents and siblings), friends, authors, readers, librarians, booksellers, podcasters, bloggers, influencers, and more. I wish there was a bigger way to say thank you to you all.
A special thank you to my dad Kevin for helping me figure out if the concept for the Victory was even possible, answering so many boat-related questions, and finding me the SS Robin. Also to my mother-in-law, Frances, for helping me with research when I got stuck.
My eternal gratitude and respect must go out to the real-life women of the searchlight regiments. Their involvement in WWII is so underappreciated and underacknowledged; they have stories that are groundbreaking, fascinating and brave, and I’m so grateful to those who have shared them over the years. A particular thanks to everyone behind the ATS Remembered website. Likewise, to the American men of the Graves Registration service. These men did a role which was undesirable yet vital, gave so many fallen soldiers the respect and dignity they deserved, and provided closure for waiting families. The men and women of the searchlight regiments and Graves Registration service deserve to have their sacrifices and bravery recognised.
And, as always, to the readers. Thank you for allowing me to be a storyteller.
ISBN: 9781489256737
TITLE: THE DAUGHTER OF VICTORY LIGHTS
First Australian Publication 2020
Copyright © 2020 Kerri Turner
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