The War Girls

by Rosie James

  Then, he looked at each of them in turn. ‘Any questions?’

  After he’d gone, the three girls just stared at each other. Eileen said, ‘Come on – which one of us is going to make a start?’

  ‘I vote that it’s you, Eileen,’ Carrie said promptly. Then she smiled, glancing around her. ‘Look – everyone seems to be beavering away without much problem … perhaps one of them will give us a hand if we get stuck.’

  At twelve o’clock they were told to go and take a break, and as they made their way over to the washroom Abigail said, ‘D’you think we’ll ever get used to that dreadful smell? But thank goodness for the snood.’

  ‘Oh, I think that vile fragrance will be with us for a long time yet,’ Eileen said cheerfully, ‘but I don’t think we did too badly this morning, do you? I saw Mr Reynolds watching us with a narrowed gaze, but we weren’t told off about anything, were we. I mean, we did get a lot of those shells done – and at least we’ve survived the first shift without blowing each other up!’

  ‘Oh don’t, Eileen!’ Abigail said, shuddering. ‘I know I’m a country lass, but even I should have thought more deeply about what armaments really meant.’

  ‘What – are you saying that if you had, you would have backed out of our agreement?’ Eileen demanded. ‘Our triple arrangement?’

  ‘Of course not!’ Abigail retorted. ‘We all agreed from the beginning that the three of us were in this together, whatever it was. But I just wish I wasn’t so naive.’

  They finished cleaning themselves up briefly in the washroom, which was now crowded with other girls all chattering and jostling for position in the rather limited space. Then they made their way over to the break room and Carrie said, ‘Is that coffee I can smell? Lead me to it – I’m desperate!’

  Meanwhile, back in the factory, Mr Reynolds took a moment to go over to the shop the three newcomers had been working in to check up how they’d left it and how much they’d done. Everything was in order and ready for the next batch of shells to be filled. He nodded to himself. It was his job to keep a particularly close eye on the uninitiated, and although it had been obvious that none of these three girls had had any experience of this essential war work, they had worked quietly alongside each other and had achieved quite a lot in a short time. He had noticed at once that they enjoyed a close bond with an apparently implicit trust in each other, and this had undoubtedly been an advantage as they’d struggled to get the job done on their first morning. Not saying very much to each other, but just bending over the task as if they meant it.

  Mr Reynolds heaved a sigh, hoping that they would turn up again tomorrow and not have been put off by their first experience of working in what he, himself, could only call a hell hole.

  Chapter 26

  The girls were rather subdued as the van took them home later that day, and the driver was not surprised at that. He’d seen it all before.

  ‘How’d it go then, girls?’ he enquired cheerfully.

  ‘Fine, thanks,’ Eileen said promptly. ‘But I think we’re all looking forward to a hot bath and an early night.’

  ‘Yeah. It’s not a fun job, is it,’ the man said. ‘But someone’s got to do it.’ He glanced briefly over his shoulder. ‘Shall I be picking you all up tomorrow at the same time?’

  ‘Of course!’ The reply was unanimous.

  Presently, the van dropped them off, and after having waved Carrie home, the other two got to number six and Eileen paused before opening the front door. ‘I don’t think we should say too much about what we were doing, do you, Abigail? I don’t want to worry my mother, and Emily certainly doesn’t need to know any details.’

  Abigail nodded. ‘I was thinking about that all the way home,’ she said. ‘I’m just going to tell Emily that I had to run errands and clear up. Things like that.’

  ‘Good idea,’ Eileen said. ‘And I don’t want to take our uniforms into the house, because that smell clings, doesn’t it? So let’s leave them in the shed where we keep our garden tools – I’ve got the key here on my ring.’

  Abigail looked relieved at that suggestion. ‘Thanks for that, Eileen,’ she said. ‘As long as we don’t forget to take them with us again in the morning.’

  They let themselves into the house and went into the kitchen where Mrs Matthews and Emily were busy at the table doing sums. Gladys immediately stood up to greet the girls.

  ‘Well, the volunteers return!’ she exclaimed. ‘Come in and sit down – the casserole you made for us yesterday, Abigail, is bubbling nicely, and all I’ve got to do is add the doughboys which Emily has made for us. But first I expect you’d like a cup of tea.’

  Emily got down and went over to hug her mother. ‘I’ve learned how to add up four lines now, Mummy – not just two!’

  ‘Yes, she’s a very clever girl, aren’t you, Emily,’ Gladys Matthews said. ‘But – we want to know how you two got on today,’ she added, turning to the others. ‘Was it very difficult?’

  ‘No, not really,’ Eileen said casually. ‘We just had to get on and do as we were told.’ She stifled a yawn. ‘There were a lot of other girls there as well – they all seem very nice, not that we had much opportunity to talk to them.’

  Gladys Matthews said no more, but Eileen knew that her mother wouldn’t be content with that explanation. More would have to follow, but now was not the time.

  It was quite late before Emily at last agreed to go to bed, and as Abigail tucked her in Emily pulled back, making a face.

  ‘Ugh – I hate the smell of your hair, Mummy! It’s horrible! What have you put on it?’

  ‘Oh, it’s only from where we were working today,’ Abigail said quickly. ‘Don’t worry. I am going to give it a good wash in a minute, and then it’ll smell as lovely as yours.’

  Yawning again, Emily said, ‘What did you and Eileen and Carrie have to do in that factory today, Mummy? Was it easy? And will you have to do it again tomorrow?’

  ‘Yes, we will, Emily,’ Abigail said and, crossing her fingers, she added, ‘and it was as easy as pie!’

  Later, downstairs, Eileen went along to her mother’s room, dreading the explanation which she knew would have to come.

  Tapping her mother’s door, Eileen went in and Gladys Matthews looked up.

  ‘Come and sit down, dear,’ she said. ‘You look tired out.’

  ‘I’m not too tired to hear about your day, Mother,’ Eileen said. ‘Have you felt all right?’

  ‘Yes thank you, dear,’ Gladys Matthews said. ‘Though I didn’t have much chance to have forty winks because Emily is unstoppable. We’ve done pages and pages of sums.’

  ‘But I notice that you did the shopping,’ Eileen said.

  ‘Well yes. We went out for a little walk and I did buy us a fresh loaf and a pound of tomatoes, but you and Abigail have organised all our meals for the week so there wasn’t much for me to do. And at last I managed to buy some Nuttall’s Mintoes – my favourite as you know. They haven’t been in for a while, and apparently we’re soon going to have to get used to a real shortage of sweets and chocolate – plus cigarettes. But none of us smoke, thank goodness.’

  For a long moment neither spoke, then Gladys Matthews said, ‘So, tell me what you three have been doing today, Eileen.’ She hesitated. ‘I imagine it was unpleasant, to say the least.’

  Eileen had never been dishonest with her mother, and speaking carefully she said, ‘I’ve never been inside such a huge building before, nor such a noisy one, either. And its purpose is to produce ammunition, bombs, bullets, land mines, everything you could imagine. To kill people. And it was absolutely horrible.’

  ‘But how on earth can the inexperienced be expected to produce the goods?’ Gladys Matthews said.

  ‘We were given about five minutes’ instruction, then told to get on with it,’ Eileen said flatly. ‘And don’t ask me how it happened, but it became easier as we went along. By the end of the shift we’d actually managed to complete the number of shells and bullets we were given. Trays
of them.’ She waited before going on. ‘And I’m sure the reason we could do it was because the three of us were working there together as a team. It was as if when one of us found something particularly difficult, the other two soon gathered around to help out. It did happen like that, several times,’ Eileen said, ‘and I’m so glad we were all together.’ She smiled. ‘We really needed each other.’

  ‘I’m sure Carrie and Abigail feel the same,’ Gladys Matthews said. ‘And you never know, let’s hope that the war girls may find tomorrow a little easier.’

  During the following few months, Bristol no longer seemed to be Hitler’s main target, but work at the Royal Ordnance Factory went on non-stop, and for Eileen, Carrie and Abigail, their own part in the production of lethal ammunition became relentless and routine.

  One day, Eileen said casually, ‘My mother did say that all this would become easier – and I suppose she was right. But it’s still ghastly, isn’t it?’

  The others nodded their agreement as they shifted another tray of anti-tank mine fuses. ‘I haven’t said very much about it to my parents,’ Carrie said soberly. ‘Of course, they know we’re making ammunition, but I’ve spared them all the details. And I’m relieved that they don’t question me about it.’ She smiled briefly. ‘And as Mark and I haven’t seen each other again for ages, he hardly knows what I’m up to. But of course, I never know what he’s up to, either, although I am getting more letters from him now, thank heaven. But naturally he can’t say very much of real interest … other than he loves me, of course!’

  Abigail looked away for a moment, suddenly longing to feel Luke’s arms around her again. To hear him say he loved her. And perhaps it was her long history of simple country living, and of working on the land, which filled her with depression at what they were doing here. Every time they sent another tray of completed shells or bullets up the production line, she wondered where they would land, which small farms and gardens they would destroy and worse, who they would kill, hurt or terrify.

  She turned back to what she’d been doing. It was no good having those thoughts because they had volunteered to be here, and it had one purpose. To bring this terrible war to an end.

  Her eyes misted as she suddenly thought of Emily, at home now, enjoying her uncomplicated little life with Eileen’s mother. But how different it could have been if they’d had a direct hit during that last raid. If number six had suffered the same fate as number fourteen Redcliffe Way had on that earlier one, Emily would never have known another birthday. Her life would have ended at just four years old.

  Abigail felt almost overwhelmed at her own thoughts. Yes, they had been spared in that last blitz, but she knew it was merely random fate which had saved them. What about next time?

  Then she was defiant. There was only one way out of this madness, and it was to meet fire with fire. She must press on, even though it went against her every instinct.

  Thank you, Dada, Abigail thought. There was always her drawing to console her. So tonight, much later, she would find solace in completing one of her greetings cards. Immersing herself in the gentle world of forming and creating something beautiful would help to soothe her conscience and ensure that she’d have a restful night’s sleep.

  Now, it was twelve o’clock, and as the bell rang for their break all the girls trooped out of the building, making for the wash and rest rooms. Apart from the occasional comment and brief smile they’d exchanged with the other workers, there hadn’t been the opportunity to get to know each other. But presently, as they sat at one of the long trestle tables having their sandwiches and coffee, one girl turned to Eileen.

  ‘Wotcha,’ she said cheerfully. ‘My name’s Daisy, and me and my friend Margaret have been watching you three over there on the other corner. We can’t make out whether you’re related or not – we don’t think you’re sisters because you’re not that much alike to look at, but you could be cousins.’ She smiled. ‘Hope you don’t think I’ve got a cheek, but you seem very, well, close that we couldn’t help wondering.’

  The girls immediately smiled back at the speaker, and Eileen said easily ‘No, that’s OK, Daisy. And we’re not related – just good friends, that’s all.’

  Daisy paused, clearly intrigued about these three. ‘Got any family?’ she enquired as she poured herself another cup of coffee. ‘I’ve lived in Bristol with me auntie all my life,’ she went on chattily, ‘and Margaret was brought up in a children’s home, weren’t you, Maggs?’

  Margaret nodded, seeming quite happy at having her life discussed. ‘Yeah,’ she said, between mouthfuls of sandwich, ‘so I had plenty of friends there, but Daisy has been my only real friend.’ She giggled. ‘She showed me how to nick a bar of chocolate from the confectionery counter as we went home at night, didn’t you, Daisy?’

  ‘Hush,’ Daisy said, ‘don’t give away our secrets!’ She turned to the others again. ‘So, you got family?’

  ‘Yes, we live with our parents,’ Carrie began carefully, and Abigail cut in.

  ‘And I have a little girl. Emily. She’s four years old.’

  That widened the field of interest, and Daisy said, glancing at Abigail’s left hand, ‘Where’s your husband – dudn’t he mind you workin’ ’ere?’

  ‘We all have our part to play in this war,’ Abigail said neatly.

  There was a short silence, then Daisy said, ‘Margaret and me met at Woolworths where we’ve worked since leaving school. So what d’you all do? And are you gonna go back there when the war’s over?

  ‘Oh, we all work in various offices in town,’ Eileen said casually, ‘and we’ll presumably be going back there. Eventually.’

  Just then the bell rang for the end of dinner time, and all the girls got up to return to the factory. And as the three fell into step Eileen said, ‘What Daisy said just now has made me think. And I’m wondering if – when I’m no longer needed here – it might be the time to cut off the old ties and do something different.’ She made a face. ‘The insurance industry is not exactly exciting and won’t fall apart if I’m not there.’ She paused thoughtfully. ‘The war had upset so many plans for so many, will we ever be the same people again? Will there be fewer chances for us, or more? And d’you know, I wouldn’t mind going to college and learning something entirely different – I mean, just look at what we’ve been doing all these months! Did you ever think you were capable of it? And if we are, apparently, so successful at this awful business, surely greater, better, opportunities must lie ahead? Once the war is over.’ She paused. ‘What about you, Carrie? Would you like to change anything in your life?’

  Carrie chuckled. ‘I don’t think so,’ she said cheerfully. ‘I’m just looking forward to Mark coming home and us getting married … and then having children. We both agree that we want at least two and would never mind if two became four!’

  They arrived back at the shop and again began the intricate, tedious job of filling shells with TNT. Abigail realised, with some surprise, that she’d almost got used to the stench. And then she thought about what Eileen had said just now. Perhaps it was too early to begin thinking about the future, hers and Emily’s, because the end of the war was still a pipe dream. It was enough that they had left Coopers and discovered another world – and what a world! Though this war had never been part of their plan! Yet, so far, and thanks to friends, they had survived, cocooned in kindness, goodwill and good luck.

  But of course life would, one day, have to take another turn, Abigail told herself as she weighed and stamped another batch of shells. She and Emily could not go on living at number six for ever – that was obvious – even though it was an arrangement which suited them all. And what about Blackwell’s? She’d only worked there part-time, the money, and what she earned at Robertson’s, just enough for their needs. But the wage they were receiving here at the armaments factory was absolutely huge by comparison, so she was able to save quite a lot for their future. She had never been this rich.

  And what did lie ahead? One thing
Abigail was emphatic about was that Emily would be properly educated and not leave school at fourteen. Emily was going to have the benefit of being taught everything there was to know – when the time came. But her school days were not yet. Until then she had the security and kindness of home where she was safe, and untroubled.

  Chapter 27

  September 1941

  One morning, Emily ran downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs Matthews was already making the toast for their breakfast. Emily went straight over to put her arms around Gladys Matthews’ waist.

  ‘Mummy is always so quiet getting up in the morning,’ Emily said. ‘I never hear a thing – not even the front door bang when she and Eileen go out.’

  ‘No, well, they do have to leave very early, don’t they, so it’s kind of them not to disturb us.’ Gladys Matthews smiled. She heard every movement in the house, always had done, and knew very well when, at five-forty-five, the two girls got up each day.

  ‘Shall I stir the tea leaves in the pot, Mrs Gladys?’ Emily said, and Eileen’s mother nodded. Their little girl was growing up so fast and wanted to do everything by herself all the time.

  ‘Yes, thank you, Emily,’ Gladys Matthews said. ‘And then I think it’s ready to pour. There are just the two of us, so the pot won’t be too heavy for you.’

  ‘I never find the teapot too heavy,’ Emily said as she stirred. ‘I asked Mummy the name of her factory and she said it was called the Royal Ordnance Factory, and then I said what does she do there and she said they are making ammunition, which is guns and bullets.’ Emily looked across at Eileen’s mother. ‘Is that what Mummy and Eileen and Carrie have been doing? I thought they were just there to sweep up and keep it all clean.’