Victory for the East End Angels

by Rosie Hendry

  Winnie threw her arms around Bella and hugged her. ‘I’m delighted that Stefan found you, you deserve to have a lovely man courting you. So, when are you next seeing him? You are going to, aren’t you?’

  ‘Sometime, I’m not sure when yet. Stefan asked me if I would and I said yes.’ Bella linked her arm through Winnie’s. ‘Come on, we need to get some sleep, we’ve got to be at Station 75 by nine o’clock in the morning.’ Though whether she’d get much sleep before then, Bella wasn’t sure because her mind was full of the delight of dancing with Stefan and would probably be replaying it over and over well into the small hours.

  Chapter 35

  It was a beautiful early September morning, the air gently warm yet with the promise of autumn. Winnie was checking the level of the oil in her ambulance, listening, as she worked, to Sparky who was in full flow reading out the newspaper headlines from today’s Daily Herald which he’d spread out on the bonnet of his and Paterson’s ambulance. He was in a jubilant mood as Allied troops had entered Holland last night and, having crossed the country’s border, were that bit nearer their ultimate goal of reaching Hitler in Berlin. Since the invasion Sparky had become something of an expert, following the Allies’ progress, and often reading articles out to the crew while they worked on the ambulances.

  ‘I bet the Dutch were pleased to see them,’ Paterson said as he cleaned their ambulance’s windscreen.

  ‘Unlike the Jerries!’ someone else shouted out, making the others laugh.

  ‘Let me finish,’ Sparky said, but before he resumed reading again, he suddenly called out, ‘bloody hell!’

  Winnie looked up at Sparky who was staring past her, towards the archway leading out onto the road, his mouth agape in surprise, and he wasn’t the only one looking that way. ‘What’s wrong. . . ’ she began before quickly turning around to look for herself. Seeing who was walking straight towards her made her heart skip a beat. Frozen to the spot for a few moments, she couldn’t quite believe what her eyes were showing her, but as he came nearer there was no doubt that this was real, she wasn’t dreaming, Mac was alive and he was here.

  Dropping the oil dipstick on the floor, she flew across the courtyard towards him and he caught her in his arms. She hung on to him tightly, resting her head on his chest and breathing in the wonderful familiar smell of Mac. When she eventually loosened her grip, Mac smiled, his eyes meeting hers before he bent down and thoroughly kissed her, making up for all the time and worry since they’d last been together. Winnie was vaguely aware of the cheering, clapping and whistling from the other crew members and the yelps of delight from Trixie, who’d been asleep on the driver’s seat of the ambulance, and must have been woken up by all the noise. Trixie had rushed over to greet Mac, too, and was dancing around his legs with joy.

  ‘Where have you been? They told me you were missing in action,’ Winnie asked when they came up for air.

  ‘Didn’t they tell you?’ Mac frowned. ‘I’ve been a prisoner of war.’

  Winnie stared at him for a few moments. ‘A prisoner of war, but why didn’t they tell me? How . . . ’

  Mac didn’t get a chance to explain before he was swamped with crew members patting him on the back, shaking his hand and welcoming him home. Even Station Officer Steele, who must have heard all the commotion up in her office and come down to see what was going on, threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Frankie asked, coming over and slipping her arm through Winnie’s as they watched Mac surrounded by his former colleagues, all of whom thought very highly of him and had been devastated when they’d heard he was missing.

  She turned to her friend and smiled. ‘Yes, absolutely and completely fine. I’m shocked but very, very happy. I can hardly believe he’s here – this isn’t just a dream, is it?’

  Frankie laughed. ‘No, it’s definitely real. Mac really has come home – I’m so happy for you.’

  Tears suddenly stung Winnie’s eyes and she swallowed against the hard lump that had lodged itself in her throat. ‘I was so scared he’d never come back.’ Her voice wavered.

  Frankie put her head against Winnie’s. ‘I know, but he has.’

  Up in the common room a short while later, Winnie perched on the arm of the chair where Mac was sitting. He’d been plied with a cup of tea and one of Mrs Connelly’s carrot buns still warm from the oven, and many of the crew had taken their break early and were sitting around him, anxious to hear what had happened to him.

  ‘So, ’ow’d you come to be taken prisoner then?’ Sparky asked, leaning forward on his chair, elbows on his knees and chin cupped in his hands.

  ‘Give the man a chance to have his tea and something to eat first,’ Station Officer Steele said.

  ‘It’s all right, boss,’ Mac said. ‘I’d better tell you what happened, or we run the danger of my lovely wife exploding with impatience.’ He looked up at Winnie and winked at her. ‘I was taken prisoner about a week after we went in – I’d been sent out to pick up some wounded and met a German patrol who duly took me prisoner and sent me to one of their POW hospitals in Rennes to work there, since I was a medic. It was in an old girls’ boarding school and that’s where I’ve been for the past two months, until the Americans liberated us.’

  ‘Did they treat you well?’ Winnie asked.

  Mac nodded. ‘It wasn’t luxurious, but we were a lot better off than some. There were other Field Ambulance orderlies there, and some of our doctors who’d also been captured. It was our job to help the French nurses look after the injured POWs; the nurses were good to us, smuggling in more food to keep us going.’

  ‘Did you try to escape?’ Sparky asked.

  ‘No, the hospital was guarded and besides, we were doing the job we were supposed to be doing, helping look after our own men. We knew it was only a matter of time before we’d be liberated, so we stayed put and got on with the job and waited.’

  ‘What happened to the Germans?’ Paterson asked.

  ‘They pulled out just before the Americans arrived and took any non-medical POWs with them. I don’t know what happened to them after they were taken, but at least they left us there to look after the wounded.’ Mac took a sip of tea.

  ‘What happens now?’ Frankie asked.

  Mac took hold of Winnie’s hand. ‘Because I’ve done two months as a POW, I’m entitled to some rest and recuperation leave.’

  Winnie smiled at him. ‘You’re home for a while?’

  Mac nodded.

  ‘Well, I’m sure that I speak on behalf of everyone at Station 75 when I say how delighted we all are that you’re safe and home again, Mac,’ Station Officer Steele said. ‘So, when you’re ready, take your wife home. Winnie, you are granted a couple of days’ leave.’ She looked directly at Winnie, her eyes warm behind her horn-rimmed glasses. ‘And that’s an order!’

  Winnie wasn’t going to argue, she’d been given her husband back and she intended spending every precious moment she could with him. ‘Thank you.’

  Chapter 36

  Bella and Stefan stood in the middle of Westminster Bridge, leaning on the parapet looking across the River Thames which was sparkling with diamonds of light in the afternoon sunshine.

  ‘I love the old buildings,’ Stefan said, nodding at the Houses of Parliament. ‘So much history.’

  ‘It’s a miracle they’re still standing after all the bombs that have been dropped on London,’ Bella said. ‘I hope none of those horrible doodlebugs fall on it.’

  ‘We do our best to stop witches,’ Stefan said. ‘I got one yesterday before it reach London.’

  Bella turned to face him. ‘Did you shoot it down?’

  He shook his head and smiled. ‘No, I tipped it, the witch changed course and went into the sea.’

  ‘You tipped it?’

  ‘Like this, see, this my Spitfire.’ He held up his right hand, spreading out his thumb and little finger wide to represent the plane’s wings. ‘This the witch.’ He held up his left hand t
o represent the doodlebug with his thumb and finger slightly splayed. ‘I do this.’ He demonstrated his Spitfire flying in until it was just below the doodlebug, then he suddenly swerved his plane so that his wing clipped the doodlebug’s wing, tipping it at a different angle and sending the rocket flying off in another direction.

  ‘Isn’t it dangerous doing that?’

  He grinned. ‘Is fun, a challenge.’

  Bella shook her head. ‘You are crazy. Are all Polish pilots like you?’

  Stefan shrugged and took hold of her hand. ‘We like to fly and do our job. Other pilots tip witches off course too, I not first one to do this, we learn it from our leader, Tadeusz. He very skilled pilot.’

  The more time that Bella spent with Stefan, the more she grew to like him. He was unlike any other man that she’d known before, his passion for what he did shone out and his sincerity was very appealing. They’d seen each other a couple of times since they’d been out dancing, snatching a few hours together when he was able to get away from West Malling aerodrome and into London, and like this afternoon when he’d turned up at Connie’s house hoping to spend some time with her. Always, he was perfectly mannered and courteous, and they either went out to a Lyons Corner House or, like now, went for a walk, enjoying the fine weather.

  ‘Is England very different to Poland?’ Bella asked.

  ‘Yes. Was hard when first came here, the planes are back to front in England, to open throttle here – you push.’ He demonstrated the action with his free hand. ‘In Polish planes, you pull. And height is in feet not metres and speed in miles not kilometres. RAF has different rules about how you make your bed!’ He shook his head. ‘And the overboiled cabbage and . . . ’ He frowned. ‘Custard, what is it?’

  Bella laughed. ‘You don’t have custard in Poland?’

  ‘No! Definitely not.’ His eyes met hers. ‘But I get used to it and dream of good Polish food.’

  ‘Shall we walk?’ Bella asked. They headed across the bridge towards the Houses of Parliament, hand in hand. ‘You’re very patriotic, I think, aren’t you?’

  ‘We love our country,’ Stefan said. ‘We grow up to love it. In past Poland split and ruled by others – Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungary, was not right but at end of Great War we declared independent and finally free. When we children, we taught to love our country and know to do everything we can to keep it free. That is why we fight the Nazis, we come here to help British fight because we want our country free again. I look forward very much to when war over and I go home.’

  Bella pulled on his hand to stop him walking and looked into his eyes. ‘I am sorry that the Nazis invaded Poland and took over again. I understand how terrible that must be for you all after your history of being ruled by others. To get your freedom and have it snatched away again a little over twenty years later is dreadful.’

  Stefan’s eyes brightened with tears. ‘Thank you, Bella. Is hard to have my country invaded again. We must fight on, keep fighting till we win.’

  Bella put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She could imagine how terrible it was to be invaded. Britain had felt the threat after Dunkirk. What would it have been like if the Germans had come? Seeing enemy troops marching down the streets, new rules and regulations brought in to suit the conquering forces, the sense of powerlessness when the stronger enemy defeated and took over. It was the stuff of nightmares but had become reality in Poland and so many other countries. Britain had been lucky, no invasion had come, but poor Poland was now suffering under the Nazi rule and any who’d opposed it would have been dealt with.

  ‘Is not all bad,’ Stefan said. Bella loosened her grip and looked up at him. ‘I meet you here in London. That is very good.’ He kissed her, tenderly.

  A sudden loud explosion rang out across the London rooftops, making them jump. They immediately looked around, searching the sky for any tell-tale signs, but couldn’t see anything, their view limited by the tall buildings around them.

  ‘What was that?’ Bella asked. ‘I didn’t hear a doodlebug coming in, did you?’

  ‘No.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘Was something big.’

  Bella remembered the last time she’d heard an unexpected explosion, well before the advent of the doodlebugs, when an unexploded bomb had blown up one fine June evening in Gurney Street, killing many innocent people. Had something like that happened again today? She shivered.

  ‘Are you all right, Bella?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Just remembering another time when something like this happened when I was on duty.’ She briefly told him about the incident at Gurney Street.

  Stefan held out his hand. ‘Come on, we go and have tea, yes?’

  ‘Yes, please.’ She smiled at him. ‘Tea always helps us British feel better, you’re learning our ways.’

  ‘Is because I like to be with you, Bella.’

  She took his hand. ‘And I with you, too.’

  Chapter 37

  ‘Saying goodbye at stations is becoming something of a habit of ours,’ Mac said, folding Winnie into his arms.

  She leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heart thumping as fast as hers was, betraying his true feelings despite his joking words; their parting was traumatic for both of them. After a blissful couple of weeks together it was hard to say goodbye again, especially knowing that Mac would be sent abroad, his skills much needed as the fighting continued. She hadn’t forgotten the fear of losing him and the dreadful heart-chilling arrival of a telegram. Now, with Mac going back, there was every chance that something might happen to him again. He might not be so lucky next time. Swallowing hard, fighting back tears, she clung even harder to him.

  The guard shouted from the far end of the platform, their precious seconds left together were fast ticking down.

  ‘Winnie, I need to get on board.’ Mac gently loosened her arms and, hooking his finger under her chin, brought her gaze up to meet his. ‘I don’t want to leave, but I have to. I love you and promise with all my heart that I’ll do everything in my power to come back to you.’

  She looked into his eyes and nodded, not daring to speak herself.

  ‘You look after yourself too. All right?’

  She nodded again.

  He kissed her tenderly and then grabbed his kitbag, slung it over his shoulder and climbed on board just as the guard passed by them, nodding at them. Mac slammed the carriage door shut and leaned out of the open window.

  ‘I love you, Mac. Look after yourself.’ Winnie squeezed her hands into fists, willing herself not to cry. She did her best to smile and send him away with that last cheerful face.

  ‘Always, I promise.’ Mac reached out and grabbed her hand as the train started to move, making her trot along beside it, but all too soon she had to let go and stood watching the train snake its way out of the station, putting her hand to her lips and kissing the skin that he had last touched.

  ‘Come home to me, Mac,’ she whispered with tears streaming down her cheeks as the train finally disappeared from sight.

  Chapter 38

  ‘Look at this, I never expected to find this in the letter.’ Frankie handed Bella the delicate lace that had arrived in yesterday’s post for her – sent by Alastair all the way from Belgium. They were sitting in the quiet common room having a break after giving their ambulance a thorough cleaning.

  ‘It’s beautiful.’ Bella stroked the delicate white lace with her fingertips, tracing the intricate pattern. ‘Where’d he get this?’

  ‘From a lace shop in Brussels, so he said in his letter. He went into the city after it had been liberated and thought I might like some. And I do like it, it’s lovely.’ She smiled. ‘He said the streets were lined with happy people and they were so delighted to see the British army they were givin’ them flowers and wanting to take them for a celebratory drink – it sounded like quite a party.’

  ‘Can you imagine what it feels like to be liberated after being occupied by the Nazis for so long? The sense of freedom
again must have been wonderful.’

  ‘Thank God we never had to go through that.’ Frankie remembered how the country had felt like it was hanging on by its fingertips with the threat of invasion hanging over it back in the early years of the war. Thankfully the enemy had never actually put its invasion plans into action. ‘I’m glad he gets to have some fun for a bit sometimes, it’s difficult and exhausting workin’ at a casualty clearing station.’

  ‘It must be hard having to keep moving everything on all the time as well, following on behind the front line as it advances.’ Bella handed her back the piece of lace. ‘Imagine if we had to up sticks and move Station 75 and all the equipment every so often, having to pack everything up, move it and unpack again.’

  Frankie tucked the lace safely back inside the envelope that Alastair had sent it in. ‘I know, but he quite likes seeing different places and, as our troops push further into enemy territory, he’ll get a chance to visit other towns.’

  ‘Have you decided what you’re going to use the lace for?’ Bella asked.

  ‘I thought I’d . . . ’ Frankie began but stopped as Sparky came into the common room with a thunderous look on his face. ‘What’s the matter with you?’

  Sparky threw himself down in the armchair opposite the sofa where they were sitting. ‘I just went to get me newspaper and saw one of the Fire Service fellas I know, and he told me the bleedin’ Nazis are firing a new type of rocket at us now. As if the bleeding doodlebugs ain’t enough to have rainin’ down on us night and day, we’ve now got another sort, only these blighters are a lot worse!’

  ‘There’s been nothing on the wireless or in the papers about it. Are you sure, Sparky?’ Bella said.

  Sparky threw up his hands. ‘Of course I am! Just because we ain’t been told about them don’t mean they aren’t falling on us. Ain’t you heard the loud explosions?’