A pained expression crossed Perys’s face. ‘I don’t know. I’ve just come from the army barracks at Bodmin and nothing seems to be very certain.’ Not wishing to tell her exactly what had happened there, he added, ‘All the senior officers are away on some war business or another. Those who are left are so busy coping with mobilisation that they have no time to deal with anything else.’
‘Martin upset Ma this morning by saying that if it looks as though the war is going to last for a while he’ll join the army. He believes most of the men at Heligan will do the same.’
It was an eventuality that had not occurred to Perys. He wondered how Heligan would cope if many of the workforce employed in the house and on the estate left to join the army or the navy.
‘Do you have time to come to the farm for a drink?’ Annie asked.
Although he was pleased that Annie had made the suggestion, Perys shook his head. ‘I would love to, Annie, but I had better get back to Heligan and find out what everyone intends doing. This war will change a great many things.’
‘I am sure it will,’ Annie agreed, seriously. ‘Are you likely to stay on at Heligan if you don’t join the army right away?’
‘Probably. The truth is that right now I have nowhere else to go. My grandparents have already shut up their house - although they might decide to return to England if it looks as though Italy will come into the war on the side of the Germans.’
Annie felt deep sympathy for Perys. Although he was a member of the family that owned most of the countryside in this part of Cornwall, he had no roots, no permanent home, and, seemingly, no one who really cared what happened to him.
‘If you do stay at Heligan for a while you are always welcome to call on us at Tregassick.’
‘Thank you, Annie, I appreciate the offer. I shall certainly pay you a visit if I stay - and will let you know if I am to leave.’
‘I hope that won’t be for a while . . .’ Aware that she was being what her mother would refer to as ‘far too forward’, Annie turned to go.
Suddenly, she stopped and turned back to him. ‘Perys . . . will you speak to Martin and try to persuade him to stay on at Heligan, for a while, at least, and not to rush into joining the army?’
‘I’ll try, Annie, but I can’t guarantee how successful I’m likely to be. You see, I understand exactly how he feels.’
* * *
When Perys repeated to Maude what he had been told by the captain at the army barracks in Bodmin, she listened in thoughtful silence.
‘. . . It baffles me, Aunt Maude. Great-Uncle Hugh recommended me - and you personally delivered the letter and my application to the commanding officer’s office, together with my references. Even my headmaster felt I was well suited for an army career.’
‘I don’t think it has anything at all to do with your qualifications for a service career, Perys. I believe it is your cousin Edward’s way of taking revenge for the bloody nose you gave him. It is perfectly true that my husband served with Major Stokes in the Boer War, but so too did Edward’s father. The two remain firm friends.’
‘I had hoped that once Edward calmed down he might have accepted that he went too far,’ Perys said, ruefully. ‘It seems I was wrong.’
‘None of this is your fault,’ Arabella protested. ‘There was nothing else you could have done after he said what he did. He is lucky you didn’t do far more to him. I know I will never speak to him again for as long as I live.’
‘The problem is that it leaves me with a very uncertain future,’ Perys said to Maude. ‘I have an allowance from my grandfather, but it’s by no means generous and is conditional upon my joining the army as soon as possible after completing my education. Perhaps I should do what the captain at Bodmin suggested. Enlist as a recruit and hope to gain a commission.’
‘That is not a good idea at all.’ Maude said, firmly. ‘As the widow of an army officer I have had considerable experience of service life. Whatever the captain may have told you, obtaining a commission from the ranks is the exception rather than the rule - even in wartime. The best thing you could do is to have a chat with your cousin Rupert Pilkington. He is in the Royal Flying Corps - I believe I may have mentioned him to you before. When I spoke to him on the telephone he said he hoped to come to Cornwall very soon, flying an aeroplane, I believe, to seek possible sites for an airfield. You have said your true ambition is to become a flyer. Rupert might be of some help to you.’
The news greatly excited Perys. If Rupert did come to Cornwall he could indeed be a great help. There might also be an opportunity to have a close look at an aeroplane. Yet he was puzzled.
‘Why would the RFC want an airfield in Cornwall? We’re an awfully long way from France.’
‘That is quite true, but an aeroplane, or an airship, could fly out over the sea and report on any German naval ships that might be making their way along the English Channel.’
The idea made sense to Perys. It also meant the Royal Flying Corps was likely to undertake a great many more tasks in wartime than anyone had ever envisaged when the corps was formed.
‘When will Rupert be here?’ Perys asked, eagerly.
‘He was not terribly sure, but expected it to be some time in the next few days.’ Maude smiled at Perys’s eagerness. ‘Be patient, Perys. I agree with the DCLI captain on one thing. Your hands need to heal before you can do anything more about a service career.’
Chapter 11
Events in Europe moved with a frightening speed. During the first few weeks of the war many battles were fought by the armies of Britain, Belgium and France - and many were lost.
The British army, which included a battalion of the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry, had been blooded early in the fighting. Now, together with the armies of its allies, it was in full retreat.
The infant Royal Flying Corps was being used to support the army and was operating under war conditions for the first time in its short history. It had scored its first victories and also suffered its first casualties. As an instrument of warfare it had given the world a glimpse of its enormous potential, but at the same time exposed immediate shortcomings.
Not least among the latter was the dismissive attitude of senior army commanders to the current role of the Royal Flying Corps - and the even greater role it might play in the future. It was an attitude that pervaded the army from the commander-in-chief down. Most senior officers had been drilled in battle tactics of the late nineteenth century and found it difficult to accept new concepts. A commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France scornfully dismissed the suggestion that aircraft be used to obtain information about the enemy, pompously declaring that the only way for a commander to get information was ‘by the use of cavalry’.
Despite this, now the war had begun, reconnaissance in support of those involved in ‘the real business of fighting a war’ was the only role envisaged for the Royal Flying Corps.
This was not the view of the pilots themselves. Reconnaissance duties were undertaken, and performed skilfully and effectively, but the pilots also succeeded in bringing down German aircraft by a number of often bizarre means. The Flying Corps also experimented with bombing techniques which included the use of weighted darts and the occasional hand grenade.
News of such activities reached those at Heligan from various sources, but not from pilot Rupert Pilkington. By the time Rupert’s ‘few days’ had become three weeks, Perys had almost given up hope that his relative would be able to fulfil his intention of visiting Cornwall.
He was still undecided about his own future. Maude’s implacable opposition to the suggestion that he should enlist in the army after he had passed his nineteenth birthday meant that he had not seriously considered the matter since mentioning it to her.
Maude had, however, announced her intention of returning to London with her two daughters in the very near future. Morwenna was a trained nurse and casualties from the front in France would soon be filling the hospitals of the capital. Her skills woul
d be urgently needed.
It was intended that Arabella too should follow in the footsteps of her famous ancestor. She was eager to commence her training, but Perys was of the opinion that the younger of the two Tremayne girls would never achieve the calm efficiency of her sister.
Once Maude was gone from Heligan, Perys knew he would need to reach an early decision about his own plans. He could not remain at Heligan for very much longer unless he was able to earn money to support himself. There was also the increasing pressure of watching local young men going off to war. Perys felt he too should be playing a part in the increasingly fierce conflict raging in Europe.
Heligan had already lost a number of its work force. Three reservists had left in the first week of the war. The same number had since enlisted, joining many men from Mevagissey and other surrounding villages.
Because of the sudden dearth of workers, Perys spent a week helping to gather in the wheat on Heligan Home Farm. He followed it by helping out the Brays on Tregassick Farm.
He was working in one of the Tregassick fields, wielding a pitchfork and loading sheaves of corn on to a farmcart, when he heard a sound that was alien to the Cornish countryside. It was the steady drone of a petrol engine.
At first, Perys thought it must be a motor-car. This in itself was unusual enough to attract attention, but as the sound grew louder it became apparent this was no motor vehicle.
Suddenly, Annie cried excitedly, ‘Look. Up there in the sky.’
Following the direction of her pointed finger Perys saw something approaching, high above the ground. It was an aeroplane.
Throwing down his pitchfork, he cried, ‘It’s Rupert! I’d given up all hope that he would really come.’
He had no need to explain in any more detail. He had already told Annie of Rupert’s intention to fly to Cornwall and visit Heligan.
‘I must go, Annie. I’m sorry . . .’
‘How do you know where he’s going to come down?’ she asked.
‘There’s only one field flat and clear enough for him to land in. It’s just the other side of Heligan. I want to be there to meet him.’
Wasting no more time in conversation, Perys sprinted off. There was a deep, wooded valley between him and the field in question, but a track climbed the hill on the far side of the valley, skirting the field.
The run would test his fitness to the limit, but he was determined to be the first to greet Rupert when the aeroplane landed.
It was a close thing. Had the pilot not made two passes over the field to ensure there were no hidden hazards, Perys would not have achieved his aim. As it was, although his chest was heaving alarmingly as he fought to regain his breath, he reached the field in time to see the aeroplane float to the ground, its engine coughing noisily.
It bounced twice before coming to a halt, then turned slowly and trundled across the grass towards the nearest point to Heligan, which happened to be the gate where Perys was standing.
Stopping short of the gate, the aeroplane’s engine noise increased momentarily before ceasing altogether. The propeller cut through the air in silence for a moment or two, then came to a spasmodic halt.
The aeroplane had two open cockpits, but only the rear one was occupied. The pilot unfastened a safety belt and pushed his goggles up to his forehead before extricating himself and climbing stiffly from the aeroplane to the ground.
As he did so, one of the Heligan gamekeepers appeared behind Perys, a double-barrelled shotgun carried in the crook of his arm. He looked uncertainly from Perys to the airman and Perys realised the gamekeeper was uncertain - whether or not the pilot of the aeroplane was friend or enemy.
The pilot removed his flying helmet and ran fingers through his overlong blond hair before speaking to Perys. ‘You there, will you keep a watch on my aeroplane for an hour or so and make certain no one touches anything? I am paying a call on Heligan.’
Perys was dressed in clothes that were appropriate for gathering in the harvest. He realised Rupert had mistaken him for a farmworker.
Turning to the wary gamekeeper, he said, ‘It’s all right, Frank. It’s Rupert Pilkington, a relative.’ Then, returning his attention to the flier, he said, ‘I think Frank will be a much better guard than I. What’s more, he’s armed.’ Smiling at Rupert, he added, ‘I’m Perys Tremayne. Would you like me to show you the way to the house?’
‘I’m terribly sorry, I thought you were one of the farmworkers.’ Extending a hand, he said, ‘Please forgive me, I am Rupert.’
Taking his hand and shaking it warmly, Perys said, ‘It was an understandable mistake. I was helping to gather in the harvest at Tregassick Farm. So many men have gone off to war there’s a shortage of labour in the farms about Heligan at the moment . . . but before we go up to the house, would you mind if I had a look over your aeroplane?’
‘Of course not. Aunt Maude has told me you’re keen to join the Royal Flying Corps. Have you had anything to do with aeroplanes?’
Reaching out to touch the taut canvas of one of the plane’s wings, Perys shook his head. ‘Nothing at all, although I have discussed them at some length with a friend at school. He’s French and his brother is a French army pilot.’
Rupert nodded approval. ‘The French have some fine aeroplanes - and damned good pilots to fly them. Come across to the cockpit and I’ll show you the controls and explain what they do.’
Perys learned that the aircraft was a BE2c; ‘BE’ being the initials of Bleriot Experimental. He was deeply interested and asked a great many questions. His inspection came to an end with the arrival of Morwenna and Arabella to greet their cousin.
Arabella looked at the fragile aeroplane in disbelief. ‘Rupert, you actually put your trust in this flimsy thing to take you up into the sky?’
Rupert smiled. ‘Of course. What’s more, I have actually taken it to France and fought against a German pilot while I was flying it. Mind you, we were both using revolvers and neither of us was a terribly good shot.’
Arabella shuddered. ‘I would rather not think about such things, especially if Perys is going to be a pilot.’
Such a positive declaration of concern for Perys startled Rupert. He looked enquiringly at Perys, who was embarrassed by Arabella’s remark.
‘If Perys becomes a pilot I have no doubt he will be a good one,’ Rupert said. ‘And for much of his time a good pilot has more control of his own destiny than the most efficient infantry officer.’
‘In that case I’ll try to be a very good pilot.’ Perys said, meaningfully.
‘That’s the spirit!’ Rupert said, jovially. His glance rested upon Morwenna who had not yet joined in the conversation. Speaking to her now, he said, ‘You have grown up considerably since we last met, Morwenna.’
Perys was surprised to see her blush as she replied, ‘That is hardly surprising, Rupert. I was only fourteen then.’
‘Is it really so long ago? It is terribly remiss of me not to have called on you and your mother before this. Never mind, I am here now.’
‘You have been far too busy doing exciting things to think of relatives,’ Morwenna replied.
There was something in their manner that made Perys think that Morwenna had probably once looked upon Rupert in the same way as Arabella now regarded him.
He wondered whether Maude had viewed the situation with the misgivings he was aware she had about him. Sadly, he thought the answer would undoubtedly be that she had not.
Chapter 12
Although Rupert had made a joking reference to the part he had played in the war so far, he had in fact been involved in the forcing down of a German aeroplane and the destruction of another. He also felt very strongly that he should be in France with his squadron right now. Instead, he had been sent back to England to attend a meeting at the War Office to discuss the future role of the Royal Flying Corps. When the meeting had ended, one of the senior officers remembered he had still not carried out the proposed survey of possible airfield sites in Cornwall and decided he sho
uld fulfil the task right away.
Perys had taken an instant liking to Rupert and it seemed the flier liked him too. Much of their conversation during the all-too-brief visit of the airman to Heligan concerned flying and the activities of the Royal Flying Corps.
When Rupert said it was time for him to leave, Perys looked so crestfallen that after a few moments’ thought, Rupert said to him, ‘Just how serious are you about joining the RFC, Perys?’
‘I have never been more serious about anything,’ Perys replied, emphatically. ‘I had no real doubts before, but after talking to you, nothing will stop me from becoming a pilot.’
‘In that case,’ Rupert said, ‘how would you like to come with me to check out a couple of airfield sites I have in mind in the west of Cornwall?’
Perys could hardly believe what he was hearing. ‘You mean ... fly there with you?’
‘I am certainly not going to use any other means of transport,’ Rupert declared, amused by Perys’s excited disbelief. ‘Do you have any warm clothing?’
‘I have one or two things in my room.’
‘Then go and put them all on,’ Rupert said. ‘You’ll be sitting immediately behind the propeller and it can be very cold once we are in the air. Hurry up now, I need to be off pretty quickly if I am to return you and get myself back to the Central Flying School in Wiltshire before dark.’
When Perys had hurried from the room, closely followed by the two girls, Rupert was left alone with Maude and he commented, ‘He seems a likeable lad - and very keen to join the RFC.’
‘He is a likeable boy,’ Maude replied, ‘and one of whom I feel the Tremayne family could be proud. It is a great pity there was such a scandal over his birth.’
‘When I spoke to you by telephone you told me he had been refused a commission in the county regiment. Were the circumstances of his birth the reason?’
Maude shook her head. ‘No, I believe the refusal was a direct result of Perys giving Cousin Edward a well-deserved bloody nose. Edward’s father is a close friend of the commanding officer of the regimental barracks here in Cornwall.’
The Lost Years Page 6
