by Anne Douglas
Still, there seemed no real hope of victory over Hitler until, in December 1941, the Japanese without warning attacked the American Pearl Harbor, which brought America into the war. True, the Japanese had joined the German Axis, but now that America, with all its huge resources, was one of Britain’s allies, at long last there was something to be cheerful about. That was on a national scale, but also, for Jinny and May, there was something personal, for though it still seemed unbelievable, Vi, it appeared, had acquired a young man. As Christmas approached, she wrote to Josh and her sisters, saying she would be coming home on leave and bringing ‘a friend’. The friend’s name was Barry Graham, a sergeant stationed near the hospital where she was based.
‘All right if he has the little bedroom, now that you’ve got May’s room?’ she asked Josh. ‘Barry’s parents are dead and he has nowhere to spend his leave, so I invited him home. I’m sure you’ll like him – I do, anyway.’
‘Vi’s bringing a fellow home?’ Josh cried to May. ‘I don’t believe it – she’s never taken the slightest interest—’
‘She says she likes him,’ May pointed out. ‘And he is an army sergeant, Dad. He’s doing his bit, so you’ll probably like him too.’
‘I did think I could rely on Vi not to start bringing fellows home,’ Josh retorted. ‘Och, seems I’ve lost the lot o’ you!’
‘Hang on, no one says Vi is going to marry this Barry,’ May said reasonably. ‘Let’s wait and see what happens, eh?’
But May lost no time in writing to Jinny, asking her to do her best to get leave, so that they could both see what Vi’s young man was like, and Jinny, marvelling over that phrase – ‘Vi’s young man’ – wrote back to say she’d move heaven and earth to get home to meet this amazing fellow. Her luck was in – she was given her leave – and on Christmas Eve she arrived home to find May and her father, who’d finished early at the theatre, ready and waiting for Vi and the unknown sergeant.
‘It all looks lovely,’ she told May. ‘The fire burning and the little tree with the dear old fairy on the top, just as always.’
‘Remember how Vi once said she should be retiring? We weren’t having that!’
‘Ssh!’ cried Josh. ‘I hear the door. They’re here.’
Silence fell as Vi, in uniform, appeared in the doorway, ushering in a tall man, also in uniform, who took off his cap and stood smiling, looking from one expectant face to another.
‘Dad, May, Jinny – this is Barry,’ Vi announced. ‘Barry, may I introduce my father and my sisters? You’ve heard all about them. Here they are.’
He stepped forward to shake Josh’s hand, a strong-faced man in his thirties, with short, clipped brown hair and light blue eyes – not handsome, yet pleasant to look at, and with the army way of holding himself: very erect, very straight-backed. Jinny could imagine him being good on the parade ground, yet his manner now was easy and relaxed, although his eyes on Josh were perhaps just a little anxious.
‘Mr Hendrie, I’m very glad to meet you,’ he said in a northern English accent. ‘It’s so kind of you to have me for Christmas – I do appreciate it.’
‘That’s all right,’ Josh muttered, clearly impressed. ‘Glad you could come. May, Jinny, shake hands with Mr Graham.’
‘Barry, you mean!’ cried Vi. ‘We don’t stand on ceremony. Any chance of a cup of tea? We’re parched and had to stand all the way to Waverley.’
‘Tea’s coming up,’ said May, when she and Jinny had greeted Barry. ‘Vi, show Barry his room while I get the cups.’
‘I’d just like to put a few things under that Christmas tree, if I may,’ Barry said, taking up his bag. ‘Only a few odds and ends, but I did get a bottle of whisky for you, Mr Hendrie – I hope it’s OK.’
‘A bottle of what?’ Josh shouted. ‘I’ve no’ seen any whisky since the start of the war!’
‘He’ll be your friend for life now,’ May told Barry with a laugh.
He replied seriously, ‘I hope so.’
In this way began a truly pleasant Christmas, with all the difficulties and shortages disregarded, as May and Jinny did their utmost for Vi’s sake to make Barry feel at home. Even though their own loved ones were far away, the sisters took genuine pleasure in Vi’s radiant acceptance that she could fall in love, just like anyone else, and were happy to see how beautiful she looked, and how she and Barry seemed right for each other. Of course, they couldn’t know him in the short time since he’d arrived, but Vi knew him, and the way things were going they were prepared to trust her judgement.
‘Oh, he is right for me!’ she exclaimed when Josh had taken Barry to a Boxing Day football match and the girls were alone in the flat. ‘He’s perfect for me, shares all my ideas about equality and human rights – that’s how we came to go out together, after we’d met at a hospital dance. We danced a bit, and then he told me he’d worked in a factory before the war and been the trade union representative and, of course, that got me started. By the end of the evening we were already fixing up to meet again.’
Vi gave a wide smile and sighed. ‘All I’ve got to worry about now is how soon he’ll be posted away, but so far there’s no sign of it, so, fingers crossed, eh?’
‘Fingers permanently crossed,’ said Jinny. ‘I’ve heard that Ross’s regiment is leaving India, but only for North Africa, so there’s still no chance of seeing him.’
‘And Allan’s in Tobruk,’ put in May. ‘No chance of seeing him, either.’
‘Now I really understand what you’re going through,’ Vi said quietly.
Christmas leave was over, but before she left, while Barry was doing a last check round in his room, Vi caught her father’s arm.
‘Dad, do you like him?’ she asked fiercely.
‘Barry?’ He looked down at her, his dark eyes serious. ‘Vi, I do. If my girls have to go, I want ’em to be with a fellow who’ll be right, and Barry’s right. A grand lad, och, yes. If he’s the one for you—’
‘He is!’
‘Then I’m happy for you.’ He gave her a quick hug. ‘And I hope all goes well for you both. Goes without saying, eh?’
‘Thanks, Dad,’ Vi answered, sniffing a little, as Barry came out, ready to go, and then there were handshakes, brief kisses and more hugs with May and Jinny, and final waves as the couple left for their tram to the station.
‘That’s it, then,’ murmured May. ‘Christmas is over.’
‘Still got Hogmanay,’ Josh said.
‘I’ll be away before then,’ said Jinny. ‘Anyway, I don’t feel like celebrating. Who knows what the New Year will bring?’
‘But have you ever seen Vi looking better?’ asked May.
‘Never,’ they agreed, and then were silent, thinking of what might happen, for Vi and Barry, for all of them, in the time to come.
Sixty-Seven
What happened to Jinny was that, after being awarded a second stripe, she got posted. To Salisbury! Oh, no! She didn’t in the least want to go and leave everyone she knew to start afresh in Southern Command. Oh, why couldn’t they leave her where she was?
‘You must suffer for promotion,’ Josie told her. ‘What about me? I’m getting a second stripe, too, but I have to go to Aberdeen.’
‘Well, I haven’t got any stripes,’ Pauline said cheerfully, ‘but I’m on my way as well. Might as well tell you now.’
‘On your way where?’ asked Jinny.
‘Home. To my mum and dad. Can you believe it? But I’ve got no choice.’
‘Just because you’ll be married?’
‘No, because I’ll be getting the green ration book. Now, do I have to spell out what that means?’
Green ration book. Jinny and Josie exchanged looks. They knew that green ration books were only for expectant mothers, to make sure they had the food they needed.
‘Yes, it’s true,’ Pauline said, laughing. ‘I’m in the club. Jumped the gun, I’m afraid, and Mum’s furious. Has to be only a register office wedding now, you see, with just her and Dad, and Chris and me
, of course. Sorry, girls, I can’t invite you, but if Mum can get the stuff, I’ll send you a bit of wedding cake.’
‘Congratulations, anyway!’ cried Jinny, embracing her. ‘What’s it matter if the baby wasn’t planned? I think it’s wonderful, anyway.’
‘And for you the war is over,’ Josie added, smiling. ‘If I could knit I’d make some bootees; as it is, I’ll be sending a christening mug. Oh, but we’re going to miss you, Pauline!’
‘We’re all going to miss one another,’ Jinny said bleakly. ‘Just think of Josie and me having to start all over again.’
‘As corporals, though,’ Pauline reminded her. ‘You’ll do fine, both of you, and I’m going to wish you all the best. You and your fellows, too. We’ll keep in touch, eh?’
Of course they would. For a time, anyway. But Jinny was worrying how she would get on in a new place, and of how she must let Ross know as quickly as possible, hoping that her letter would get through, for of late their letters to each other had been slow to arrive, with some, Jinny feared, not arriving at all. The only good news, really, was that she’d been awarded that second stripe. Corporal Hendrie. It sounded good.
Only two weeks later, she left for Salisbury, butterflies fluttering inside her, but once she arrived it wasn’t so bad. It was all right, in fact. Her new billet was in another large house, not unlike the one she’d been used to, the pay office was just what she’d expected and the people she met were friendly and helpful. Another captain, another sergeant, more ATS faces to get used to, and new recruits she’d been told she’d be training, but all looked promising.
I think I could settle here, she thought, and was surprised at how easy her move had been.
‘First, a short course,’ announced Captain Horton, erect, very military in bearing but missing fingers from one hand, his reason for no longer being on active service. ‘Just to familiarize you with a corporal’s duties and the techniques of training others. Sergeant Teller will fill you in and I know from your records that you’re a quick learner so you’ll have no problems. Nice to have you with us, Corporal Hendrie!’
‘Nice to be here, sir,’ she replied.
Sixty-Eight
It was here in Southern Command that she was to stay for the rest of the war, observing – at the safe distance she felt rather guilty about – the long progression of events that was finally to bring about the end, though she wasn’t to know, of course, when that would be until it happened.
So many battles, so many ‘theatres of war’, to use a phrase liked by the BBC. She found it depressing to read and hear of so many, and all involving people hoping to kill other people. But that was what war meant, and you just had to keep on remembering that this war, against fascism, was a just one.
All the same, it was terrible to think of the suffering involved. In Russia, for example, where the continuing fighting with the German attackers was causing thousands of deaths and casualties. In the Far East, where Japan had taken Singapore, Hong Kong and Burma in ruthless fashion and had so far held off British advances. In North Africa, where the British were fighting the Italians and Rommel, the most feared of German generals, and where there were immense numbers of casualties after cat-and-mouse warfare.
Naturally, Jinny’s anxieties were very much centred on that particular ‘theatre’, for it was there that Ross and Allan were both involved. Every day she dreaded receiving a telegram, heaving sighs of relief when none came – until, following the great battle between Rommel and the British General Montgomery at El Alamein, the news came from May that Allan was to be invalided home. A shell had exploded close to him during the battle and his hearing had been badly affected.
He was alive, that was the main thing, but poor chap, how terrible that he should not be able to hear properly! Jinny resolved to see him as soon as possible, but along with her sorrow for his troubles was her anxiety over Ross. She’d heard nothing, which might be thought of as good news, but then again, might not. If only she could see him again …
When she did manage to visit Allan, by then at home, it was to hear that the doctors had found he had some residual hearing and had fitted him with two powerful hearing aids. Even with these he would not be able to serve again in the forces, and might be advised to study lip reading, or signing, in case his hearing deteriorated even further.
‘Not such good news,’ he told Jinny, his voice sounding odd – rather distorted, in fact – ‘but it could have been worse. That’s what I keep telling myself.’
‘You’re alive,’ May said softly. ‘You’re here. And that’s all that matters.’
‘I should say so!’ Jinny cried, noting with distress Allan’s haggard looks and the lines of strain around his eyes. Also, he seemed constantly to be holding his head forward, as though it would help him to hear, and when it didn’t, he would fiddle with his hearing aids to try to make them work better. Which did very little good.
‘What are you planning to do?’ Jinny asked, speaking as clearly as she could. ‘Will you open your shop again?’
‘He’s thinking of it,’ said May, as Allan did not reply. ‘But he’s worried how he’d manage with the customers. I’ve told him I’ll help, but he could always get them to write down what they want done if he can’t hear them.’
‘The hearing aids must surely do some good?’ Jinny asked.
‘Oh, they do, they do. It’s just a question of getting used to them.’ May was doing her best to appear as calm as usual, but the lines of strain were appearing round her eyes too. ‘I’m sure we’ll work something out.’
‘Of course you will!’ cried Jinny.
Before she left, she asked if Allan had any news of Ross, but he managed to tell her that the two had not met. He was sure she would have heard if he’d been hurt, however, and no doubt he was now involved in further activity in North Africa. There was a lot to do, even though the battle of El Alamein had been won.
‘But you won’t be doing it, thank God,’ said May, then glanced at Jinny and bit her lip. Quickly, she touched her sister’s hand. ‘Ross will be all right, Jinny, I’m sure of it. As Allan says, you’d have heard if he wasn’t.’
In fact, only a day or two later, she received a letter from him that had miraculously filtered through. He was fine, had come through without trouble, with only a slight shoulder wound that was already healing, and she was not to worry. One of these days they would meet again, no question!
And in May 1944, though she could scarcely believe it, his words came true. Thin and worn, though bronzed and smiling, he arrived in Edinburgh for his first leave in years, which was, even then, only to be a couple of days, and Jinny was there at Waverley to meet him, on only a short leave herself. It wasn’t long, but it was enough, it was everything – yet as he came towards her, seeming at first a stranger, she hesitated, so anxious to greet him but not sure how she should. Until, that is, she saw his brown eyes searching her face, those same brown eyes she had always found so comforting, and in a moment she was in his arms, the years rolling away, and they were strangers no longer.
‘I never thought this day would come,’ she whispered, tears unshed, ready to fall. ‘And you look so well, you’ve not changed at all—’
‘Come on, that’s not what I see in my shaving mirror,’ he laughed. ‘But it is true of you, Jinny. You’re as lovely as ever, just as you’ve always been in my dreams these years away. Now, are there any taxis, do you think?’
‘You and your taxis! There might be, if we’re lucky. But I want to ask you, Ross, will you stay with us instead of going to the club? There’s a small room you could have.’
‘That would be wonderful, just what I want. But still, let’s hunt down a taxi!’
Sixty-Nine
The brief leave passed like a dream. Sometimes, when they were alone, with moments of rapture that stopped just short of ‘going all the way’, as some described it; sometimes with long catching-up talks of how the world had been for them in the years that had passed, when Ross said all t
here had ever been for him had been warfare and thoughts of Jinny.
‘I used to worry about you,’ he told her. ‘Of how you were not meeting other people because of me, and then, of course, I’d worry in case you were!’ He lowered his eyes for a moment as he spoke and held her close. ‘Was I wrong to do that? You wouldn’t blame me?’
‘Of course I wouldn’t! It’d be natural to worry. But you never had any need, Ross.’ Jinny moved back his copper-coloured hair and smoothed his brow. ‘I used to go to the pictures, or to dances, but always in a crowd. Soldiers did sometimes try to make dates but I always put them off, and, you see, I’m here now. Isn’t that so?’
‘It is!’ he cried. ‘And I’m a damned lucky fellow, is all I can say.’
‘Let’s just hope your luck holds, then,’ she said quietly. ‘And I don’t mean with me.’
‘It will, it will, I promise you.’
Their talk shifted to the future of the war, with Ross being so optimistic that Jinny’s heart lifted a little.
‘You really think we can beat Hitler now? That would be wonderful!’
‘I do think that. He’s not exactly a spent force, but ever since he was defeated in Russia – and you remember the Germans surrendered back in 1943 – there’s been a question mark over his powers to survive. And now you know what’s coming, don’t you? Why my regiment’s back home?’
‘You mean, D-Day?’
Now her heart was plummeting again. D-Day – the date when the Allies were to enter Europe that everyone talked about and no one outside the top brass knew when it would be – would for her be the biggest nightmare yet if Ross were to be part of it. Vi had said, in confidence, that Barry, at present at some unknown place abroad, would almost certainly be included in the D-Day assault, and Jinny had shivered to think about it. Now it looked as if—
