by Annie Groves
‘Wireless and Radio Location?’ Rev Jackson queried.
‘Part of our air defences, sir,’ said Roger. ‘The German Luftwaffe were intercepted by our aircraft thanks to the boys working on Ground Controlled Interception.’
‘Really?’ said Rev Jackson. ‘I never realised.’
Roger nodded sagely. ‘We’re all indebted to a lot of people we don’t know about, sir.’
‘Tell you what,’ another man said, ‘the Germans sometimes dropped the odd leftover bomb before they reached the Channel.’
‘So did our boys,’ a woman called out. ‘If they were heading for Tangmere or Ford, they couldn’t afford to land with an unexploded bomb still on board.’
‘Then I’m afraid we have to stop what we are doing,’ said Roger. He jerked his head towards PC Noble. ‘Could you tell everyone to get well away, please?’ The policeman saluted and scrabbled up the bank. ‘And ask your sergeant to call my HQ and dispatch a unit.’
PC Noble seemed slightly confused.
‘What’s up?’ said Clifford, sliding down the bank to join him. ‘Why have you stopped digging?’
‘I’m sorry, sir, but we can’t carry on,’ said Roger. ‘That feels like a UXB to me.’
‘A bomb!’ someone cried. There was a collective gasp and several people moved away. PC Noble flew up the bank, mounted his bicycle and rode as fast as he could towards the houses further down the lane.
‘How can you be so sure?’ Clifford said desperately.
‘Roger is a bomb disposal officer,’ said Connie. ‘He was the man who defused that bomb in Worthing High Street a few months ago.’
Clifford seemed to wither in size. Gwen burst into tears as Eugène took it upon himself to clear the rest of the people from the scene. Some left reluctantly, but most of them were only too keen to go back down the hill.
‘You can’t leave her there,’ cried Gwen.
Connie’s face was stricken. ‘Can’t we pull her out first?’
‘I’m sorry, darling, but we cannot risk it,’ said Roger. ‘We’ve been really lucky so far not to set it off. It has to be checked and made safe before we can go on.’
Connie stared at him in horror. ‘But she’s underneath.’
‘I know,’ said Roger, ‘and I will get her out. It’s just going to take time.’
‘I want to speak to her,’ said Gwen. ‘Let me talk to my daughter.’
Roger hesitated for a second and then said, ‘Okay. But try not to let her panic. Tell her we’re all going to have a rest. Tell her it’s night-time. Don’t tell her what’s really happened. Try to make everything sound as normal as possible.’
Gwen’s eyes filled with tears and she looked helplessly at Connie and everyone knew what she must be thinking. How could she possibly sound normal when every part of her body was screaming in panic for her child?
‘I’ll do it, Mum.’
‘Connie.’ The sound of Eugène’s voice made her hesitate. She turned and her eyes met his. Eugène glanced back at Roger watching them then turned to Connie. ‘Be careful,’ he said quietly.
Her chin quivered slightly as she nodded in thanks and then Roger reached out his hand to help her down. As she took it, Connie stepped on the boards the men had laid down for the wheelbarrow. Her foot slipped slightly and she felt Eugène’s strong arm make a grab for her from behind to hold her steady.
‘I’ve got her, thank you,’ said Roger coldly as he reached to help Connie.
Connie couldn’t look back but somehow it was Eugène’s grip that gave her the strength she needed. Taking a deep breath, she knelt and then lay on the ground in front of the hole. It was damp and smelled earthy. ‘Mandy …’
‘Let me out,’ Mandy sobbed. Her voice sounded far away but Connie could see a small gap tapering away in the distance. This must have been where she went into the hole, pulling the earth in behind her but luckily still giving her enough access to air. If it had closed right around her entirely she would have been buried alive. ‘I will be good. Please, Connie.’
It took every ounce of strength Connie had not to break down. ‘Mandy … darling, listen to me. It’s hard to get down to where you are. We are going to have to get some special things to help us.’
‘But I want to come out now.’
‘I know you do, darling. But everybody is going to have a little rest first and then we’ll get you out. Promise.’
Silence.
Connie chewed her lip anxiously. ‘Can you hear me, darling?’
‘I’m thirsty.’
Connie looked helplessly at Roger. ‘That’s okay. We can give her something,’ he whispered.
‘All right,’ Connie shouted down the hole. ‘I’ll see what I can do. We’ll have you out soon, Mandy, I promise. Do you think you can be a good girl for just a little bit longer?’
She waited for what seemed like an eternity and then Mandy said, ‘Do I have to touch Mr Charles?’
For a second, Connie’s eyes widened and her blood ran cold. Aware that every eye was upon her she fought with herself not to start shaking. Her heart was already pounding with rage. So she had been right after all. This had something to do with that damned man. Dear God. What was she going to do? Her mother and Clifford were already demented with worry. If she said something now it would only add to their misery. She swallowed hard. ‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, darling.’
There was another pause then Mandy sighed, ‘All wight.’
Out in the lane, the coach driver had already decided it was time to go. ‘If there’s a bomb down there, I can’t risk my motor being blown to kingdom come,’ he told Rev Jackson. ‘You either get your people back on the coach or you all stay here at your own risk.’
Although he himself wanted to stay, it seemed prudent to Rev Jackson to get everyone else home. ‘I know you all want to help,’ he told everyone, ‘but the best way is by giving the authorities plenty of space to do what they have to do.’
It was his diplomatic way of assuaging any guilt they might feel at leaving Connie and her family to it.
Jane and Arnold sought Connie out first. ‘We’ll come back in the morning,’ she promised Connie. She and Arnold were full of apologies. ‘Please don’t feel bad,’ said Connie, giving Jane a hug. ‘You’ve both been real pals. Thanks, and take your dad with you. He looks completely done in.’
‘The vet says he’s doing all he can for Pip,’ said Arnold. Connie sucked in her lips, unable to speak. ‘I think he might make it,’ Arnold went on. ‘He’s a plucky little dog.’
The driver started the engine and a reluctant Rev Jackson began to close the door. ‘We’ll pray for you,’ he said helplessly.
The School of Military Engineering began in Ripon in Yorkshire in 1940. Once the seriousness of the country’s position was fully realised, the military formed a specialist Bomb Disposal School. They began with a basic unit which consisted of one officer, and fifteen other ranks which were divided into two subsections, one for the removal of a bomb and the other for its sterilisation. Roger came into the system in 1943 when the total Bomb Disposal force numbered some 10,000 men, who were stationed in every theatre of war and in the three services. His unit was based in Horsham which was only a twenty-mile drive away. Without even the basic equipment, there was little Roger could do except wait. He did his best to appear calm and in control but in truth he did have some serious concerns. He could only hope that the strike of the spade hadn’t been enough to restart any dormant timing device. The bomb itself was badly damaged and most likely exceedingly dangerous. Not only that, but it was only held in place by tree roots and highly unstable earth works.
Connie was being very brave. She was a plucky girl and the way she was behaving only made him admire her all the more. He wasn’t so sure about that other chap sniffing around. He had made short work of emptying the wheelbarrows at the top of the incline, but he seemed to be hanging around Connie a bit too much. Who was he? She’d never mentioned going out with anyon
e else and Eva had never mentioned it either. He was beginning to regret leaving it so long before declaring his hand. Connie was definitely the girl for him.
Roger managed to rig up a rubber tube and after he’d pushed it down the little gap, Connie came back onto the boards to explain to the child what was happening. When Roger had spoken to her, Mandy had become agitated, but Connie’s voice calmed her.
‘Can you see a rubber tube coming down, darling?’ Connie lay on the boards looking down. ‘If you put it in your mouth, we’re going to put some water down for you.’
Once they’d made sure Mandy was able to reach the other end, Roger dripped a little water down the tube for her to drink. At least, he reasoned to himself, her arms must be relatively free, and she wasn’t too tightly wedged in. The one thing he had to make sure of was that she didn’t flap about too much and cause the earth to slip or the bomb to shift. The longer she was there, the greater the danger that the whole thing would go up. He was very concerned about Mandy and the way he felt about Connie made the thought that she might be hurt unbearable.
Mr and Mrs Craig had been taken in by some people further down the hill. The houses nearest the UXB had been cleared by PC Noble and his sergeant who had turned up soon after he’d been informed about what was going on. Plenty of people further down the hill were only too willing to open their doors to give the onlookers shelter. It wasn’t until later that the first sign of trouble came when a large formidable woman climbed out of a taxi and demanded to see whoever was in charge. She was followed by a smaller woman who looked rather overdressed for the occasion. It was Ga and Aunt Aggie.
PC Noble came to see what was happening as Ga boomed and shouted, hardly giving any of them the chance to speak. ‘Someone told me Mandy had fallen down a hole. So why aren’t you getting her out? Don’t just stand there, young man, take me to her. She was supposed to be in the care of that drippy girl from the vicarage, but she’s come back home without her. Where is the child? And where’s Constance?’
Connie and Roger, thinking the commotion might be the arrival of the bomb disposal unit, came down the hill to see what was going on.
‘There you are,’ Ga shouted as soon as she saw her. ‘Where’s Mandy?’
‘Ga, this is Roger,’ Connie began. ‘He’s been helping us with the rescue and …’
‘So why isn’t he still down there getting her out?’
‘We have to wait …’ Roger began.
‘Wait? Whatever for?’ she fumed. ‘You get back there right this minute, young man.’
Roger seemed taken aback being spoken to like that. ‘Madam, I have no equipment,’ he said. ‘As soon as my unit comes from Horsham …’
‘Horsham?’ Ga gasped angrily. ‘But that’s miles away.’
‘Olive, dear,’ said Aggie. ‘Keep calm.’
‘Keep calm?’ roared Ga. ‘That’s what they told us all through the bloody war. Keep calm and carry on. Well, this isn’t bloody Hitler we’re talking about. This is a member of my family.’
‘The bomb disposal squad will be here at any minute,’ said Roger stiffly.
‘Bomb disposal …’ Ga choked. ‘Constance, what is he talking about?’
Connie took her great aunt’s arm.
‘Let go of me, Constance,’ Ga snapped. ‘I don’t need holding up.’
‘Mandy has fallen underneath an unexploded bomb,’ said Connie, struggling to be civil. ‘Roger is a bomb disposal officer.’ There was a stunned silence. ‘It has to be defused.’
‘Then tell him to get on with it.’
‘And he will, Ga,’ said Connie. ‘As soon as the team get here.’
Roger marvelled at her patience. Clearly the aunt was used to saying ‘jump’ and everybody saying ‘how high’. She was a monster. He turned to look for the unit and spotted his mother and sister walking up the hill. He waved but didn’t wait. Before they came, he decided to check one more time that everything was still as it was at the site.
The five women met in the lane.
‘What’s she doing here?’ Ga demanded when she saw Eva’s mother and addressing Eva she said, ‘Been cavorting half-naked in any more fountains lately?’
‘Olive, dear …’ Aunt Aggie began again.
‘Oh, shut up, Aggie,’ Ga retorted.
‘Ga,’ Connie scolded. ‘Please.’
Eva pretended she hadn’t heard and gave Connie a hug. Theirs was a mutual sense of shared concern. Ga harrumphed and moved away from them.
‘Hello Olive, Aggie,’ said Cissy. ‘How are you both?’
‘Don’t you speak to me,’ said Aggie stiffly.
‘Can’t we let bygones be bygones?’ said Cissy. ‘Especially under the circumstances …’
Ga wrinkled her nose. ‘Did you hear something just then, Aggie? I thought I heard a sheep farting.’
‘For God’s sake!’ Connie snapped. ‘Can’t you let up for just a minute?’
Cissy turned to Connie. ‘This must be so awful for you, dear. How is she?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Connie. Her head was pounding and she had a raging thirst. ‘Asleep, I hope. She’s had a dreadful experience.’
‘Someone told us they’d stopped digging,’ said Mrs Maxwell. ‘Is that because it’s getting dark?’
Connie shook her head. ‘It’s because there’s an unexploded bomb there.’
Vi Maxwell took in her breath. ‘Then Roger …’
Connie nodded. ‘He’s been wonderful but we have to wait for the team to come from Horsham.’
‘But Roger said he didn’t want to do it anymore,’ said Vi helplessly. ‘He said he didn’t feel safe because he had other things on his mind.’
Connie put her hand over her mouth lest she made a sound.
‘You know why, don’t you, Ma?’ said Eva. ‘It’s because he’s fallen in love. Roger loves Connie.’
‘Eva,’ Connie cautioned. She had just noticed the red glow of a cigarette in the gloom. A group of men, including Eugène and Isaac were leaning against the wall of the shop across the road. ‘Don’t.’
Ga had removed herself to the other side of the lane but she was listening to every word they were saying and quickly rounded on Connie. ‘Constance, what is she talking about? Who is that man?’
‘That man,’ said Vi, her voice steeped in sarcasm, ‘is my son.’
Ga looked as if she was about to have an apoplectic fit. ‘Your son!’ She glared at Connie. ‘And here you are hanging around him like a lovesick cow? A Maxwell?’
Connie gritted her teeth. How she hated Ga. It took every ounce of strength Connie had not to lash out at her. She glanced helplessly towards Eva but she had already turned away.
Just then a front door opened and Gwen and Clifford having heard the raised voices came out of the house. ‘What’s happening? Any more news?’
Connie went to her mother and gave her a hug. She looked totally distraught. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying and her face was pale. ‘Nothing yet, Mum, but the team should be here at any minute.’
‘What are you doing here, Ga?’ said Clifford.
‘Surely you didn’t expect me to stay at home and do nothing?’ she snapped.
‘Well, there’s nothing you can do here,’ Clifford said pointedly, ‘so go back home and take Aggie with you.’
‘It’s a good job I am here,’ said Ga. ‘Did you know about Connie and that man?’
Clifford stared at her with a blank expression.
‘She’s in love with him,’ Ga shrieked. ‘Well, I tell you now, I’m not having a Maxwell as a member of my family. I’m going to put a stop to this once and for all.’
‘For God’s sake,’ bellowed Clifford.
‘Go home, Ga.’ Connie spoke in such an authoritative voice everyone looked at her in shocked surprise. ‘And this is neither the time nor place to fuel your stupid dog-eared family feud.’
‘Dog-eared …’ Ga spluttered. ‘I’ll have you know …’
‘We don’t want to hear it,’ sai
d Connie, covering her ears. ‘All we care about is getting Mandy out of that hole alive and I don’t care who does it. They can call Hermann Göring and the whole bloody German army for all I care. If they can get Mandy out, I’ll cheer them all the way.’
‘Well,’ Ga harrumphed. ‘I’ll go to sea.’
‘I wish you bloody well would,’ muttered Clifford.
Connie turned towards Eva. ‘I’m supposed to be on duty tomorrow,’ she said. ‘Can you get a message to Ward Sister?’
‘It’s my day off,’ said Eva. ‘I’ll do the shift for you.’
Connie put her arms around her friend. ‘Thanks, Eva,’ she choked. ‘You’re a real pal.’
‘Why don’t you all come back inside?’ called the homeowner. ‘You’ll catch your death out here.’
‘I’m not going anywhere with a Maxwell,’ said Ga.
‘Suit yourself,’ said Clifford, herding everyone inside and waiting until last. Ga glared at him and he closed the door.
The taxi driver was talking to some of the other residents as Ga marched back down the lane. ‘Take us back to Belvedere Nurseries,’ she demanded as Aggie hurried after her.
He gave her an old-fashioned look but said nothing. Ga didn’t care. She was furious. How dare Constance speak to her like that? Who did she think she was? And as for that cocky Maxwell girl …
‘Everything all right with the little girl then, missus?’ said the taxi driver as they sped down the hill.
Ga didn’t even hear him. She was still seething. Connie was getting far too big for her boots. What she needed was taking down a peg or two.
The driver pulled up outside the darkened house. He didn’t get out to open the door for her so she had to do it herself. She baulked at the idea of shelling out 10/6 for the fare as well. ‘It was only five minutes up the road,’ she snapped.
‘Twenty,’ said the driver, his face expressionless. ‘It was a round trip and there was two of you.’
She slapped the money in his hand. ‘Don’t go looking for a tip,’ she said, ‘and I shan’t be using this taxi service again.’ She stamped to the door and fumbled for her keys.
