It took a while to calm the situation down. Eventually Bert produced a cigarette and lit it for Captain Anderson.
‘Here you are. Sorry, mate. I lost it there for a bit. We need to get going you see,’ he said.
‘Sorry, Captain,’ Fliss said. ‘Show him some respect, can’t you? He’s still your senior officer.’
They all got behind the ambulance and freed it so their journey could continue.
When they reached a point where there were rocky outcrops, Bert announced that this would be a good place to stop for the night. It was decided that Tilly and Fliss would sleep in the ambulance, Captain Anderson would take the bench seat in the cab, and Bert would pitch the tent he’d brought with him and share that with Private Jenkins. They brewed up tea and divided the cold rations between them, and then bedded down for the night. Tilly found it difficult to sleep so she crept out of the back of the ambulance and sat on a rock looking up at the desert night sky. She kept her blanket wrapped around her for it was very cold, but the vision of beauty in the night sky distracted her and she sighed deeply as she took in the astounding display above her. She tried to identify constellations she wouldn’t usually get to see at home. She smiled at the moon and was convinced she saw him smile back. She felt like a child again, sneaking out on a crisp, winter’s night to wish on a new moon.
Eventually, after searching the sparkling bodies of light riding the deep, deep darkness, she identified Orion with the row of three stars in his belt and sword, and traced the trajectory of a comet across the midnight-blue sky. She looked back at the benevolent moon, made a wish and hoped that wherever Jed was now, she would see him again.
The following morning, just as the sun was rising, they packed up their equipment and set out once again across the sands. A group of tribesmen on camels could be seen in the distance and Tilly envied them their knowledge of this alien place. She was heartened to know that life existed here, but would they help them if they needed it or would they, like their German enemy, leave them to the ravages of the cruel desert? She shuddered at the thought of what could happen to them outhere, miles from help. She would be glad when they reached their destination.
The endless expanse of sand and the increasing heat were oppressive. She tried to stay focused on keeping to the direction Bert instructed and remaining alert to any sign of a suspected minefield. After two hours of driving, Bert got out of the ambulance and walked in front of it, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. He stopped suddenly, his eyes fixed to the ground. He held up one hand to signify she should stop. Fliss looked across at Tilly. There was no need to exchange any words — both of them felt the precarious position they were in. Tilly hoped that Bert had a steady hand. Her mouth was dry as she watched Bert painstakingly go through the stages to disable this lethal piece of equipment that could blow them to kingdom come. He took a sharp knife out of a sheath round his hip, lay down on his stomach and carefully removed the sand from around the mine lying beneath the surface of the sand. He then slipped the knife underneath a raised part of the mine. Bert began to carefully dismantle the mine and defuse the trigger part. It seemed to take for ever.
Tilly and Fliss were both very relieved when Bert scouted the area immediately in front of the safely defused mine and waved them on.
‘My God, that was close,’ he said, as he climbed back in the ambulance.
‘How did you know it was there?’ Fliss asked.
‘Call it a gut reaction,’ Bert said.
‘Must have been something more than that,’ Fliss replied.
‘Something about the surface of the sand,’ Bert said. ‘Whoever planted that one didn’t make a very good job of covering it up. Sandstorms sometimes bury them deep or uncover them entirely. This one wasn’t buried deep enough.’
They resumed their journey. Having escaped the mine, they were all now on high alert.
When they entered Alexandria, it was late on the evening of the second day. They were relieved to have arrived safely. They reported to the commanding officer, Captain Banks, and introduced themselves as Nurse Truscott and Nurse Marcheson. They handed over their charges and Sapper Wilson gave the captain the report on the state of the battle for Tobruk. They were shown to the clearing station where Captain Anderson and Private Jenkins were to be transported to the ship that would take them to England.
When they reported back to Captain Banks, he invited them to join him for dinner that evening.
‘You must be looking forward to a clean-up and a decent meal,’ he said. ‘That was quite an ordeal for you two ladies and I don’t suppose you get much of an opportunity for a night off.’
Tilly couldn’t help but notice that the captain had eyes only for Fliss and she was quite enamoured of him by the expression on her face when she jumped in with a quick acceptance.
‘We’d be delighted, wouldn’t we, Tilly?’ she said.
‘Good, so Lieutenant Rogers will show Sapper Wilson to the canteen where he can get a decent meal and a beer or two with my men. My driver will pick you up at seven, if that’s acceptable?’
‘That would be marvellous,’ Fliss said, beaming.
‘It’s all right for some, being wined and dined with senior officers,’ Bert moaned.
Fliss complained at the lack of clean clothes to change into.
‘At least I’ve got my lipstick, though,’ she said. ‘Good thing I brought more than one with me. I think the red for this evening, don’t you?’ she asked.
‘You’d look good dressed in a sack with no make-up at all,’ Tilly replied. ‘Besides, I think the captain found you attractive enough with a layer of desert sand on your face.’
The jeep arrived on time and they drove along the waterfront to the Cecil Hotel. When they were shown to their table, the captain said that they should drop the formalities and call him Ralph.
‘And may I call you by your first names?’ he asked.
Fliss told him, ‘Of course, I’m Fliss and this is Tilly.’
The captain treated them to a wonderful meal and was very amusing company, telling stories about some of the stranger places he had ended up in during this war. At one point he had accepted a dare to try his hand at being a snake charmer. Fliss asked him if that wasn’t a dangerous thing to do.
