‘No more dangerous than taking a platoon through a minefield,’ he replied. ‘Besides, the dare came from my men. I couldn’t lose face now, could I?’
He spoke about his hometown in Hampshire, Petersfield, and how much he missed the green of the Hampshire countryside.
Fliss agreed. ‘I know what you mean. I come from that part of the world too. The Isle of Wight. Have you been there?’
‘I haven’t, but I might well find reason to go there once this war is over,’ Captain Banks said, looking in Fliss’s direction.
By the time the evening was over, Fliss had disclosed to the captain that she was a nurse at the Royal in Ryde and that was where she would return when this war was finally over.
Tilly, Fliss and Bert departed Alexandria the following morning and were well underway, when Bert spotted disturbed areas of sand in front of the ambulance. He got out and surveyed the area, reporting back that he could see what he feared — more mines. He went through the same procedure as before and then waved Tilly on. He started to turn and walk back towardsthe ambulance, which he had indicated should proceed, when he suddenly stopped, lifted his head and looked at them. By his expression, Tilly could tell that things were not right. He moved one foot ever so slightly and suddenly the mine exploded. Tilly was so startled that she inadvertently pressed down hard on the accelerator. The ambulance lurched forward and keeled over. She hit her head with such force on the steering wheel that she immediately passed out.
When she came to, she was lying in the crater that the explosion had left. After scrambling out of the pit with a very painful shoulder, which she suspected was dislocated, she searched for Fliss. She noticed Bert’s body minus legs and lower torso, bleeding out in the sand. His life’s blood soaking into that thirsty land, which had absorbed the blood of many more soldiers. A wave of nausea cascaded through her and she retched. She turned away from the sight. On the far side of the ambulance, she saw Fliss, the strap of her watch catching the light. She’d been thrown clear when Tilly had lost control. Tilly prayed that she was still alive and knelt down beside her.
‘Don’t you give up on me now. Don’t you dare!’ she shouted, as she tried to bring Fliss round.
Tilly kept talking to her and rubbing her hands. Apart from a cut on her head, she couldn’t see any other signs of injury. Eventually, Fliss began to breath more deeply and opened her eyes.
‘Thank God, Fliss. Thank God you’re all right. I’d never have forgiven myself if you . . .’
Tilly’s eyes filled with tears and the salt liquid made runnels down her cheeks, small rivers through the dry and barren sand that covered her face and hair.
‘Water,’ Fliss managed to say. ‘Can you get some water?’
Tilly tried to wrench open the back door of the ambulance to retrieve a water cannister, but she couldn’t put enough pressureon her bad arm and shoulder. It was very painful and stopping her from being able to force the door open. She had to try to put it back herself. She tried to remember the procedure and reached her good arm over to the back of her neck, putting pressure on the injured shoulder. In one agonising move, she managed to realign it and, after a short period of recovery, was able to retrieve the water for Fliss.
After Fliss had drunk, she asked after Bert. Tilly shook her head sadly. She was glad Fliss couldn’t see Bert’s broken body from her side of the ambulance. The two women sat together for a while, sharing the water and wondering what could be done. They concluded that they couldn’t right the ambulance alone and would have to spend a night alone in the desert unarmed and unprotected. They ate what rations they had left, covered themselves with blankets and bedded down for the night.
Chapter 30
February 1941
At the moment Tilly felt that explosion pierce her eardrums and rattle through her brain, her sister, Dot, was experiencing the all-encompassing pain of childbirth. Her body felt as if it was splitting in two and her bones ached with the continuous racking that surged through her body. While Tilly’s body and brain floated in the blessed release of unconsciousness, Dot had to endure and fight against her body’s desire to give up.
This baby did seem to be taking a long time to emerge, almost as if it was reluctant to meet the world. Mary glanced at Kate and beckoned her to come close.
‘Baby is breech,’ Mary whispered in Kate’s ear. ‘I’ve never done a breech birth before. I think you should get Albert to go and fetch the doctor. I can manage the birth, but she’s going to need stitches afterwards.’
Kate went downstairs to inform Albert, who left immediately. Sarah enquired after Dot and how the birth was going and if everything was going to be all right.
‘It’s a breech birth, so it’s much harder for her, poor Dot. Just keep Anthony busy down here and I’ll call you when you can come up and he can see his new cousin,’ Kate replied. ‘Send the doctor straight up when he arrives. I just hope he’s not out on another call. Dot is going to need him.’
‘Is everything all right?’ Dot asked, a worried look on her face when Kate returned.
‘Nothing to worry about; everything will be fine,’ Mary replied, hoping beyond hope that everything would be fine. ‘Baby is just making us all work a bit harder, that’s all. He or she is coming into the world feet first. She’s going to be a cheeky one, I can see that. She’ll keep you on your toes.’
‘Always supposing she’s a girl,’ Kate said. ‘You just need to hang on, Dot, and push as hard as you can. Think of how William would want you to try your best.’
‘I can’t. I just can’t push any more. I’m exhausted.’ Dot sighed, letting her head fall back on the pillow.
‘You can. You’re almost there,’ Kate said, holding her sister’s hand.
‘Just one more really hard push,’ Mary Suss said. ‘That’s all. Now as soon as you feel the next wave of pain, take a deep breath and give it all you’ve got.’
‘That’s not much,’ Dot complained.
‘Come on, Dot, you can do it,’ Kate said, encouraging her sister.
‘I don’t know how you did this twice,’ Dot moaned.
