Page 10 of The Island Girls

Peggy loaded all ten passengers into the launch from the pontoon at Salterns Marina and, with Nora’s help, got them settled into the cabin, safe from the cold wind and rain that was beginning to fall. They’d mostly been brought there directly from the train, but there was one couple who’d had an extended stay at the Harbour Heights Hotel. She glanced up in the direction of the beautiful and very classy hotel building on the hill as she navigated her way out of the marina and into the main channel, headed for the C-class. The plump seabird waited patiently for them to arrive, bobbing on its moorings looking just like any other boat in the harbour, except for its wide wingspan with two propellers on each wing.

She drew the launch in to nestle under the protection of the flying boat’s outstretched wing, just like a duckling diving for cover under the safety of mother duck. As the last of the passengers were settled aboard, she turned the launch carefully away and heard the engines start up behind her and build to a powerful roar. The cabin crew took in the mooring line and the flying boat began its slow taxi to the start of the runway trots.

Peggy picked up speed and, with one eye on the flying boat, she took the launch as fast as she dared, sea water spraying out beside and behind her just as it did on the flying boats as they took off and landed. She felt the freezing wind in her face and, closing her eyes, imagined she was flying the plane and could take off, rising clear of the harbour at any moment. But she knew the launch and the harbour so well, with all its busy activity and deadly sandbars that she only gave herself a second or two before she dropped the speed, opened her eyes, and hoped nobody had noticed her speedy little escapade.

The tone of the engines on the flying boat stepped up a few notes and she turned back to watch it begin its take-off, speeding down runway number one, directly parallel to Brownsea Island, then it lifted off and left the harbour below as it climbed fast and disappeared over the other side of the island, heading westward.

Peggy turned her face towards the quay where she was headed and was soon gliding in past Fisherman’s Dock and expertly bringing the launch alongside the quay. She noticed the two cars and a small truck parked outside the pottery and knew that Rose Stevens would be waiting for her. The plan had been for Peggy to go and see about the driving instruction before lunch, but some other jobs had cropped up so all she’d had time for was a quick visit to tell Rose she’d be back after her last run of the day in the early afternoon.

Peggy’s hands were cold and stiff from the freezing salty sea spray, so she first went inside to warm them by the fire and swallowed a quick cup of hot tea to warm her insides. Then she took the brisk walk down the quay to the front of the pottery and went in to find Rose, who looked up from her desk with a warm smile.

‘Ready for the off, Peggy?’ Rose asked, as she picked up some keys and led the boatwoman back downstairs to the cars waiting outside. Peggy simply nodded with anticipation. She hadrevelled in the chance to captain her own boat, and now the idea of taking charge of a car was just as thrilling.

‘The fruit and other supplies that came in from Lisbon this morning are due up at the Harbour Heights Hotel, so we’ve had them loaded into the back of the truck. It drives just like a car, so there’s nothing difficult there – especially as you’ve already driven a grocer’s van. But it is just a bit less comfortable and ornate on the inside than the major’s car,’ Rose said and laughed as she unlocked the doors. ‘How confident do you think you are to get right into the driver’s seat Peggy? Would you prefer to watch me first?’ Rose asked.

‘It’s been a little while since I first had a go at driving, so perhaps I should watch you first, just to be safe,’ said Peggy.

‘Rightio, then. You jump in the passenger side, and I’ll take the driving seat. I’ll explain everything as I go, then we’ll stop halfway so you can have a turn,’ said Rose, as she started the engine and began to run through the motions, explaining everything to Peggy with practised patience.

‘The clutch pedal is the hardest thing to master, as I’m sure you’ll remember, but it just takes practice,’ said Rose as her own foot slipped off the clutch and she crunched the gearbox, wincing as she did.

‘Yes, I remember that was a bit tricky, but at least I remember the order of things. Clutch down, into first gear, clutch up slowly and press on the accelerator,’ said Peggy.

‘You’ve got it. And you use the same foot for the brake as you do the accelerator,’ Rose said to remind Peggy. They had driven away from the quay and up the High Street, and were just pulling into the gates of Poole Park.

‘Shall I pull over here in the park, Peggy? There are hardly any other cars around, so this would be a good quiet place to start, I think,’ said Rose, more to herself than as a question to Peggy. She pulled into the side of the road near the big boatinglake then opened the door and got out. Peggy did the same and felt her heartbeat quicken as she sat in the driver’s seat and took hold of the big steering wheel firmly. Rose had left the engine running, and reminded Peggy what to do first.

Both girls laughed at Peggy’s first attempt to raise the clutch slowly, which meant they bunny-hopped a few yards while she was getting used to things, but by the time they made it through to the other side of the park, she was in third gear and the knack had all come flooding back.

‘You’re a natural, Peggy Symonds. It took me a week to become as confident as you are already!’ cooed Rose.

‘I have done it before, of course. But I’m also used to listening to the hum of an engine and hearing what she wants from me,’ said Peggy, feeling almost as though she should apologise for being able to pick up the new skill so readily.

‘You’ll be a great help to us if you can manage some driving from time to time. Things are getting more and more busy, and I’m flat-strapped just seeing to all the security paperwork that is coming through the BOAC office these days. We could really do with an extra pair of hands, but it is so hard to find anyone. I don’t suppose your sister is interested in working?’ asked Rose.

‘She might get back to it at some point, I suppose, but I don’t think that’s likely. She’s simply too unwell at the moment, and before too long, the baby will be here. She can’t get through a day without being sick and feels absolutely rotten all the time,’ Peggy offered with a grimace.

‘My sister’s been the same too, though thankfully she’s past the worst of the sickness now. But she’s too tired for any work. She’s managing the house for the pair of us while I’m working. It will be lovely having little babies around to play with, won’t it?’ Rose beamed. ‘Something to brighten the days a little.’

Peggy nodded and smiled but remembered last night’s raid and the way the morning had begun. This afternoon, she wassmiling and chatting and learning a new skill but her brother and brother-in-law were away in the war, and just this morning, the telegram that had arrived might have changed her life forever and brought news that Samuel was one more statistic. It was the same for Rose and her sister, Peggy thought solemnly, as both their husbands were also away defending England from Hitler.

Just last year when the Germans had taken Paris and invaded Holland and Belgium too, it had seemed certain that England would be invaded within weeks. Peggy had woken up in a cold sweat on several nights, fearing she could hear German soldiers landing on the little shaley beach at the back of her parents’ home and coming to knock the door down. And all of England had lived in the same fear. The Dunkirk evacuation had been an amazing feat, but it was still just a retreat away from the winning side, and all those refugees who’d arrived on Brownsea Island seemed shell-shocked from what they’d seen in Holland.

But the months had gone on and no invasion had happened. With every passing day, there was hope that England might have time to bolster their defences and be able to ward Hitler off when he came. But they knew he would come. The air raids that were destroying half the country were a clear sign of his intentions. Peggy was just beginning to realise how long both she and Rose had remained quiet when they passed the site of a recently bombed home, still smoking and surrounded by people who were searching through the debris.

‘I hope there’s nobody trapped inside there,’ said Rose quietly. If there was, there’d be no hope for them now. Suddenly, the thought of bringing new babies into this world didn’t seem quite such a jolly idea, after all.

They reached the peak of Evening Hill and both glanced out across the harbour to Brownsea Island and the Purbecksbeyond, each one taking in the more cheerful sight than the bombed house they’d passed.

‘Always such a lovely view,’ said Peggy, noticing the strength of the tide as it pulled all the moored flying boats so they pointed the same direction. A small seaplane flew in and landed on the waters, heading towards the Royal Motor Yacht Club where the Royal Navy base was stationed.

‘That reminds me,’ said Rose with a jollier tone in her voice once more, ‘did you hear about the Australians moving in at Hamworthy?’

‘Australians? No, I hadn’t heard. Why Hamworthy?’ asked Peggy.

‘They’re a squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, come to fly Short Sunderlands with the RAF and Royal Navy. They’re taking over the base at HMS Turtle in Hamworthy, just by Lake Pier, as an RAF base. There’ve been trainloads of equipment coming in and the airmen are starting to arrive now too. We’re sure to meet them before long. They’re moving here from RAF Mountbatten in Plymouth, so I heard,’ explained Rose.

‘Well, that’s all right with me,’ Peggy said, ‘a whole squadron of Australian airmen visiting town! That will make things interesting at the dance on Saturday night.’

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