The continuing story of Norma Rogers, living through the Second World War as a young mother alone, raising twins while holding a job as the head of a Voluntary Ambulance Unit in London. Also serving as an ATS officer she teaches methods of patient rescue from damaged buildings and transporting them. She has now been called upon to make contact with a German officer who, disgusted with what he has seen in Russia and how his family have been treated, wishes to provide information to the Allies, who are planning the invasion of Europe. This story is fiction, the creation and property of the author, and is not based on the persons or actions of anyone, living or dead, rather being an amalgam of the many heroic actions of WW2
Part 6
I'm Pat Rogers, wife of Jake Rogers, writing the story of Jake's grandparents, Norma and Jim Rogers, as Norma outlined it for me. Most of it is in her own words, except where emotions crept in and I had to write the sense of what she said, rather than the words she had difficulty expressing through her tears. I felt privileged to hear what she told me, much of it unknown to the members of her family other than her deceased husband. She had been bound by the British Official Secrets Act not to make most of her wartime experiences public for 50 years, so I was the first to hear of her secret life.
Norma, Chapter 6
The crossing from Holyhead to Dun Loaghaire was pretty much what I had expected for December; the waves in the Irish Sea tossed the ship around quite heavily, and we adults didn't get a lot of rest. At least we were not seasick. We had booked a cabin so the babies could sleep, and they were quite comfortable, as we had tucked them into the one berth tightly so they didn't roll about in the berth. When I thought we should be getting close to shore, I went up on deck for a last cigarette, feeling the motion of the ship easing as we entered Dublin Bay. A short distance away off the port bow I could see the lights of Dun Loaghaire, far brighter than the limited lighting that was allowed as we had slipped out of Holyhead. I wondered what the next few days would bring. I had mixed feelings, but couldn't help feeling a little excitement at the thought of what I would be called upon to do. I never would have dreamed what life had in store for me when I volunteered for the London Auxiliary Ambulance Service.
When I finished the cigarette and my thoughts, the ship was well into Dublin Bay and a lot closer to port. I went back down to the cabin to help my parents prepare the babies for disembarkation. While we were doing this, the ship came alongside the quay and, as it was tied up, the engines cut to a quiet rumble. Preparing to disembark, I stood with John in my arms on the deck close to where the rails had been opened to allow the gangplank access. The top of the gangplank was swung inboard and secured, and as soon as the bottom was lowered to the quay, a car drove up to it and stopped. Mhairi and John got out and looked up at us, but all that really registered with me then was the smiles of welcome on their faces. I was carrying little John, Mum was carrying Angela and dad followed on with a couple of bags while one of the crew followed us with the last of the luggage. Oh, it was trying work to travel with everything for twins. As we set foot on land, Mhairi just stepped forward and enveloped John and me in her arms. "Och, welcome, my dears, it's just fine that you can spend the holiday with us. The whole family is waiting to see you again and meet Angela and Tom. The entire village has been talking about youse for days! Tom, Angela, you are being made honorary Irish, but watch it in the pub, there are some rare scoundrels in there, so there are."
"Mhairi, It's so good of you to let us come over and stay with you; it will mean that on the first Christmas the babies really are aware of, they will be surrounded by family."
"Sure, it's a real pleasure, and besides, I'm sure your mum brought her recipe book over so we can cook up a storm."
Mum laughed, "I did that, Mhairi, and it's going to be a pleasure if you will let me share a kitchen where there is no rationing."
"I'll let you share, but the last word is with Annie O'Leary, our cook and housekeeper. She started with John's family when he was a child, and when we married and took over the farm, she came as part of the bargain. She is a lovely woman, a widow who has never remarried, and while it may be our house, it's her kitchen. She is a wonderful cook, and if you make a friend of her she'll never turn down an offer of help. I'm sure she would be happy to give you her recipes if you became her friend!
A young man who drove up with a small lorry interrupted us. John came over to introduce him. "This is Sean. He is giving us a hand on the farm right now, and will be taking the luggage so there will be enough room in the car for everyone."
Dad interjected, "Well, if it will help, I can go along with Sean and make more room for Norma, Angela and the babies."
John spoke up, "Tom, that would be great in the morning, but right now we are just going to a hotel where we have rooms booked; that's a lot easier and safer than trying to navigate our country roads during the night. Anyway, I bet all of you are tired out after your rough crossing, so we'll get some rest and get on our way after breakfast."
The room was really welcome. Mhairi had arranged for two cots, and as soon as the twins were changed and down, they were off to sleep. I didn't take long either - as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out, and I didn't wake until I heard a tapping on the door. I looked at my watch to see it was 8am. Who wanted me awake this early? Opening the door, I found Mhairi, all dressed and ready for the day. She smiled and said, "Well, lass, now that I have you up you can get cleaned up while I look after the twins for a wee while."
"Oh, thanks, Mhairi, that's just what I need, a quick bath after all that travelling. If the twins wake up, there is some juice for them in that small bag. After I'm done, we can get them cleaned up and changed."
I gloried in the hot bath, something I had sorely missed during the many times in London when fuel was short. After quickly getting dried, I went back to my room. Mhairi was in her element, sitting on the floor with the two babies beside her, feeding them some cereal and milk that she had ordered from room service. I walked over and sat down beside them. "Oh, you two, whatever will I do? Granny is spoiling you already!" The twins just looked at me with the cute baby grins they make. That just made me feel all soft inside, not at all like the woman I have to be at the ambulance and fire station. That wasn't the first time it had made me feel like I lived two lives, one the wife and mother trying to raise two children without their father, and the other as the tight and demanding ATS officer, demanding more of herself than of those working for her.
Oh, this damn war! When will it be over so that we can get back to normal? Come to think of it, what will normal be like? Some things will never be the same ever again. I just hope that my work will be of some help in ending this.
