Chapter 29
‘You’ve said we’ll do what?’ Fliss demanded after Tilly broke the news. ‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing. This just about takes the biscuit. It’s one thing being sent to this godforsaken part of the world, but driving an ambulance across the desert? Well . . . I’m actually speechless, Tilly.’
‘We’ll have an armed guard with us,’ Tilly explained, trying to placate her irate friend.
‘That’s not the point,’ Fliss complained. ‘We’re putting our lives at risk. An armed guard, you say. How many men?’
‘Only one, I’m afraid.’
‘One soldier? What if we meet a German battalion? One soldier will be no good against them,’ Fliss fumed.
Tilly decided that it was best to give Fliss time to let it sink in. She was sure she would come around.
‘You don’t have to say yes right away,’ she said. ‘Think about it.’
‘It’s time we should be back on duty,’ Fliss said.
They scrubbed up ready to do their work on the ward and walked together over to the main building. En route they passed Captain Davis talking to some troops. He broke off the conversation to acknowledge Tilly.
‘Ah, Nurse Truscott, and this is Nurse Marcheson, I presume. Were you just on your way to accept the assignment? I’ve saved you some time,’ the captain said.
Tilly looked at Fliss.
‘Captain Davis, pleased to meet you,’ said Fliss. ‘I would be honoured to accept.’
Tilly was astounded.
‘Good, that’s settled, then. You will be taking Captain Anderson and a Private Jenkins who needs brain surgery that can’t be performed here.
Report to the ambulance station at oh-five-hundred hours on Tuesday.
You have two days to prepare yourselves and equip the ambulance for the journey.
You leave early to avoid being spotted by the German patrols.
Should take you approximately two days to cross the desert.
The worst section is east of Sallum. You should reach that point after one day if you don’t encounter any obstacles. ’
‘Obstacles being?’
‘I won’t pull any punches. There will be minefields to negotiate.
Once you have passed the outskirts of the city, it’s unlikely that you will meet any patrols as the greater part of the German forces are deployed in trying to win back Tobruk,’ the captain said.
‘There will be an armed guard taking you for some distance to the outskirts of the city, but Sapper Wilson will be your only guard en route to Alexandria. He’s a very good shot and an expert at defusing mines.
We can’t spare any more men, I’m afraid.
Bon voyage, ladies, and the best of luck. ’
‘Well,’ Tilly said when the captain had left them. ‘You changed your tune. That wouldn’t be anything to do with our Captain Davis having an inviting smile and very hypnotic eyes, would it?’
‘I won’t deny I found him attractive,’ Fliss replied. ‘And it’s very hard to say no to an attractive man.’
Fliss put her arm through Tilly’s and they giggled together as they headed off to their duties.
* * *
Tuesday morning came quickly and they assisted their two patients into the ambulance. It was well stocked with all the medical equipment they might need and enough blankets for the cold desert nights. They met with Sapper Wilson and he introduced himself.
‘You can call me Bert if you like,’ he said.
Captain Anderson was mumbling to himself as they encouraged him on board and didn’t seem to know where he was going or why.
‘Lucky bugger. You’re going home to Blighty,’ Bert said, then looked at Tilly and Fliss.
‘I hope he doesn’t start shouting. When they get in that state, they’re often fighting off the enemy in their sleep.
One thing that makes the lower ranks and the officers equal is that war is the great leveller.
We’re all mortal and our brains can be affected just as badly in warfare as our bodies.
Officers are no different to the rest of the men. ’
The first day out of Tobruk was under a blisteringly hot sun.
They were careful to ration the water and kept moving as much as possible, although there were times when the wheels of the ambulance got stuck and they had to all get out and push.
Captain Anderson was often difficult to cajole into any form of action and on one of these occasions, he sat in the ambulance and refused to get out.
He would curl himself into a ball with his hands over his ears and shout that he could hear overhead planes, that they would be shot down where they stood.
Bert tried to get him on his feet, but he struggled and fought Bert off.
He was stronger than he looked. His brain was shot but his body was still powerful.
In the fight, one of the water containers was knocked over and the lid burst open spilling precious water onto the floor of the ambulance.
Fliss saw what was happening and shouted at the two men.
‘You clumsy pair, look what you’re doing. Leave him, Bert.’
She reached for the water cannister and righted it.
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 out here, 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.