When they put us on a small ship, I thought we were going to Canada or Australia but one sailor laughed when I said that. He said we would be lucky to stay afloat until we got to the Isle of Man. Have you ever been to Douglas? It is a nice place, with plenty of fresh air from the sea. I like it.
I hope to see you soon. Please write back and if you can, please send me cigarettes. No, I don’t smoke now but they are useful for other purposes.
Harry
PS: My friend helps me with my English. I know it is not yet so good but I am working on it. Being a prisoner of war gives me time to study.
PPS: Please address your letter to Mrs. Duncan. I don’t think I should get letters with my name on it.
“Oh my goodness, he was lucky this Mr. Hillman stopped him going on the Arandora Star,” Maggie said, as she beat the eggs into the flour.
“Why?” Susan asked. “Was it going to Canada or Australia or something?”
“Canada but it didn’t get far. It sank off the coast of Ireland and most of those poor unfortunate refugees died. I didn’t know there were Germans on board, but I know there were lots of Italians. Didn’t you read about it in the Papers?”
Susan blushed as Sally hastened to intervene.
“Maggie, you know Susan doesn’t like to read the papers as they are full of bad news. Why would they send refugees to Canada or Australia?”
Maggie beat her mixture quicker. “Maggie, you’ll ruin the cakes. Here give that to me.” Sally took the bowl out of the older woman’s hands which were now shaking. “Maggie, what’s the matter?”
“They had all sorts on that boat. Italian families who’d lived here since before the last war. Maybe some of them were fascists, I don’t know, but they didn’t send Mosley and that wife of his, Diana Mitford, away on a boat, did they? They had Hitler and Goebbels as guests at their wedding. If anyone should have been sent off across a U-boat filled Atlantic, it should have been them.”
Maggie blew her nose into her hanky.
“Did you know my Reg was from Wales? Every year we went there for a week or so. He had a huge family, miners most of them. When he died, his family wrote to me and invited me to come on my own. After a few years, I was brave enough to go.
Some of my friends were on that ship. I had a favorite shop where I went for ice-cream. My friend Luigi and his two brothers were all arrested, they’d been living here since the 1920s. Their kids and my Reg’s nieces and nephews played together. They hated Mussolini and all he represented. But they still came with guns for Luigi in the middle of the night. All three of the brothers were sent on that ship. Luigi escaped but one of the brothers, either Franco or Giuseppe, went back to the ship for his teeth.” Maggie let out a big sob. Both Sally and Susan were crying now too. They could barely make out what Maggie said next. “Those lovely men died because of a pair of false teeth.”
Sally rubbed her eyes with her hanky. “Maggie don’t cry. Please don’t. I can’t bear to see you so sad. I didn’t know anything about your friends. Why didn’t you tell us?” She put the bowl to one side. They all needed a cup of tea. Hot tea always helped in a crisis. Maggie snuffled into her large hanky as she pulled herself together.
“I couldn’t burden you. Not with you getting the news about Derek and worrying about Harry.”
Sally put her arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “I am always here for you Maggie despite what I have going on in my life. We’re family, you and I.”
Maggie gripped Sally’s arm, a couple of stray tears making their way down her cheeks. Susan coughed to clear her throat.
“Do you think you will be able to trace Harry’s friend? Will the Government release that information?”
Sally glanced at Maggie, but the older woman was miles away.
“I’ve no idea, Susan but I can ask. I’m not sure about writing to this lady though. Why should I keep my letters to Harry a secret, surely that makes him look guilty of something?”
“Best ask Constable Halton, as he’ll know the rules,” Maggie answered. “We don’t want Harry getting into more trouble. Reverend Collins is working on trying to get him released but he says Churchill’s view is that all enemy aliens should be interned for the duration of the war.”
“Harry is no more an enemy alien than I am!” Sally exclaimed. She picked up the bowl, looking at the contents with dismay. “I don’t think our sponge will win any awards. We’ve beaten it so hard it will be as flat as a pancake.”
“Turn it into some buns for the kiddies. They won’t be fussy. I’m sure I have some dried fruit at home. Let me run and see.” Susan was gone before they could argue. Sally sensed her friend and neighbor needed a weep in private. Susan hated anyone seeing her lose control.
Sally poured Maggie another cup of tea.
“Sally, the rations.”
“The rations and the people who decide on such things can get stuffed. I’m having another cup of tea and so are you. So there.”
Tom walked in the back door with his head glued to the comic he was reading.
“Aunt Sally, have you finished baking yet? Only, I met Mrs. Shackleton-Driver in the village and she said to remind you the stall was open at 2 pm.” Tomas didn’t look up from his comic as he spoke.
“Tom put down your comic and have some manners in front of guests.”
Tomas quickly scanned the page before reluctantly putting the comic on the table. He looked at Maggie.
“You aren’t really a guest.
