“Sure, Dad,” was the response. The ladies returned with their purchases and they all went back to the house. The rest of the morning passed pleasantly and, after lunch, Andy and Alice decided to drive up to Holy Island since it was low tide. The drive up from Alnwick gave good views both of Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island. They turned off the A1 at Beal and were held up at the railway crossing by a south-bound express train. They heard the scream of the locomotive’s whistle and, with a roar, the train hurtled past, the carriage wheels clacking on the points and then it was gone and the quiet returned. A railwayman in uniform opened the crossing gates and they were able to drive on. The road wound down towards the shore between the hedgerows and once they had to pull over as a tractor headed towards them on the narrow road. The last bend in the road revealed a line of tank traps — great concrete blocks set in place during the Second World War. Before them, the causeway stretched ahead and, to the right, the long line of poles that marked the Pilgrim’s Way. They drove on across the causeway and to the village. On the sandbanks to the south of the causeway they saw seals basking in the autumn sun. Plovers and other estuarine birds hunted for food while the gulls wheeled overhead. Parking in the square, they walked over and explored the Priory ruins. From there they walked down to the harbour, taking photographs of it and the castle. Back in the village they had afternoon tea and then bought locally caught crabs to take home with them. It was time to drive back to Alnwick and they agreed that they should come again. The evening passed pleasantly, with Andy’s parents telling Alice more about their son’s younger days, much to his embarrassment. Andy’s parents again left the young couple to have time on their own.
Next morning, Andy and Alice went to church with his parents and after the Sunday lunch he and Alice drove back to Corbridge. Andy spoke to John Walton about the car and they went into his study to complete the purchase. Both men were pleased at the result. A little while later, Andy took Alice for a short drive down to the River Tyne. He parked the car and they walked along the river bank hand in hand. Both felt a great happiness at the growing relationship. Near a clump of rhododendron bushes, they stopped and embraced. Andy felt a tenderness towards Alice that was fairly new to him and at the same time a great respect for her. He wondered if this could all be real and yet it was clear that his feelings toward Alice were reciprocated. Tempted as he had been to go beyond the present relationship, he had remembered his father’s and Mr Walton’s comments and had kept his feelings in check. Soon they walked back to the car and Andy drove back to the Walton residence. Mrs Walton had packed him sandwiches and a flask of coffee for the journey back to base. Lance and Anne were still out on a drive somewhere. Andy said his goodbyes and drove out of the gate and headed for the A68 that would take him south past Consett Iron Works and towards the A1. He left behind a starry-eyed young woman who had pretty well made up her mind that this was the man she wanted to marry despite the short time they had known each other. Two hours later, Lance and Dan followed the same route that had been taken by Andy. As the two cars were driving south, fellow members of the JSTU were also heading back to base from different parts of the country.
Sailing from their arctic fishing grounds, with holds full of cod for the tables of Britain, was the Grimsby-based trawler fleet. The first trawlers in would get the best price for their catches and the fleet would all arrive over two or three days. It would mean that Grimsby would be a noisy place in the days to come as many fishermen spent their money in the bars of the town.
***
Monday morning (17th October) and the CO, Squadron Leader Dawson, called for the whole unit to be assembled in the unit hangar. He then briefed the unit personnel and warned that the hard work was about to begin. All personnel would be on rosters for trials preparation and during trials there would be no leave except on compassionate grounds. No timetable would be issued for security reasons. Section commanders would brief personnel as necessary. He then warned personnel to be on the alert for any evidence of non-unit members attempting to breach security and also to report any persons seen lingering on the sea wall near the airfield. The personnel were dismissed and dispersed back to their sections.
Corporal Hill and his team moved into their office in the new headquarters building. Flight Lieutenant Gaskin called Corporal Hill into his office and advised that a corporal progress clerk had been posted in and would be arriving that afternoon. “His name is James Jackson and he will take over the defect documentation from you, Corporal Hill, and you will be responsible for the analysis work and preparation of the reports,” Flight Lieutenant Gaskin said. “Two more progress clerks will be posted in and you will need
