go?’
‘I’m sure, Chief. The Lucky Lara ’s a sound vessel and the owner is an experienced sailor. But if anything should happen, would you tell my parents?’
‘Of course, but you be sure you don’t put me in that unpleasant position. They’ll never forgive me for allowing you to go on this crazy trip. Let’s pray that boat you’re on lives up to her name. Good luck, Will.’
‘Thanks. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.’ Will replaced the phone and ran to join Doug on the boat, his heart pumping with excitement – and more than a touch of fear, though there wasn’t time to dwell on that.
‘My God!’ Will gasped as they got under way. ‘There’s a destroyer coming with us.’
‘They’re calling on everything to help with the rescue. We’ve got to get our army off those beaches, or we’re finished.’ Doug’s expression was grim, as he concentrated on steering the boat.
‘How many men can we take?’ Will asked, wondering how on earth these small boats were going to cope with thousands of men.
‘Twelve, at the most.’
The sight that met them at Dunkirk was beyond belief. There were navy vessels with smoke pouring out of them, small boats wrecked along the shoreline, and thousands of men on the beaches.
‘There’s a line of men in the water over there,’ Doug yelled above the sound of gunfire from German planes overhead. ‘Let’s start picking them up and take them to that destroyer.’
As soon as they reached them, Will began pulling men into the boat, blessing the fact that his right arm was extra strong.
‘That’s enough. We’ll be right back, boys,’ Doug called as he manoeuvred the seriously overloaded boat towards the navy ship.
They lost count of how many trips they made, but eventually Doug called a halt. ‘We’re getting low on petrol. Collect ten only, Will, and we’ll head back to Dover.’
There was an almighty explosion that dangerously rocked the Lucky Lara , as two boats near them received adirect hit. The carnage around them was sickening.
Without a word Doug headed out to sea with the few exhausted soldiers on board. Dover would be a welcome sight for all of them.
As soon as they arrived back in Dover, Doug was asking for more petrol. ‘I’m going back, lad. I’d be glad of your help, but you don’t have to come. You’ve done enough.’
‘You’re not leaving me behind,’ Will said without hesitation. ‘I’ll phone in my story while you’re refuelling.’
Chapter Seven
There was a sense of urgency running through the camp as Becky jumped out of the truck. She had just passed her driving test, but her elation faded as she noticed the grim faces all around her.
‘What’s happening?’ she asked as Alice came to congratulate her. There were lorries springing into life all around her.
‘Don’t know,’ she replied, stepping out of the way as the convoy began to move towards the gates.
‘Get back in that lorry,’ a sergeant yelled at Becky, ‘and follow the others.’
‘But I’ve only just passed my test, Sergeant.’
‘I don’t give a damn. You can drive, so bloody well drive! And you.’ He glared at Alice. ‘Go with her. You’re going to be needed as well.’
‘But I’m just about to go on leave,’ Alice protested.
‘All leave’s cancelled,’ he snapped. ‘Now do as ordered.’
The girls didn’t argue or speak, but clambered back in the lorry. Becky had to put her foot down to catch up with the others.
‘He might have told us where we’re going,’ Becky muttered, concentrating on finding the gears without making a mess of it. ‘I wonder what’s caused the need for so many lorries?’
The convoy halted for a moment, and a corporal jumped in, pushing Alice along to make room for himself.
‘Where are we going?’ Becky wanted to know. ‘I’ve only just passed my test.’
‘Ah.’ He leant forward to look at her. ‘I’ll drive if you’re nervous.’
‘I’m not nervous!’ she exclaimed, not caring
‘I’m sure, Chief. The Lucky Lara ’s a sound vessel and the owner is an experienced sailor. But if anything should happen, would you tell my parents?’
‘Of course, but you be sure you don’t put me in that unpleasant position. They’ll never forgive me for allowing you to go on this crazy trip. Let’s pray that boat you’re on lives up to her name. Good luck, Will.’
‘Thanks. I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.’ Will replaced the phone and ran to join Doug on the boat, his heart pumping with excitement – and more than a touch of fear, though there wasn’t time to dwell on that.
‘My God!’ Will gasped as they got under way. ‘There’s a destroyer coming with us.’
‘They’re calling on everything to help with the rescue. We’ve got to get our army off those beaches, or we’re finished.’ Doug’s expression was grim, as he concentrated on steering the boat.
‘How many men can we take?’ Will asked, wondering how on earth these small boats were going to cope with thousands of men.
‘Twelve, at the most.’
The sight that met them at Dunkirk was beyond belief. There were navy vessels with smoke pouring out of them, small boats wrecked along the shoreline, and thousands of men on the beaches.
‘There’s a line of men in the water over there,’ Doug yelled above the sound of gunfire from German planes overhead. ‘Let’s start picking them up and take them to that destroyer.’
As soon as they reached them, Will began pulling men into the boat, blessing the fact that his right arm was extra strong.
‘That’s enough. We’ll be right back, boys,’ Doug called as he manoeuvred the seriously overloaded boat towards the navy ship.
They lost count of how many trips they made, but eventually Doug called a halt. ‘We’re getting low on petrol. Collect ten only, Will, and we’ll head back to Dover.’
There was an almighty explosion that dangerously rocked the Lucky Lara , as two boats near them received adirect hit. The carnage around them was sickening.
Without a word Doug headed out to sea with the few exhausted soldiers on board. Dover would be a welcome sight for all of them.
As soon as they arrived back in Dover, Doug was asking for more petrol. ‘I’m going back, lad. I’d be glad of your help, but you don’t have to come. You’ve done enough.’
‘You’re not leaving me behind,’ Will said without hesitation. ‘I’ll phone in my story while you’re refuelling.’
Chapter Seven
There was a sense of urgency running through the camp as Becky jumped out of the truck. She had just passed her driving test, but her elation faded as she noticed the grim faces all around her.
‘What’s happening?’ she asked as Alice came to congratulate her. There were lorries springing into life all around her.
‘Don’t know,’ she replied, stepping out of the way as the convoy began to move towards the gates.
‘Get back in that lorry,’ a sergeant yelled at Becky, ‘and follow the others.’
‘But I’ve only just passed my test, Sergeant.’
‘I don’t give a damn. You can drive, so bloody well drive! And you.’ He glared at Alice. ‘Go with her. You’re going to be needed as well.’
‘But I’m just about to go on leave,’ Alice protested.
‘All leave’s cancelled,’ he snapped. ‘Now do as ordered.’
The girls didn’t argue or speak, but clambered back in the lorry. Becky had to put her foot down to catch up with the others.
‘He might have told us where we’re going,’ Becky muttered, concentrating on finding the gears without making a mess of it. ‘I wonder what’s caused the need for so many lorries?’
The convoy halted for a moment, and a corporal jumped in, pushing Alice along to make room for himself.
‘Where are we going?’ Becky wanted to know. ‘I’ve only just passed my test.’
‘Ah.’ He leant forward to look at her. ‘I’ll drive if you’re nervous.’
‘I’m not nervous!’ she exclaimed, not caring
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