The Air Raid Girls: A heartbreaking, emotional wartime saga series from Patricia McBride for 2024

By Patricia McBride

With German bombs falling on London, one brave young woman will rise to the occasion…

England, 1940. Only given two days leave after barely escaping Nazi troops in Paris, Lily Baker visits her fiancé’s family and is dismayed to learn he’s still missing in action. And going from an exciting overseas telephonist post to a routine office assignment leaves her bored… until the Blitz begins.

Joining the Air Raid Protection service, Lily’s perilous new role puts her on the chaotic frontlines of deadly shelling and scared crowds turning hostile. But despite her heroism, she is plagued by guilt when she starts feeling attracted to a fellow A.R.P. member.

As her beloved’s death remains unconfirmed, can Lily do her duty while keeping her heart from harm?

The thrilling third book in The Lily Baker Series. If you like patriotic self-sacrifice, hair-raising danger, and meticulous period detail, then you’ll adore this WWII epic

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boldwood Books
• Release date: May 19, 2024
• ISBN: 9781835339657

Patricia McBride

Patricia McBride is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books as well as numerous articles. She loves undertaking the research for her books, helped by stories told to her by her Cockney mother and grandparents who lived in the East End. Patricia lives in Cambridge with her husband.

Book preview

1

JUNE 1940

‘Two days! Two days! Is that all the leave we get after narrowly escaping the Nazis in Paris?’ I couldn’t believe my ears or that the army would treat us that badly.

Bronwyn and I only landed in Dover the day before. With some other telephonists who’d been working with the British Expeditionary Force in Paris, we’d had a long and at times terrifying journey across country to get to Cherbourg. We just made it five minutes before the last boat left. And now we were being told we could only have two days’ leave.

Bronwyn’s hands became fists. ‘I’m going to say something serious now—’ her lovely Welsh accent tempered by the death looks she was giving the man ‘—that’s just plain not fair. How’re we supposed to replace our uniforms and see our families in two days? Anyway, where are we being posted?’

He shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the papers he’d been shuffling since we stood in front of him. It was a wonder he could find anything, his desk was such a mess of papers and dirty cups.

‘Can’t help you there, girls. Don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger. There’s a war on and the country needs you, as they say. You’re to report to this address at 3 p.m. in two days’ time.’ He thrust a piece of paper into my hand. It was an address in central London.

‘How’re we supposed to get there? We’ve only got francs and no one will take them.’

He opened a drawer and took out two envelopes. He handed us one each. ‘You’ll find your travel documents, ration cards and some money in there. Should be enough for you to get by on.’

No matter how much we pressed him, he wouldn’t or couldn’t tell us anything else. In any case, we were simply too tired to argue with him. We longed for a hot bath and a comfortable bed.

‘Come on,’ I said to Bronwyn as we left his office, ‘there’s a cafe we passed on the way here, let’s get a cuppa while we wait for our train.’

There were new posters since we’d left England months before.

Air Raid Wardens Wanted,

Together we shall strangle Hitlerism,

The more you keep information under your hat, the safer he’ll be under his!

Keep a pig. Join the Pig club!

‘I’d like to see my mum getting a pig,’ Bronwyn said, ‘our backyard’s shared with five other families and it’s a lot smaller than a pigsty. Mind you, with one lavvy for us and the house next door it smells just as bad.’

The station cafe was crowded and noisy and smelled of damp clothes and sweaty bodies. We fought our way to a table in the corner, bashing against people and bags all the way through. About half of them were in uniform and most of the others were with them, probably family members saying sad goodbyes. The scene reminded me of where Edward had proposed to me, in a station cafe a few minutes before we went off to our separate wars. I was just joining the ATS for training, and he was going back to his posting. I hadn’t seen him since.

‘I’ll fetch the drinks and things,’ I said, ‘but you’ll have to pay me back. Not enough in these envelopes otherwise.’

I went to the counter to fetch two teas and bath buns. The girls were rushed off their feet with so many people to serve. Dirty crockery was piled in the sink, and a girl who couldn’t have been more than twelve glanced and me and quickly dried her chapped hands on a tea towel that had seen better days.

‘Two teas and two bath buns, please,’ I said.

‘Only two bath buns left, you’re in luck,’ she said, putting them on a plate and reaching over for the big tin teapot. She was only a slip of a thing and she could barely lift it. Half the tea ended up in the saucers.

‘Sorry,’ she said, mopping up the spills.

I staggered back to the table with the tray, almost tripping over a dog on the way. A soldier saw me and hurriedly took the tray off me. ‘There you go, love,’ he said, putting it down at our table, ‘hope we’re going in the same direction.’

I thanked him and turned away, far too tired to flirt. Bronwyn and I tried to talk but were constantly interrupted by the station announcements which neither of us could understand.

I cut my bath bun in four, trying to make it last longer. I took a bite and loved how familiar it was, reminding me of home and how long it was since I’d seen Mum and all my friends. ‘Don’t know about you, Bronwyn, but even though this is lovely I’m going to miss them croissants and pastries we had in Paris.’

She nodded. ‘They got harder to get though, didn’t they. Didn’t see any pastries the last few weeks.’

She was right. The German army was moving south through France and thousands of refugees flooded Paris trying to escape their clutches. They all needed food and there was never enough to go round. There’d even been talk of food rationing like we had at home.

‘You and me are going to be in London, Bronwyn. Fancy finding somewhere to live together?’

She stirred her tea and smiled. ‘I do, I really do, but what if we’re posted on opposite sides of London?’

I hadn’t thought of that. ‘I suppose we could try it and if it didn’t work out, we’d have to find somewhere separately. We could start looking straight away.’

She pulled a face. ‘One bit of luck is two days isn’t enough to go back home to Swansea. It’s like this see, I’d have share a bed with three little ones, kicking me in the back and farting all night. I swear, I never want to be that poor again. My mum is completely worn out, looks twenty years older than she is.’ She shook her head. ‘What will you do for your two days?’

I bit my lip. ‘I suppose I’ll go to see Mum, stay there the night and then be back in time to meet you at the office. Where will you sleep if you’re not going home?’

She shook her head. ‘I don’t know, but I’ll find somewhere. Don’t worry about me.’

My train arrived first, and after hugging Bronwyn so tight it was a wonder she didn’t have broken ribs, I got on my train, gulping back tears.

I struggled through the hordes of people already on board and several times said, ‘Excuse-moi,’ by mistake, earning myself a few hard looks. Strange because all the time we were in France, I’d never started to think in French, yet here I was slipping into it by mistake.

‘Mind the doors, ladies and gentlemen!’ the guard shouted at my home station. It all looked strange after so long away, but that didn’t stop me hoping to see Mum or one of my friends waiting for me. Crazy because no one knew I was coming. I stood for a minute taking in the scene, earning myself an eye full of smoke and bits from the train engine. The station looked the same, the small flowers borders were bright and colourful and everything was neat and tidy. The guard looked well past retirement age, probably brought back to work with so many men away fighting. I wiped my face with my hanky and picked up my rucksack, looking forward to the walk home, past all the places I’d known for so long.

It was a cloudy day with the threat of rain in the air. But that didn’t dampen my mood, and I walked with a spring in my step. Creamy clematis climbed up the wall of one old house I passed, its flowers so heavy it looked as if they might tumble to the floor any minute. Gardens blushed with lupins and philadelphus and other flowers I didn’t know the name of. I passed people cleaning their windows or scrubbing their front doorstep. A couple of lucky people had cars parked outside their house and one man was busy washing his, soapsuds up to his elbows. They all looked up and waved as I walked by.

The cinema where I’d risen to the dizzy heights of assistant manager looked just the same and they were showing 21 Days with Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. I popped my head in the door, but the kind manager wasn’t on duty, so I didn’t stop. I walked past the Roxy dance hall where me and my friend Jean used to go and smiled at the memories of dancing to big band numbers. But at last I turned the corner into our street. It’s a fairly new estate, built by the corporation to encourage people to move to the town to work in the car factory. Our two-bedroomed terrace house with a bathroom and electricity wasn’t a palace, but compared to what we’d had before, it was heaven. No outside toilets, no chamber pots under the bed, no tin bath in the kitchen on Friday nights. And best of all, no Dad. He’d run off with his fancy woman just before I signed up and good riddance to him, nasty bully that he was.

2

I got out my key but somehow couldn’t bring myself to use it unless Mum wasn’t in. I felt like a stranger in my own home. I knocked instead. I wanted to see her face when she saw me. After a few minutes I knocked again, my spirits sinking. All this way, and she was out.

But just as I was about to give up, the door was opened by Mum’s old boyfriend, Alex, who she said she’d finished with.

The one who tried to get fresh with me when she wasn’t looking.

He was tucking his shirt into his trousers and had no shoes and socks on.

I looked up the stairs and Mum was coming down, hair a mess, calling, ‘Who is it?’

Pushing past Alex without a word, I stepped forward. ‘It’s me, Mum.’

She flew down the stairs and gave me the biggest hug I’d ever had in my life. ‘Lily, Lily, I can’t believe it’s you.’ She pushed me to arm’s length. ‘You look tired. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming? I’d have put out banners and made your favourite tea.’

We walked into the kitchen, followed by Alex, who leaned against the sink as if he owned the place. I ignored him.

‘I couldn’t let you know, I didn’t know myself until this morning.’

‘Aren’t you going to make some tea for your daughter?’ Alex asked, with a smirk.

‘Why don’t you do it,’ I replied.

‘Woman’s work,’ he said running his hand through his Brylcreemed hair, ‘anyway, your mum likes looking after me, don’t you, love?’ He patted her bottom. ‘Looks after me upstairs and down, if you know what I mean.’ He bent over and massaged her shoulder for a minute. My heart pounded as I fought to control my anger.

Mum got up and put the kettle on the ring, then got out the teapot and cups and saucers. ‘Wherever have you been, Lily? We haven’t heard a peep from you. I’ve been so worried.’

‘I’d love to tell you, Mum, but you know we can’t say anything about our work. But I’ve had a lot of fun and met people I’d never have met if I hadn’t joined the ATS.’

Alex grunted, ‘Leaving your old mum behind, are you? Think you’re better than us?’

I glared at him. ‘I didn’t say that at all, stop twisting my words.’

Mum poured the water into the pot, placed the knitted cosy on it and put it with the cups, saucers and little jug of milk on the table. ‘I’m sorry not to have any biscuits to offer you, love. It’s the rationing.’

‘You got your ration book, Lil?’ Alex asked. ‘Can’t expect your mum to feed you without.’

I ignored him. ‘I’m only here for one night, Mum. I’ve got a new posting in London and I start the day after next.’

Her face fell. ‘Oh no, and after all this time, I want to spend more time with you.’

‘Perhaps Alex can leave so we can spend some time alone.’

Mum went pink and didn’t say anything, avoiding my eye.

Alex put his hand firmly on her arm. ‘Your mum loves having me here. We’re a family, us three. We can spend your leave together like.’

He was never going to be my family, but I bit my lip, not wanting to cause a fight when my time home was so precious. Just then we heard the first patter of rain. ‘Oh dear,’ Mum said, ‘I’ll just go and get the washing in. You two sit and chat. No point in us all getting wet.’

No sooner had she left the kitchen than Alex turned to me. ‘I knew you’d come back, can’t resist me, can you? Been up to naughty things while you’ve been away, have you? I bet you’ve learned a thing or two.’

I stood up and pushed the chair behind me. ‘Shut up, you…’

‘I know how to please women. Your mum likes to sit with her legs open across my lap so I can diddle with her. I bet you’d like that too.’

I stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face.

Then I picked up his teacup and threw the remains at him.

He stood still for a minute wiping his jumper with a tea cloth, then grinned. ‘I do like a woman with a bit of spirit. Your mum’s a bit too, you know, passive sometimes. A good fight gets the blood going to all the right places. You and me’d be good together.’

I pushed past him and went to the garden. Mum had to know what he was like. I’d kept quiet about it last time he tried it on with me, but this was just too much.

But he followed me out and I knew he’d deny anything I said.

‘I’ve got to go, Mum,’ I said, ‘I’ve just remembered somewhere I need to be.’

She dropped the blouse she was unpinning. ‘But you’ve only just got here, love, you said you could stay until tomorrow.’

Alex brushed his jumper some more. ‘Let her go, sweetheart. She’s in the ATS now, ain’t you, love? A very important person.’

Mum took my hands. ‘But, Lily, don’t go, what’s happened? I’ve been looking forward so much to seeing you. Please don’t go. Did you two have a row or something?’

I couldn’t bring myself to tell a lie, so I said nothing. I took her hand. ‘Why don’t you walk with me to the station, Mum, just you and me.’

Alex’s headed lifted. ‘Can’t let my two girls go all that way unescorted, can I? I’ll come with you, one on each arm.’

I turned to look at him. ‘No!’ I said, venom making my voice harsh. ‘You will not walk with us. I will walk with my mother, just my mother. Got it?’

He looked from me to her and back at me, then shrugged his shoulders. ‘Your loss, Miss Hoity-toity,’ he said, heading back into the kitchen.

Mum unpegged the last few bits. ‘What is it, love? You were a bit rude then. Not like you at all. What’s got into you?’

My shoulders sagged at the thought of telling her. ‘I’ll explain as we walk, Mum, come on, get your umbrella.’

‘It’s true, Mum, that’s what he said, I swear.’

My face scarlet, I’d just recounted the conversation with Alex, and Mum had stopped dead in the street like she was turned to salt. I could hardly bring myself to repeat the intimate things he’d said about them, but forced myself because I hoped it would convince her I was telling the truth.

She stopped and turned towards me. ‘I don’t believe you. He’d never say such a thing,’ she said, a quiver in her voice, ‘he wouldn’t.’

I took her hand. ‘Why would I lie, Mum?’

She snatched it away. ‘Perhaps you don’t want me to be happy. Or you want me all to yourself. I don’t know.’

I could hardly breathe, I was so upset. ‘Mum, I promise you it’s true and I want nothing more than for you to be happy.’

‘How can I believe that when you haven’t even bothered to get in touch with me for so long.’ She was breathing fast and hard.

‘I wrote three times. Didn’t you get the letters?’

‘I got one. One. That’s all I’m worth. You must have had some leave. Why didn’t you come home? Life more exciting somewhere else?’

‘I couldn’t, I was in…’

‘Where? Where were you?’

I bit my tongue. ‘I can’t say. I wish I could, but it was somewhere where I couldn’t get home for leave. But I can tell you it wasn’t in this country.’

She stamped her foot. ‘I don’t recognise you any more. You’re not the Lily who left here to join up. If this is what the ATS does to everyone, heaven help us.’

And with that, she turned on her heel and marched back towards the house.

My heart sank as I stood and watched her walk away. What had that Alex done to her to make her believe that I’d say something like that to make her unhappy? It was like she’d been brainwashed or something.

Rain splashed on my umbrella as I stood for several minutes trying to calm down and get my thoughts in some sort of order.

Should I go after her, would that help? But Alex would still be there, poisoning her mind. It might even make things worse, and anyway, I’d be sure to lose my temper with him. He’d tell her that it was a sign I wasn’t right in the head or something.

Perhaps a letter would be better, but what if he saw it? I wasn’t even clear if he’d moved in with her or not.

Unable to make up my mind, I went back to the house and tried to hug Mum but she turned away from me.

‘I hope we can soon be friends again,’ I said, then I picked up my rucksack and left.