大象传媒

As told to me by my extraordinary Mum, Vicky Cove (nee Plumb)

1940
The sky sizzled with colour and as the bombs fell over London. Night after night we carefully created a cape of normality to protect us from the chill of our own terror.
Night duty, why is it all things hold so much fear for us after dark? There was little room in my imagination for the unseen, reality was more than enough to cope with as a twenty four year old Midwife in training. The Central Middlesex hospital at Willesden had been my home now for some months. 1940, another year of war and for me, war babies.
Every evening we obediently followed the blackout instructions. The deadly game of hide and seek. All was hidden behind heavy curtains, even lighting your ciggy outside was likely to be accompanied by a furious yell of 鈥榩ut that light ahht !, doncha know 鈥榠tlers snipers can see you all the way from Berlin?鈥�
The responsibility of the Maternity ward rested in the formidable hands of Sister Lemon. Some said she was as sour as her name, my friends and I felt this was a slur on a defenceless fruit.
Sister Lemon wasn鈥檛 just tidy, she had an aura of crisp, starch professionalism that swept through the polished wards leaving nurses scattered like windblown twigs in her wake. Her eyes noted all, this slight woman only had to let her stony glance rest for a brief moment on a rumpled sheet for a nurse to scuttle feverishly to work smoothing and straightening.
The evening ritual began,. Sister Lemon stalked around the outside of the ward rapping on any window that dared to show a sliver of light from within. The last curtain drawn we turned our attention to the babies stirring for their next feed.
Depite the terrible noise of the Pom Pom guns mothers and babies settled into a cocooned calm. On duty with me was Rosary, we were firm friends, her infectious laugh and broad irish brogue was used to great effect in the telling of 鈥渢all tales鈥�.
As I waited in the sluice room for water to boil Rosary rushed into the room. 鈥淰icky , I can hear something, come on, come quick鈥� she urgently whispered
She backed out of the room and swiftly pushed through the swing doors into thew ward. I crossly slouched after her muttering 鈥淥f course you can hear something you mad Irish woman, there鈥檚 a war going on out there鈥�. Her face assumed an expression of great patience 鈥淚 mean I can hear something else, someone crying鈥� she said.
Wearily I sat down at the desk 鈥淩osary, you are the most inventive and imaginative person I know, now please stop and make us both a cup of char鈥�.
She wouldn鈥檛 let it drop 鈥淚 can hear someone 鈥� she insisted.
I then foolishly uttered that phrase that should be avoided at all costs. In my defence I was young and apparently, stupid. 鈥淲ell, what do you want me to do about it?鈥�
Five minutes later I was outside the sturdy walls of the hospital, tin hat on my head precariously balanced atop of my nurses cap
The sky glowed red with fury. I could see buildings stark with flame and destruction. The noise was incredible. Every crash and strangled scream of tortured metal echoed through my body.Stretching out my hands I felt the roughness of the brickwork and the first window of the ward. I moved through the blackness, my stumbling progress briefly illuminated with harsh light from above only to plunge back into the blizzard of black. Carefully shuffling forward I felt something soft and squashy underfoot. Swallowing hard I bent down and felt with trembling fingers. As light burst above me , in that instant I saw I had a nurses white cap in my hand. Standing up I yelled 鈥淚s anyone here?鈥�. A soft whimper from ground level, how on earth could that be?. I dropped to my hands and knees and crept towards the pathetic sound. My hands slipped away from me and I realised I was at the edge of a very large hole. I lay flat on the earth and called again鈥� Hello鈥an you hear me鈥re you alright?鈥�
An answering bleat came from the abyss below. 鈥淥h blimey鈥� I thought 鈥淪ister Lemon!鈥� I pulled myself closer to the edge and yelled .鈥漇ister鈥rab my hand if you can鈥�. My hand thrashed in the darkness and made contact with something warm and alive. 鈥淐ome on Sister help me, push against the sides鈥� I griped cloth and flesh between my fingers and pulled, my other hand snaked down to to grab another handful. For one moment I felt my axis shift and I tipped down towards the deep blackness 鈥渘ot bloody likely 鈥� I muttered and shook myself backwards like a terrier with a prize between it鈥檚 teeth. The noises around me were blotted out for those moments as we clawed for every inch, her body feeling havier and heavier as she slipped into unconsiousness. With my blood singing a shanty in my ears we rolled out onto the earth. Gasping with effort I began to giggle with relief. I stopped short as I felt the warm ooze of liquid slide down my arm under Sister Lemon鈥檚 head. 鈥淥h no you don鈥檛鈥� I said to myself 鈥淣ot after all that effort鈥�. The rush of adrenaline hit me again as I picked up the now still body. Staggering to the door I kicked it open and dropped through, clutching the battered body and yelling like a banshee for help.
Time slowed as nurses appeared from everywhere, a trolley arrived and I finally gave up my burden .
The next morning I joined the rest of the staff for breakfast at the long tables in the dining room.A flurry of nurses settled around Rosalee and I, brimming with giggles and news. 鈥淗ave you heard the latest ?鈥� asked Diana 鈥淭he Lemon fell down a ruddy great hole last night, a drain!鈥�. Pausing between mouthfuls of porridge another nurse muttered 鈥� What damn fool pulled her out?鈥�
Rosalee pointed with great glee at me and said 鈥淪he did!鈥�
鈥淒ear God鈥� said Diana 鈥淵ou should have slammed the ruddy lid back on!鈥�

Two days later I was summoned to Sister Lemon鈥檚 bedside. She lay propped against the pillows, her face and perfectly ironed sheets the same colour.
鈥淪o, you鈥檝e come at last 鈥� she said 鈥渨ell, come in鈥� I stood meekly at the foot of her bed, hands clasped in front , toes pointing forward , trying to appear at the very least, tidy.
She lifted her head 鈥淚 have to thank you for saving my life nurse鈥�
Glancing down I replied 鈥淎nyone would have done the same鈥�
A long silence, looking back up into her pale face with those bright fierce eyes I saw a flicker of humour as she said 鈥淵ou know they wouldn鈥檛鈥�
We exchanged a smile of understanding, I bobbed my head and left, quietly closing the door.

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