Passions of War by Hilary Green Page B

with her but he indicated with a shrug that he had no more idea than she had what the noise might be. Leo glanced round the ward, saw that all the men were either asleep or at least resting quietly, and went out into the courtyard. The noise was coming from somewhere above her and for a moment she wondered if it was an aircraft, but very few planes flew at night. Then she saw a huge shape blotting out the stars.
    â€˜It’s a Zeppelin!’ she gasped to the orderly, who had followed her out.
    â€˜We should take cover,’ he suggested, but Leo shook her head.
    â€˜I want to see what it does. Why aren’t our people firing at it?’
    At that moment a searchlight beam sprang up, criss-crossing the sky until it fastened on the Zeppelin, so that it hung above them like a great silver fish. Others joined it and star shells began to burst around it, green and blue against the night sky. Then the guns opened up but the huge craft continued serenely on its way.
    â€˜What is it doing?’ Leo asked. The courtyard was crowded by now with staff from other wards but she got no reply except for heads shaken in puzzlement. Then she heard a whistling, rushing sound, followed by an explosion, and the ground beneath her feet shook.
    â€˜Bombs! It’s dropping bombs!’ the cry went up, but no one headed for the cellars. The spectacle of the silver craft surrounded by the brilliance of the star shells, which outshone any fireworks display Leo had ever seen, was too fascinating to miss. The Zeppelin circled over them a while longer and dropped two more bombs, then the engine note changed and it throbbed away towards the German lines.
    Soon after that incident Lilian Franklin – ‘Boss’ to all the FANYs – called for volunteers to take a vehicle up to the front with comforts for the troops and possibly bring back casualties. There was no shortage of offers but Victoria was chosen to be the first, in view of her previous experience, and she naturally chose Leo to accompany her. Two other FANYs, Wilks and ‘Nicky’ Nicholson came with them. The rear of one of the ambulances was stocked with woolly socks and mufflers, chocolate and cigarettes and medical supplies and they set off through the crowded streets in high spirits. They had grown accustomed to the reactions of the local people as they went to and from the hospital. They varied from stunned amazement through to a condescending amusement to scandalized disapproval. Their uniforms came in for a great deal of comment but the fact that they drove cars was the biggest talking point.
    As luck would have it, just as they crossed the Place d’Armes, the main market square, there was a bang and a jolt and the ambulance swerved to the left.
    â€˜Damn!’ Victoria exclaimed. ‘What a spot to get a puncture!’
    They all climbed out and very quickly a small crowd assembled round them.
    â€˜Oh, how embarrassing,’ Leo said. ‘How fast can we change a wheel?’
    â€˜I like a challenge,’ Victoria responded with a grin. ‘Let’s show the Frogs that we don’t just drive the cars.’
    She set to work while Leo leaned on the bonnet and translated, deadpan, the comments of the onlookers.
    â€˜ Zut, alors! Elle ouvre comme un homme! ’ ‘My goodness, she works like a man!’
    â€˜ Regarde ses bottes! ’‘Look at her boots!’
    â€˜ Et son chapeau! Quel chic!’ ‘And her hat. What style!’
    â€˜ Crois-tu qu’elle peut nous entendre? ’ ‘ Non, non. Les anglais ne parle que sa propre langue. ’ ‘Do you think she can understand us?’ ‘Oh, no, the English only speak their own language.’
    The comments continued in this vein until Victoria completed the wheel change and they both climbed back into the cab. As they prepared to drive off Leo leaned out of the window and called sweetly, ‘ Mesdames et messieurs, le spectacle est