been his instructor in communications came and sat opposite him. ‘You’ve done well, Adams.’
‘Thank you, Captain.’ Will drew in a deep breath. ‘Does that mean I’ll be accepted?’
‘You will be receiving an official letter within the next week, but I can tell you now that you’ve passed the tests with flying colours.’
‘Oh, that’s marvellous!’ Will smiled with relief.
‘Go back to working for your newspaper, but it won’t be long before you’re sent for. You could be asked to cover any kind of operation, so I hope you’re ready for the unexpected.’
‘I am,’ he said confidently. ‘I don’t care what I do or where I go.’
‘That attitude has gone a long way to convincingeveryone you’re right for the job. But, while you’re waiting for your first assignment, there’s one hell of a battle going on in our own country. The Luftwaffe are determined to destroy our air defences before they launch an invasion fleet. If they don’t they will be slaughtered as they try to cross the Channel. They’ve been attacking shipping, and are now intent on destroying our airfields, so you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied until you’re sent for.’
Will nodded in enthusiasm. Ever since Dunkirk he had been restless. There was so much happening and he didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. When he’d applied to be a war correspondent he’d had no idea if he stood a chance, but he’d managed to show them he was capable of doing the job. He knew that was no mean achievement. ‘Hope they send for me soon.’
‘I know you’re anxious to get involved in the war, but you’ll have your chance.’ The officer’s expression was grim. ‘At the moment we are on the defensive. But eventually the tide will change.’
‘You sound certain, sir.’ Will studied the man in front of him. ‘This country is alone, our shipping is being sunk at an alarming rate, and although the army was snatched off the beaches at Dunkirk, all their equipment was lost. The only thing standing between the Germans and us is our air force. The odds against us are high.’
‘Indeed they are.’ Suddenly the officer’s face lit up. ‘But I believe those very odds are helping. Many countries, including Germany, think we’re finished, and it’s only a matter of time before we’re beaten into submission. They’re wrong. We will never surrender!’
Will burst out laughing. ‘So we’ve all been told by Churchill.’
‘There you are then, it must be true.’ He became serious again. ‘We’re in for a long hard struggle, and keeping the people informed is going to be vital. That’s where you, and others like you, are going to be needed. It isn’t going to be an easy task you’ve chosen, but you already know that.’
‘Yes.’ Will nodded. ‘I saw how dangerous it could be at Dunkirk, but it’s what I want to do.’
‘And I believe it’s something you are suited for.’ He stood up. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Adams. Don’t be too impatient. You’ll be called upon soon enough.’
When Will arrived home that evening his parents were waiting anxiously for him.
‘How did you get on?’ his father asked as soon as he stepped inside the door.
‘I’ve been accepted, but I’ve got to wait for an official letter.’ Will dropped his bag on the floor, buoyant with a sense of achievement.
‘I knew you’d do it.’ His mother nodded proudly. ‘What happens next?’
‘They said they’d call on me soon, but in the meantime I can go and work on the paper again.’
‘Tell us all about it,’ his father urged, pulling out chairs from the table so they could sit down.
The tea was already made, and Will said, ‘It’s a very meagre tea ration, isn’t it, Mum?’
‘It certainly is. The only way I can make it last is to make the tea weaker.’ Mavis grimaced as she poured themall a cup. ‘We’ll just have to get used to it.’ She settled down and looked at her son expectantly. ‘Now, we
‘Thank you, Captain.’ Will drew in a deep breath. ‘Does that mean I’ll be accepted?’
‘You will be receiving an official letter within the next week, but I can tell you now that you’ve passed the tests with flying colours.’
‘Oh, that’s marvellous!’ Will smiled with relief.
‘Go back to working for your newspaper, but it won’t be long before you’re sent for. You could be asked to cover any kind of operation, so I hope you’re ready for the unexpected.’
‘I am,’ he said confidently. ‘I don’t care what I do or where I go.’
‘That attitude has gone a long way to convincingeveryone you’re right for the job. But, while you’re waiting for your first assignment, there’s one hell of a battle going on in our own country. The Luftwaffe are determined to destroy our air defences before they launch an invasion fleet. If they don’t they will be slaughtered as they try to cross the Channel. They’ve been attacking shipping, and are now intent on destroying our airfields, so you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied until you’re sent for.’
Will nodded in enthusiasm. Ever since Dunkirk he had been restless. There was so much happening and he didn’t want to sit on the sidelines. When he’d applied to be a war correspondent he’d had no idea if he stood a chance, but he’d managed to show them he was capable of doing the job. He knew that was no mean achievement. ‘Hope they send for me soon.’
‘I know you’re anxious to get involved in the war, but you’ll have your chance.’ The officer’s expression was grim. ‘At the moment we are on the defensive. But eventually the tide will change.’
‘You sound certain, sir.’ Will studied the man in front of him. ‘This country is alone, our shipping is being sunk at an alarming rate, and although the army was snatched off the beaches at Dunkirk, all their equipment was lost. The only thing standing between the Germans and us is our air force. The odds against us are high.’
‘Indeed they are.’ Suddenly the officer’s face lit up. ‘But I believe those very odds are helping. Many countries, including Germany, think we’re finished, and it’s only a matter of time before we’re beaten into submission. They’re wrong. We will never surrender!’
Will burst out laughing. ‘So we’ve all been told by Churchill.’
‘There you are then, it must be true.’ He became serious again. ‘We’re in for a long hard struggle, and keeping the people informed is going to be vital. That’s where you, and others like you, are going to be needed. It isn’t going to be an easy task you’ve chosen, but you already know that.’
‘Yes.’ Will nodded. ‘I saw how dangerous it could be at Dunkirk, but it’s what I want to do.’
‘And I believe it’s something you are suited for.’ He stood up. ‘It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Adams. Don’t be too impatient. You’ll be called upon soon enough.’
When Will arrived home that evening his parents were waiting anxiously for him.
‘How did you get on?’ his father asked as soon as he stepped inside the door.
‘I’ve been accepted, but I’ve got to wait for an official letter.’ Will dropped his bag on the floor, buoyant with a sense of achievement.
‘I knew you’d do it.’ His mother nodded proudly. ‘What happens next?’
‘They said they’d call on me soon, but in the meantime I can go and work on the paper again.’
‘Tell us all about it,’ his father urged, pulling out chairs from the table so they could sit down.
The tea was already made, and Will said, ‘It’s a very meagre tea ration, isn’t it, Mum?’
‘It certainly is. The only way I can make it last is to make the tea weaker.’ Mavis grimaced as she poured themall a cup. ‘We’ll just have to get used to it.’ She settled down and looked at her son expectantly. ‘Now, we
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