London March 1946
The day arrived when Jack and Anna boarded the Lockheed Constellation bound for New York City. From there they would fly to Washington where Jack would officially hand over his papers to his superior, the Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. His mother’s husband, Gene Leutze was Forrestal’s predecessor but had died from a heart attack in 1944. He didn’t live to see the end of the war.
After the normal procedures were completed Jack and Lucy flew to Los Angeles and then on to San Diego to meet with their son Tom.
Tom was waiting for them at the airport. The marine commander at the base had organised a car to take him there and wherever else he desired to go with his parents.
Jack and Lucy walked across the tarmac in great anticipation - they hadn’t seen their son for over four years. Once inside the terminal they eagerly looked around to see if they could find him. He was standing right in front of them, a skinny, gaunt figure of a man in a marine captain’s uniform that was way too large for him.
‘Hi Mom. Hi Dad. Don’t you recognise me in uniform?’ he said with a broad smile on his face.
‘Tom, my darling boy! What have they done to you?’ his mother cried.
‘Hi Dad. Should I salute the three-star General or give you a hug?’
‘Oh son! A hug would be just fine, Captain.’
They hugged each other like never before; tears were flowing from all three.
‘You must tell us all you’ve been through Tommy,’ Lucy said through tears.
‘Not now Mom. Not everything. I don’t want to relive some of the experiences. Let’s get your bags and we can get out of here. I’ve booked a fantastic restaurant on the beach we can talk there.’
The three Doherty family members enjoyed their lunch of lobster and finished with Tom’s favourite desert, apple pie and ice cream. A far cry from the cup of rice he was allocated each day while in captivity. Jack told Tom about his brother’s experience during and after the D-Day landings and how he had been seriously wounded. Tom was looking forward to seeing his brother when he visited Washington.
One story Tom did share was surviving the atomic bomb in Nagasaki; both parents were flabbergasted.
Jack and Lucy were required back in Washington the next day but made a pact with Tom that he and the rest of the clan meet at the Chesapeake holiday home the following July.
Tom was due back at the base by 5 pm so they said their goodbyes at the restaurant.
Britain 1946
Harry and Julie departed for Southampton on 4th March approximately six months after they were liberated. It had taken this amount of time for Harry to gain weight and strength to embark on such a long journey.
They arrived in their beloved England on 6th May. The sea journey seemed like it would never end for the pair, however Lara loved it, playing with the young friends she had met on the RMS Queen Elizabeth.
A car had been arranged by the caretaker of Westmoreland Manor, Mr Bryant, to pick them up from the wharf and transport them home to their London residence.
As the car pulled into the long paved driveway lined with English oak trees Harry and Julie breathed a sigh of relief - they were home. Lara was in awe.
‘Imagine playing in these gardens,’ she thought.
This was to be a journey of rediscovery. Mr Bryant took their luggage to the master bedroom and Lara’s to the suite opposite.
The next few weeks entailed catching up with old friends and sadly learning that some had died in the war.
Deciding that Harry needed a rest from all the social activities, Julie arranged for the family to travel up to County Durham and stay at Raby Castle for a month or so. Harry certainly didn’t argue; he loved the castle and all the wildlife and was looking forward to some shooting.
The month passed quickly and soon the family was due to return to London so that Lara could begin school. Harry and Julie had discussed their careers at length and both decided that private practice specialising in plastic surgery would best suit them. They established a surgery in Harley Street, London and started seeing patients in June 1947. Initially the majority of their patients sustained facial injuries as a result of ‘The Blitz.’