Thursday, September 12, 1940
The ten escorts counted and re-counted their groups, making sure everyone was on deck. Bess knew there were ninety children, but they looked like just a tiny cluster gathered together on the vastness of the ship’s deck.
Beyond them, toward the front of the ship, she could see a circle of lascars squatting on the deck. They were eating out of big bowls. A delicious smell of curry wafted over her. Bess couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but they seemed to be very happy.
“What a day to be sailing!” Miss Day exclaimed. Ramjam Buxoo was standing beside her smiling. “Now, I don’t know about you, but this ship is a lot bigger than I had expected it to be. It would be easy to get lost. So I need you to pay careful attention on our tour.
“You’ve all been to your cabins. The boys are on the starboard side of the ship and the girls are on the port side. You must know these terms so that if you do get lost you’ll at least know which side of the ship your cabin is on.
“The front of the ship is called the bow. The back of the ship is called the stern. We are standing aft on the main deck. There will be other terms for you to learn as we go along. But right now the most important place that we all need to know how to get to is the dining room. Mr. Buxoo has informed me that they are expecting us.”
A great cheer went up.
“Thank you very much,” said Ramjam Buxoo, bowing and smiling. “Please to follow me.”
Beth linked her arm with Bess. “Did you see that sailor walk by just now? Did you see the way he doffed his hat at us?” asked Beth, breathlessly. “I’d love to know what kind of officer he is.”
“Well, we’re going to be on the ship for at least a week. I expect we’ll learn a lot about sailors and uniforms!” laughed Bess. “Come on, I’m starving!”
Ramjam Buxoo led them inside, to a large open area ringed with a row of expensive looking boutique stores selling jewellery and clothing. There was a sweets shop with tempting jars of dolly mixture, barley sticks, and coconut ice squares. Everyone stopped to peer through the windows.
“It’s just like Oxford Street!” said Bess.
“I haven’t seen sweets in the stores for almost a year!” said Beth. “I’d love some coconut ice squares.”
Louis grabbed Bess’s arm. “I want to buy some bull’s eyes! Can you give me some of my money?”
A cluster of children peered into the window, excited about buying sweets. Just as they were about to go in, Miss Cornish blocked the doorway.
“Children, we don’t have time to be shopping before our meal.”
Louis made a face and several of the children started to argue.
Miss Cornish held up her hand for silence. “Also, I need to talk to you about your money. I know that some of you have been given money from home. That money is to help you get started on your new life in Canada.” Miss Cornish put a special emphasis on the word Canada. Bess looked at Louis, but his eyes were glued to the sweets in the shop window.
“Some of the girls in my group have told me that they are worried about carrying their money around. Worried that they might lose it.”
Or spend it on sweets, thought Bess.
“We escorts thought it would be a good idea for you to have a bank to keep your money safe, and I have volunteered to be your banker.” She held up a small leather purse. “I have a special bag to keep your money in. If you give it to me for safekeeping, I will write down your bank entries, just like a bank teller.” She held up a small black ledger book.
“Then, if you need to spend money while you’re on the boat, I’ll write down your withdrawals. When we get to Canada, I will give you whatever is left in your account.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Bess loudly. “Louis and I would like to put our money in right now. That way we won’t be tempted to spend it,” she said, pointedly smiling at Louis. He glared at her as she took a pound note out of her pocket and gave it to Miss Cornish.
“Perfect.” She put the note into the bag and opened the book. “I’ll write down your deposit, and you sign your name here. That way we both know that I am looking after your money for you.”
“Oh, Miss Cornish, can you take mine?” Beth said.
“Miss, here’s my tuppence,” said a tiny blond boy.
“Miss Cornish, Marion and I have got two shillings!” Rex stepped up, offering his coins.
“I’ve half-a-nicker,” piped in little Joyce.
“Children! Please! I can’t look after you all before lunch. Joyce, I’ll take your ‘half-nicker’ now. The rest of you will need to come and find me in the dining room. I am sure there will be lots of time.”
Bess noticed that everyone quieted down. No one was fussing about the sweets shop any more. Miss Cornish had a way of speaking that made everyone listen. “Now let’s head into dinner. I don’t know about you, but I am famished.”
At the mention of food, Louis raced down the corridor to the dining room. When Bess caught up to him, he was waiting at the doorway beside a group of lascar stewards dressed in beautiful blue uniforms.
The stewards bowed low and escorted them to a table. The elegant dining room took Bess’s breath away. It was set up like a fancy London restaurant, with mounds of fresh fruit on the tables in the middle —bananas, oranges, grapefruits, pineapples —things they hadn’t seen since rationing began over a year ago.
Bess, Louis, and Beth sat together. Louis’s friend Fred ran up to them chased by a boy with bright mischievous eyes.
“This is Howard,” said Fred. “He’s in Father O’Sullivan’s group. Howard knows almost as much about the Navy as I do.”
“Way more!” said Howard.
“We’re both gonna be sailors when we grow up,” Fred sat down beside Louis. Howard sat on the other side.
An elegant lascar steward came over to their table. “What would the little madams like to eat? Little sirs?”
“Whadda ya mean?” asked Fred. He looked at the others at the table.
Howard opened his eyes wide. “Do you mean I’ve a choice of what to eat?! Isn’t there rationing on the ship?”
Bess said the first thing that came into her head. “Ham roll?”
“Roast chicken?” said Beth.
Fred looked around. “Um … bacon buttie?”
“Mince ’n mash?” said Howard.
“Chocolate!” shouted Louis.
“Louis, you have to eat a proper meal,” Bess scolded. “Could my brother have a ham roll, please?”
The steward bowed low and went into the kitchen.
‘What do you think he’ll really bring us?” asked Louis.
“They’ll bring us whatever they’ve planned. Maybe a bit of soup. I am sure they were asking just to be polite. To make us feel special,” said Bess. It was all so odd, but then this whole day was like a dream.
“Mebbe they’ll bring us a bit a potato? Mebbe there’ll be a bit of meat in a stew gravy,” said Fred.
“I’d settle for some of that fruit on the table over there,” said Beth.
“Can we buy just one jawbreaker at the sweets shop after dinner? Please, Bessie?” said Louis.
“We haven’t even left the dock, Louis. Let’s wait a bit. The money is safe where it is.”
“My auntie gave me four and sixpence before I left. I’ve never had so much money!” said Howard. “I’m going to go give it to that lady to look after. She looks like my auntie, so I know I can trust her. Auntie! Miss Auntie!” Howard called out in a singsong voice, as he headed across the dining room to Miss Cornish.
“I’ve got a joey I saved from the Christmas pud,” said Fred.
“A joey?” asked Bess. She didn’t always understand Fred’s accent.
“You know, a thrup’ny bit,” said Fred. “That’s what we call it in Southhampton. I’m not sure I want to give it over, though. It’s my good-luck charm.”
“Auntie Mary’s got quite a stash!” said Howard as he returned to the table. “She said I can come and see my four and six any time I want.”
Just then they were interrupted by the arrival of the steward carrying two fresh, hot rolls filled with thick slabs of York ham. Each was wrapped in a lace cloth and presented on a white china plate. Another steward carried in a soft roll with thick rashers of crispy bacon and a plate of mince and mashed potatoes. A third arrived with a plate of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, carrots, and gravy.
Bess sat there, her jaw dropped. It couldn’t be true. No rationing on the boat?
“Is it real?” said Beth.
“Is it magic?” said Fred.
“Who cares?” said Louis, his mouth stuffed with ham roll. “All I know is that this bread is not National Loaf!”
All around them children were ravenously digging into dinners of roast chicken, mince and mash, and steak-and-kidney pie. They asked for seconds, for thirds. And for dessert there was ice cream! Loads of ice cream in any flavour they wanted.
She watched Louis eating. She couldn’t remember the last time they had so much food.
People are saying that the war might last for years, she thought. Louis will be a young man by the time we get home again. He’ll probably be taller than me. Mum and Dad might not even recognize him. She felt a pang of guilt as she thought of her mother and father. She wished she could send them just a bit of her delicious ham roll.
Another steward arrived and placed a white plate in front of Louis. On it was a box of Cadbury’s chocolates.