Reginald is getting ready to head home from the pub when the bombs begin to fall just after eleven. Everyone in the pub rushes out to the Anderson shelter in the back garden and crowds inside, men sitting on each other’s laps, pints still in hand. The laughter quiets as they realize that this will not be a normal night. One blast follows another with no space in between. The noise is deafening. Fire trucks go screaming by. Horses are neighing. Brian, one of Reg’s buddies from work, grows agitated. We need to get out there and help, boys. Full moon tonight. The Krauts can see the whole city, lit up like a show on the West End.
Reginald says he should be getting home, but then he realizes Millie’s most likely already in the building shelter. Better for him to stay and help. So, he and Brian and a few other men head out and jump aboard pump trucks heading north. Not a lot of water, one of the firemen says to Reg. Low tide. We can’t handle this volume. The truck stops, and all the men tumble out. Reg hears a scream for help and heads to the nearest bombed-out house, the fire lashing the upper windows, to help a woman pull her young son out from under the rubble. Still alive, thank the Lord, the woman says. Jesus, I thought this terror was over.
All night Reg helps out, doing whatever is necessary. He goes into a burning house to retrieve a wedding album. He lifts a desk off a woman’s leg. He sits down on the curb to take a breath, and a boy offers him a biscuit. You from here, Reg asks, and the boy nods. Our house got bombed a few months ago, he says. I’m living with my aunt down the way. Your parents, Reg says, but as he does he knows the answer. Gone, the boy responds. But my aunt, she takes good care. Reg nods, unable to speak. He often feels guilty that Beatrix is far away and safe. A woman runs by, heading for a burning house. My ration book, she cries, I forgot to take it to work today. What will we do?
By the time the night is over, the entire city is on fire. Later, they hear that German bombers flew over 550 missions, with some crews returning two and three times. When Reginald is finally on his way home, to see what’s happened to Millie, he looks toward the city center. At first he thinks the sun is rising behind the thick smoke and is relieved that the night, this horrible night, is over. Then he realizes that the orange glow is coming from the Houses of Parliament, flames rising all around.