Over Here

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World War II story of Landgirls, Yanks, and more.
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Prologue. Late Summer 1943 – Suffolk, England.

Katie opened the front door and froze. A grim faced postman stood on the doorstep with an ominous looking telegram in his hand. He silently handed it to her, and Katie shut the door before he had a chance to offer her his sympathy.

She had been expecting this, she had not heard from Stephen for many months, she had hoped it was just a delivery problem, but deep down inside, she knew.

With shaking hands she slit open the telegram and unfolded the paper.

"We regret to inform you of the death of your husband..." Tears blurred her vision as she tried to read the words. "...Killed in action...fighting for his country...." Katie dropped the telegram. This just confirmed what she already knew.

Sinking down into the nearest chair, Katie shed silent tears. They hadn't been married a year, they had had a rushed wedding on his last leave. Katie had made all the arrangements, Stephen had got home on the Thursday, they married on Friday and he had to leave again on Monday. They had only had three days together as husband and wife. Barely enough time to even feel married. Now she was a widow.

Grabbing her coat, Katie ran round to the hostel where her friend lived. Colette took one look at Katie's face and knew something was terribly wrong, and seeing the telegram in her hand, she understood without being told. She put her arms around her and gave her a fierce hug.

"I'll tell them at work that you won't be in today, OK?"

Katie nodded. Colette and Katie were Land Army girls. They were doing the farm work that the men of the village had done, before they were called up to fight for their country. It was hard work, but the girls preferred this to going in the munitions factory.

"I'm sorry, I've really got to run. I dare not be late as well as you not working today, Mr Dixon-Smith will be furious. I will call round tonight."

"I think I'll go and take Hamish for a walk," Katie said, "It'll give me a chance to think."

Katie walked home, collected the lead and attached it to Hamish's collar.

"Come on, boy." She called as she let herself out the back door and they set off across the fields. She unclipped the lead and Hamish ran off looking for rabbits.

Katie walked along lost in her thoughts. Her Scottish terrier ran round the field making little yelping noises whenever he got the scent of a rabbit. They made their way around the meadow and then headed back towards their home.

Katie whistled to the dog and he came running over to her. Reattaching the lead they trudged back towards the village.

As they walked along the main road through Yoxford, Katie had to stand back as a convoy of army trucks drove by, full of American troops. They were on their way to the American Airbase at Leiston.

"Another batch of Yanks." She thought as Hamish barked at the noisy trucks.

In one of the last trucks, a tall dark and handsome airman, caught sight of the girl as she stood at the side of the road. He had never seen anyone so beautiful. A tiny thing, she could not have been 5ft tall, long blonde hair curled gently over her shoulders. As his truck drew level, he tried to make eye contact, but she looked straight through him, with unseeing eyes.

Katie was not as impressed with these men as a lot of the local girls were. They were causing quite a stir at the dances, which were held in the village hall. Katie nearly smiled as she recalled what her father was apt to say about the Yanks.

"Over fed, over paid, over sexed and over here!"

A lot of people were not too impressed with the presence of these men. They said that the trouble with Americans was, that when they are good at something they say so. When Americans said that they'd arrived from the training camp at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the British response was likely to be; 'That figures.'

But the local girls loved them. They found them charming and generous and they loved to jitterbug with them at their dances.

As the last of the trucks disappeared around the corner, Katie made her way back to her home.

Kevin turned and sat back down with his fellow airmen.

"I have got to find out who she is," he said to his friend, Nick, who was sitting across from him. "She looked so sad, I have got to find her and put a smile on that beautiful face."

"Look out boys," Nick grinned "Kev's in love!"

Dear old England's not the same,The dreaded invasion, well it came,But no, it's not the beastly Hun,The goddamn Yankee army's come...

Chapter One

Katie and Colette were walking home from the farm. Their muscles ached from the hard physical work they had to do each day, but they had to admit, that they had both got beautifully toned since they had worked here. Their slim figures looked good, even in their Land Army uniforms.

As they walked down the High Street a group of GI's wolf whistled at them.

"Hey beautiful!" they called. Katie made a tut sound and turned away, whereas Colette gave them a friendly wave.

"Don't do that, you'll encourage them!" Katie said as she pulled Colette's arm back down to her side.

"Where's the harm?" Colette replied "We are both single." She stopped suddenly when she realised what she had said. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK" Katie smiled. It had been a few months since the telegram had arrived. "Stephen and I had so little time together, it is almost as if I dreamt it."

"Look, there is a dance at the Airbase on Saturday, do you fancy going?" Colette asked hopefully. They hardly ever went out these days "They send a truck to pick us up from the village."

"I suppose it would make a change to go out," Katie conceded "and we have worked really hard this week...we deserve a treat."

"With the harvest approaching we should take our chance for some fun, once that starts we will be too tired for anything."

"Mr Dixon-Smith said he has requested some help form the Airbase, he has asked for some extra manpower, it could be fun?" she winked.

"If that is what you want to call it." Katie raised her eyes; she couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Most of the GI's she had met were far too brash, and full of themselves.

Colette was from Liverpool; she had joined the Women's Land Army last year. She was now forewoman, in charge of sixty girls. She had been taught to drive a Hillman Minx Van, and she would collect all the girls in the area and drive them to the farms by 7.00am each morning.

She had met Katie soon after she arrived in the area and they had struck up a close bond. Both girls were only 4ft 11in tall. Their colouring was completely different. Katie was blonde with a golden skin and Colette was dark with pale skin and blue eyes. They made a striking pair.

They came to Katie's house.

"See you at the pub in about an hour?" Katie asked Colette. "I could do with a drink after today."

"That's not like you!" Colette was surprised; Katie never wanted to go out. "OK, I'll see you in an hour."

Katie went indoors and changed out of the corduroy breeches, beige shirt and dark green jumper, which was their uniform. Filling a bowl with warm water she sat with her feet in it, trying to soak away the aches and pains from the boots they had to wear.

Having soaked her feet, she went and had a wash and changed into a dress, ready to meet her friend. She grabbed a quick sandwich before walking down the road to the Red Lion where she found Colette waiting outside.

They made their way inside to the saloon bar, where they ordered a drink each, and sat down.

"Blimey, look." Katie indicated with her eyes for Colette to look across the room. Colette glanced over in the direction indicated, where she saw a man with the blackest skin she had ever seen. The man saw her looking at him and he smiled revealing beautiful white teeth.

Colette smiled back. They had never seen a black man in their lives before, and they were fascinated.

They sat chatting for some time until they noticed the black man approach their table.

"Good evening ladies, could I buy you a drink?"

He was very well spoken, and polite and the girls readily accepted. He introduced himself and they chatted a while, before he took his leave, and left the pub.

Katie went off to the ladies room and Colette casually looked around the room, she felt she was getting a few odd looks but decided to take no notice. Then she noticed that Katie, on her way back to the table, had been stopped by a GI and they were having a heated conversation.

"Who does he think he is?" Katie was exasperated. "He just had a right go at me for talking to that black bloke."

"What did he say?" Colette asked.

"He reckons that blacks and whites don't mix and we should have nothing to do with them. I told him I would talk to whomever I choose. Come on Colette, I've had enough in here, let's go."

As they were leaving the pub, they heard a scuffle to one side. Looking over they saw two GI's dust them selves down and walk away. In the darkness of the blackout, it was a few moments before the girls saw the man lying on the ground. They ran over to see if he was all right. It was Ralph the one who had talked to them earlier. His face was cut and he was clutching his stomach, he was winded.

"Are you alright?" Katie asked as she tried to help him sit up.

Ralph winced and tried to grin at her.

"Sure honey, I'll be OK." He got to his feet and put one hand up to his cut eye.

Colette got her hanky out and dabbed at the blood on his face. Ralph accepted it gratefully.

"Thanks, but you should go before you are seen with me, you don't want any trouble."

"It's not fair the way they treat you." Demanded Katie.

Ralph sighed, "It's just the way it is. It is much easier, to just accept it. Now please girls, go home."

Kevin and Nick were passing the pub and they saw Colette and Katie's conversation with Ralph.

Kevin stopped Nick, "It's her." He gazed across the road at Katie.

"And she has a friend." Grinned Nick.

The girls were walking towards them on their way home.

"Hi, girls." Nick called cheerfully.

Colette's eyes lit up. "Hello yourself." She flirted.

"We are on our way home." Katie stated pointedly.

"Then maybe we can see you safely to your door." Kevin fell in step beside Katie, as Nick joined Colette.

Colette was staying at the Hostel for the Women's Land Army and she indicated the direction she had to go, Nick took her arm and they set off up the road.

"See you tomorrow, Katie." She threw over her shoulder as she walked off with Nick.

"Katie..." Kevin said.

"What?"

"Just trying out your name, I'm Kevin."

Katie shook his hand formally "Pleased to meet you Kevin." And they walked along the High Street.

"You know it really is not a good idea to associate with the Negroes around here."

"Oh really?" Katie was getting irritated but Kevin didn't realise it. "Why is that?"

"Blacks and whites don't mix, you know, you shouldn't have any dealings with them, for your own good...."

Katie turned on him.

"Is that at threat?" She interrupted him.

"No...of course not."

"Well for your information, Kevin, I will talk to whomever I please, whatever their colour, and not you," she prodded him in the chest, "or the whole American Air Force is going to stop me."

With that Katie stormed up her garden path to her house. Opening the front door she gave him one last frosty glare before slamming the door.

"But Katie..." Kevin called after her. "Where did that come from?" He asked himself, exasperated at her outburst.

He shook his head. She was strong willed, she was opinionated and she was stubborn. It was not going to be easy to win her round, Kevin thought.

He shifted uncomfortably in his trousers, as they suddenly felt too tight.

"Damn, but I want her..."

Chapter Two

"Good morning Katie," Colette called cheerfully as she walked into the cowshed.

Katie looked up from the little stool that she was sitting on.

"Good morning Colette, did you see Nick again last night?"

"Oh yes...." She grinned "and, he is taking me to the dance tonight."

"Oh, I won't bother going then," Katie turned back to the cow she was milking. "I don't want to play gooseberry."

"Oh no, your not getting out of it that easily, we all get picked up in the village, and we are taken to the Air Base, so you are still coming with me."

Colette washed the udder of the next cow and sat down and began milking her.

"Kevin will be there..." Colette said quietly.

"Kevin can go to hell."

"Katie! Don't be like that, what has he ever done to deserve that?"

"Telling me who I amallowed to talk to for one."

"Now you know he was just trying to avoid a difficult situation, we have to respect their way of doing things."

"I don't like the way they treat those men, they are no different to us, except the colour of their skin."

"Well for your sake as well as for theirs, I think you should take Kevin's advice and leave them alone."

Katie got a naughty look on her face, "Maybe I should come to the dance...I'm sure some of those blokes could do with a dance partner..."

"Katie...I don't think you should." Colette was worried about the trouble it would cause. You know Ralph got beaten up, just for talking to us."

"Well, I am sure that if it worries them, then they won't dance with me, but I can at least offer."

Colette shook her head; she wasn't so sure she wanted to go to this dance after all.

They met in the Village that evening, and they waited with the other girls, to be collected.

"Colette! You're wearing nylons, where did you get them?"

"Nick gave them to me." She ran one hand down her leg, and smiled. "Aren't they gorgeous?"

"You lucky thing." Katie was jealous "I get so fed up with colouring my legs with tea."

"Well perhaps if you were a bit nicer to Kevin, he would get you some?"

"I am not going to prostitute myself for nylons!"

Colette was offended

"Katie, I haven't..."

Katie realised what she had said, and hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't suggesting you had slept with him...I just meant...that I wasn't going to...oh never mind here is our transport."

The truck rolled noisily into the village square. The girls all scrambled excitedly into the back. Colette was careful not to ladder the new nylons.

"Perhaps I should have saved these for a special occasion?"

"No, you enjoy them. I'm sure they won't be the last pair he gives you." Katie winked, as they were all driven off to the Air Base.

The girls walked into the hall and looked around. On one side was a table with food and drink spread out on it. The girls all rushed over to look. They had been rationed for so long, they couldn't believe what they saw. There were cakes and sandwiches and all sorts of fruit they hadn't seen in a long while. They gazed at it all with wide eyes.

"Eat up, ladies" Nick called to them as he came up and slipped an arm around Colette's shoulders.

"Hi, honey," He looked down into her eyes.

Colette stood on tiptoes and gave him a kiss. "Hello, Nick, thanks for the nylons."

Nick looked down appreciatively at her slender legs. "Any time, darlin'" He said, as he led her away from the other girls.

Katie's eyes wandered over the table of food and she selected a slice of cake. It was pure heaven to eat cake again, how long was it since she had had some? Oh yes...her Mum had managed to get a small cake for her wedding... Damn why did she have to think of that. Now she felt guilty being at the dance at all.

She looked around the room, and noticed a group of Negroes in the far corner away from everyone else, keeping themselves to themselves. She didn't agree with the situation but she decided it wasn't her place to cause trouble.

"Hello." A deep sexy voice spoke in her ear. A shiver ran down her spine, and she turned to find Kevin.

"Oh, it's you." The sight of him dispelled the shiver immediately; he still irritated her with his attitude.

"Having fun?" he enquired.

"I have only just got here." She stated the obvious.

"Then let me get you a drink." Kevin went and got her a glass of punch; she sniffed it tentatively.

"What is this?" She tasted it, it was fruity but she knew there was alcohol in there.

"I'm not sure, they usually just make it up on the night, do you like it? He took a sip of his own drink.

"Actually, it is nice." She conceded. Kevin led her to a table and held her chair for her to sit down. She wasn't really sure if she wanted to stay with him, but since Colette was dancing with Nick, she didn't really want to sit alone.

After another couple of glasses of punch, Katie began to relax a little. Kevin noticed she was tapping her foot to the music.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her.

"I don't know that dance, what is it? It looks like fun."

"It's the Jitterbug, would you like me to teach you?"

"O.K.!" Katie stood up. Kevin took her hand and led her to a quiet side of the hall and started to show her the steps. He was a good teacher and she soon picked it up. They moved further into the centre of the room and started to dance in time with the music.

Katie had had enough to drink to make her confident, but not enough to make her unsteady on her feet. Kevin spun her around and caught her hand; Katie twirled and danced until she was breathless.

"I must have a rest." She gasped after several dances; they walked back to their table. Katie flopped down in her chair as Kevin went to get another drink.

"No more punch thank you." Katie called after him.

Kevin returned and placed a very dark coloured drink in front of her.

"What is this?" Katie took a sip, she could taste that it wasn't alcoholic, but she had never tasted anything like this before.

"It's Coke." Kevin replied.

"It's made from coal?" Katie put the glass down, incredulous.

Kevin laughed, "No, it is Coca Cola, haven't you tried it before?"

"No, but I like it." Katie smiled at him, as she took another sip.

"You are a good dancer." Kevin told her.

"Well, I have a good teacher." She was a little tipsy from the punch.

Kevin liked her like this, she was much more friendly now.

Nick and Colette joined them for a while and they were chatting together. They talked about some of the English expressions that the men were unfamiliar with.

They laughed at a lot of misunderstandings. Kevin had been shocked recently when he and a group of men were returning to the base after a run, and a middle-aged woman had yelled at them to "keep your pecker up!"

Colette and Katie laughed "What's wrong with that?" they asked in unison.

"Well it's a bit personal..." Kevin began.

"She was telling you to keep cheerful." Colette explained, "What did you think she meant?"

Kevin explained what it meant in the States and Katie's cheeks suffused with colour.

"Oh blimey, I don't think I will be usingthat expression again." She giggled.

Just then, there was a commotion on the other side of the hall. They all looked to where there was a fight. A couple of Negroes had been brave enough to ask some girls to dance, and now they were facing the consequences.

Katie stood up. Kevin took hold of her hand, stopping her.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I am going to go over and dance with one of those blokes. We can't be told who we can and can't dance with."

"You can't do that." Kevin spoke deceptively calmly, considering how irritated he was. "They should stick to their own kind."

"But there are no girls of their own kind here so why shouldn't we dance with them." She seemed determined to go over.

"Katie," Colette said quietly "Don't be silly, poor Ralph got beaten up just for talking to us, don't cause any more trouble, please."

Katie sat down reluctantly.

"I just don't see what difference it makes."