Over Here

Good Luck! And let us all beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking." – General Eisenhower.

Nick was in the hanger with everyone else, as a recording of a speech by General Eisenhower, was relayed to the troops. They were being briefed on Operation Overload. They were being told their destinations and objectives. Everyone was given time to study the maps, and ammunition was opened and distributed.

Out on the airfield planes were lined up, each with a large number and black and white stripes painted under the wings.

Nick had his 'chute fitted and he chalked his name on it and left it on the seat in the plane. They were due to fly out later that day.

As Nick was walking away, he saw Kevin.

"Kev..." He called at he ran over to him. "They won't let me contact Colette, she's gonna be worried."

"I know. Alex told me that Katie came up to the fence last night. Nick, now we have been briefed, there is no way they are going to risk us talking to anyone out side the base."

"Is there any way I can get a message to her?" Nick asked in desperation.

Kevin stopped walking and turned to Nick. Seeing the anxious look in his eyes.

"If you are quick you can ask one of the men who are leaving on the train for the south coast. They are setting off for the station soon if you are quick..."

Nick was already running off towards his dorm. He quickly wrote a letter for Colette, and enclosed a picture of himself with his family. Then he ran to the main gate, where the foot soldiers were gathered ready to get in the trucks for the journey to the railway station.

Nick saw someone he knew and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Howard, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Can you try and get this to Colette for me? You will go right passed her house."

"OK Nick, I'll see what I can do, if all else fails I'll just throw it at her front door as we drive passed OK?"

"Thanks, I appreciate this, and take care buddy."

Howard climbed into the truck, and the convoy headed out of the gates.

In the village, the girls were woken by the sounds of the trucks rumbling down the street. They got up and quickly got dressed.

They went outside. People were coming out of their houses. Women were handing food to the men as they drove slowly passed. The men were throwing their loose change and candy to the children. It didn't take long before sheer weight of traffic caused the trucks to grind to a halt.

Colette stood tears in her eyes. She knew Nick would not be amongst these men because he would be leaving by plane. But to see these men going off to war...it was heartbreaking.

Suddenly she heard someone shout her name. She looked in the direction of the voice, and saw a man waving at her. She walked down the road until she was level with the truck. She vaguely recognised Howard from the dances.

He leaned down, handing her the envelope. She recognised Nicks writing and she thanked him profusely. She wished him luck as the truck began to move away again.

Walking back to the house she was almost afraid to open it. She slit open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

Dear Colette,

I don't have much time to write this.

I'm sorry I can't come and see you, we are not allowed out. It looks like we will be flying out very soon.

Take care of yourself my darling; can you keep in touch with my Mom please? I will write to you as soon as I can.

I love you,

Nick.

Colette was crying as she clutched the letter to her breast. They stood in silence watching as the last trucks disappeared towards the railway station.

The village seemed eerily quiet, once they had gone. The G.I.'s had been in the village for so long, that it was easy to forget that they were here for a purpose.

Now they were going, off to war, and God knows how many would return.

Katie could stand it no longer. She made her way back indoors closely followed by Colette.

"I am going up to the base." She told Colette, as she grabbed her coat and headed out the back door, and across the field towards the perimeter fence, Colette running close behind her.

Her eyes searched the airbase; she could see the planes lined up beside the runway. She spotted Alex again.

"Did you see Kevin last night?" She called to him.

"Yes, I gave him your message, he's over there, hang on I'll tell him you're here."

Alex ran towards one of the planes, and the next thing she knew she could see Kevin striding towards her.

Her heart lurched at the sight of him. Her fingers reached through the fence towards him. When he reached her he covered her hands with his as best he could through the wire.

"Katie, I'm sorry I couldn't contact you."

"It's OK, Alex explained." She looked up into his eyes. "It's really happening then."

"Yes, very soon." They gazed longingly at each other. Not knowing what to say. The uncertainty of the situation was overwhelming.

Colette looked through the fence searching for a glimpse of Nick.

Kevin knew he didn't have much time. If he was caught talking to her he would be in trouble.

"Take care of yourself, and the baby, I'll write whenever I can."

"Kevin, be careful...I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart..."

"I can't bear this." Katie whispered as the tears fell unchecked from her eyes.

"I know..."

"Damn this fence." Katie cursed. "I want to hold you..."

"RICHARDSON!"

Kevin stiffened as he heard his name.

"I have to go, Katie, I love you...I'll come and get you when all this is over..."

"Kevin!" She tried to cling to his fingers through the fence as he began to move away.

"Richardson! You know the rules, back to base before I have to report you!"

Kevin unwillingly moved away from her. Turning back frequently to look at her, as he made his way back.

Katie stood there until he was out of sight. Colette came and put an arm around her shoulders.

They turned to make their way home, and as the tears rolled down Katie's face, she felt the baby kick inside.

Chapter Twenty Five

Nick sat in the plane; he was wearing his parachute and was weighed down with equipment. Everyone was full of nervous anticipation.

They were waiting to take off, when word came that the operation was cancelled due to bad weather.

The next day, they passed the time cleaning their weapons, yet again, and getting their hair cut very short, not knowing when they would find the time to see to it again.

The chaplain held a short service and prayed for them. He was very well respected; he was one of them, and would be jumping alongside them.

They were called back to their planes. This time the operation was definitely on. Generally speaking everyone was pleased, this had to be done and the sooner the better.

Nick had to be lifted bodily onto the plane, and spent the journey on his knees because of the weight of the equipment he had to carry. (A journalist travelling with the men thought they spent the journey in prayer).

One by one the planes waited for their turn to take off. There was a terrific roar of engines as the pilot revved up before taking the breaks off. It was a huge load to lift into the air, but soon they were on their way.

Each C-47 plane carried a 'stick' of eighteen fully laden parachutists, along with the pilot, co-pilot, navigator and chief crew. The journey across the channel was dangerous. They had to fly in close formation at heights of about 600-700 feet at low speeds of 120 mph to allow their cargo to jump. At this height they were easy targets for anti-aircraft fire.

They had taken off into a cloudless sky but by the time they reached the French coast, the bad weather had closed in again. 13,000 US parachutists were dropped over a wide area that the planners had named UTAH beach.

Nick jumped out of the plane with the others and floated down to the ground. He slashed himself out of his harness and wandered around clicking his metallic clicker, which he had been supplied with as a means of contacting his comrades. The parachute drop had been inaccurate and the men were widely spaced. Many lost their radio sets and found it difficult to link up in the darkness.

Many men were lost, being dropped too low for their parachutes to open. They were killed as they hit the ground. Some dangled from high trees and if they could not be cut down in time by their companions they would be taken prisoner or shot by the Germans. 4,000 airborne troops failed to join their units after the drop. It took many days for the groups to link up.

Nick stumbled about in the darkness, still weighed down by all the equipment he had to carry. Luckily, because the men were scattered so widely it was difficult for the Germans to co-ordinate any kind of counter attack.

Meanwhile, Kevin had taken off in his bomber aircraft and was heading towards the French coast. The sky was filled with aircraft. But the weather, once they reached France, was so bad that their job was almost impossible. Those bombs that did get dropped had not hit the beach defences as planned, but had landed many miles inland. Which made it very difficult for those who were landing on the beaches.

Kevin made many return flights that day, dropping the bombs before returning to Leiston. The bomber crews were going to be very busy, and they would be staying on the airbase so they could get as much sleep and rest as they could between their missions. It would be some time before Kevin could see Katie again.

As night fell on D-Day, the allies had managed to breach the Atlantic Wall along a fifty-mile front. The US troops at UTAH and OMAHA, the British on GOLD and SWORD and the Canadians on JUNO. They all managed to link to continue the fight inland across Normandy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in Yoxford, Katie and Colette had watched the planes fly out. The sky had darkened ominously because of so many aircraft. It was like a swarm of locusts.

Their minds had not been on their work that day. They worked automatically, hardly thinking what they were doing; their thoughts were on their men.

The weeks dragged interminably, Katie found it frustrating, knowing Kevin was so close at the Airbase, but she was unable to see him. She had had a couple of letters from him, explaining the relentlessness of the bombing, and how the exhausted crews, after debriefing, barely had enough time to eat before getting their much needed rest.

The fighting in France was known as the "battle of the hedgerows" as the troops fought their way across Normandy. Throughout the cold, wet summer, the Allies fought to push the German armies back. Finally in late August the battle for Normandy ended, with thousands of casualties, of which almost 37,000 were dead.

The failure of the airborne attack on Arnhem in September ended any hope of winning the war in '44.

Katie gave up working as a land girl at the end of July. Colette continued working at the farm, helping Mrs Dixon-Smith in the farmhouse. She was very kind and often sent Colette home with whatever food she could spare; at the very least they always had fresh milk.

Katie was allowed increased rations due to her pregnancy; she was allowed 7 pints of milk a week, 3 eggs, orange juice and cod liver oil.

One day, very early in October, Katie awoke in the night. She was having contractions. They were only mild to begin with, so she did not bother waking Colette. She lay in her bed breathing through each contraction as it came and went.

By the time she heard Colette get up, the pains were coming regularly and stronger. Colette looked in on her, bringing her a cup of tea. She could tell that something was wrong.

"What is it?" She asked, worried.

"It's the baby, I think I am in labour."

"I'll go and get the midwife."

Colette got dressed and went into the village. She returned with the midwife, who having checked over Katie, told Colette to get off to work, as it would be a long time before this baby would put in an appearance.

Colette reluctantly went to work.

She worried all day, until finally Mrs Dixon-Smith told her to get off home, because she was more of a hindrance than a help, that day.

On her way home she stopped at the Airbase and asked if Kevin was there. The two soldiers on duty smirked at each other and told her that her boyfriend would contact her again when he could.

"No you don't understand, he is not my boyfriend, but his fiancée is having their baby right now."

One of the men went into the airbase to see if he could find him. But when he returned he apologised.

"I'm sorry, he is out on a raid."

"Can you let him know when he gets back, please?" Colette pleaded.

"Sure honey, I'll tell him."

Colette thanked them both and walked back home.

As she let herself in the house, she could hear Katie upstairs shouting at the midwife. She rushed upstairs to see what was wrong.

"Oh Colette, thank goodness you're here." Katie said in relief as Colette came into the room. She grabbed hold of Colette's hand and squeezed it tight as another contraction seized her body.

"Oh! I don't think I can stand this much longer." She cried.

Colette looked at the midwife with a questioning look.

"Everything is just fine, dear, don't worry. She is just very tired."

Colette helped to make her comfortable, offered her sips of water and encouraged her to breathe through her contractions. Until the midwife said it was time to push.

It was a relief for Katie to know, that at last she could actually do something to get this baby born. Following her midwifes instructions, she pushed with each contraction, until finally, just after midnight on 3^rd October, Katie and Kevin's baby daughter was born.

Colette was in tears, she was so happy for Katie. She held the baby while the midwife saw to Katie.

When finally the midwife was finished with Katie, she left her for the night, saying she would return the next day.

Colette handed the baby to her mother, who immediately held the baby to her breast where she suckled.

Katie looked down at her new daughter. She had a mass of dark hair just like her father, and blue eyes. Colette explained that all newborn babies had blue eyes and that they changed to their normal colour in a few months.

Katie looked exhausted and her eyes were heavy and beginning to close. Colette placed the baby in the cradle, and left them both to sleep.

She went downstairs and got herself a hot drink. As she sat drinking her tea, she felt envious of Katie. She longed to have Nicks' child. She longed for Nick to come home. She wondered where he was right now.

The emotion of the day had made her very tired as well. Finishing her tea, she took herself off to bed, looking in on Katie and the baby as she passed their room. She smiled at the two of them peacefully asleep.

Colette slipped into her own bed, her thoughts returning to Nick.

Once again she fell into a tortured sleep with dark dreams of Nick fighting for his life, with images of swastikas and guns and the cries of dying soldiers ringing in her ears.

She awoke, terrified with tears running down her face. She lay there in the gentle light of the dawn breaking, too scared to go back to sleep in case the dreams returned.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kevin quietly let himself into the house. It was very early in the morning. He had been told that Katie was in labour, just after debriefing about an hour ago. He had quickly washed and changed and borrowed a jeep to drive to the village.

The house was very quiet as he made his way up the stairs, and was met by a very surprised Colette.

"Kevin!" She said in a stage whisper as she hugged him warmly.

"I got your message," He whispered back. "How is Katie?"

Colette gently pushed open the door to Katie's room, to reveal mother and child sleeping peacefully.

"You became a father just after midnight last night." She explained.

Kevin smiled at Colette and stepped towards the sleeping baby.

She was all wrapped up, with a shock of dark hair showing beyond the edge of the blanket.

"She has her father's hair." Colette whispered to him, as she looked over his shoulder at the baby.

He half turned towards the sound of her voice, but kept his eyes on his daughter.

"A girl? I have a daughter?" His grin could not have been any wider, and tears glistened in the corners of his eyes, as he reached down to pick her up.

He snuggled the baby into his broad chest, as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Colette indicated that she was going downstairs, and left him to go and make a pot of tea.

After a few minutes Katie stirred and her eyes fluttered open. She thought she was dreaming as she saw Kevin sitting on the side of her bed, with the baby in his arms.

"Kevin?" She said sleepily.

"Hey, honey." He leaned forward and kissed her gently. "How are you?"

Katie sat up with a grimace, and made herself comfortable.

"I feel like I have been hit by a truck, but otherwise...." She gave him a grin and her eyes dropped to their daughter who was sucking at her own fist.

"So, who do we have here?" Kevin lifted the baby level with his face as he spoke to her. "Have you got a name little one?"

"Not yet," Katie admitted. "I wanted to wait to speak to you first. I was thinking about Anne."

"After my Mom? She would love that!"

"Anne it is then."

Just then Colette came back upstairs with some tea and toast on a tray.

"Oh great, I'm starving!" Katie reached for a piece of toast before Colette could even put the tray down.

Kevin snuggled Anne against his chest once again.

"What a nice birthday present you are." He said as he kissed the top of Anne's head.

Katie looked puzzled until realization dawned.

"Oh, no! Kevin, I'm so sorry, I forgot it's your birthday!"

Kevin laughed.

"It's O.K. Don't worry, I think you've had other things to worry about. Anyway, I have been given some time off now, so I'll be able to stay here with you both for a while.

"Good." Katie said happily. "You look like you need a rest, you look so tired."

"It's true I am tired, it has been one mission after another, and I can't always sleep properly. I get these images in my mind, the devastation we are causing..."

Katie leaned in and put her arms around him.

"Eventually I fall into an exhausted sleep, and the next thing I know they are waking us for the next mission. I don't know how much more I can take."

Katie took the baby from him and laid her back in her cradle. She then moved to one side of the bed and tapped beside her. Kevin lay down beside her and they held each other tight. Katie wanted to take away those terrible memories from him, but she knew she couldn't, and she knew that he would have to go back in a few days. But for now they had each other, and their new daughter.

Colette quietly left the room, mouthing to Katie that she was off to work.

Katie nodded. "Bye lovey." She said quietly, her attention already back on Kevin, comforting him.

During the weeks that followed D-Day, Nick had managed to find the other surviving members of his group.

Many had died during the landings. Fields had been flooded as anti invasion defences. Anyone who landed in the flooded fields, carrying their heavy equipment, were soon pulled under the water, if they could not cut themselves out of their parachutes in time. Those who were lucky enough to get themselves detached from their parachutes had lost their equipment in the water.

Two hours after they had parachuted in, the gliders arrived bringing field artillery and anti tank guns.

Nick and the others had consulted their maps, and found that they had been dropped in the wrong area. They worked out which direction to take, gathered up all their necessary equipment and cautiously made their way across country.