Love in War by Michael Farthing

Author:Michael Farthing
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Universe
Published: 2023-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

LONDON 1942

For Joanna, the preceding year had spun by like a whirlwind. In January, they had decided to marry, in April it became a reality and then Johnnie came and went, depending on those precious periods of leave, which enabled them to have a honeymoon in Lyme in April and an extended weekend break together in the Cotswolds in June. They were fully prepared for Johnnie’s overseas posting, meaning they knew it was going to happen, but neither had dared to consider how they would respond when the moment finally came. In truth, the relationship from the beginning of 1941 had fairytale qualities.

For most of the time they had lived apart. The build-up towards their wedding was based on short-term, sporadic, gloriously romantic occasions, which at times had dreamlike attributes. There was no time to get bored, argumentative, jealous, fractious or angry; the longest time they had spent together was less than two weeks. So mostly, they were ‘missing each other’. They were bereft, love-sick, and desperately awaiting their next brief meeting. It was much more like an affair, than a marriage; perhaps, some might say, almost idyllic. So, when the time came for Johnnie to board RMS Franconia with a few thousand men of a similar age, it was not fundamentally different from the pattern of their co-existence during the preceding twenty months, except for one aspect. Neither had any notion as to when, or if, he would return home.

Joanna’s life was well structured, and in many ways, ready-made. She had designed it to have inescapable momentum. She had survived two periods of evacuation and regarded them as important periods of ‘service’ with unscheduled personal development, but secretly hoped that she had done her time and would not be called upon to repeat the exercise. So, now left to her own devices, and as Johnnie’s ship sailed out into the North Atlantic and beyond, she re-established her hectic life, divided between school, church, Brownies and Guides, relentless amateur dramatics and regular visits to London’s theatres, which despite the war, had flourished, ensuring a vibrant cultural life for the citizens of London, who throughout the war had remained stalwart supporters of London’s performing arts.

On Sunday 27 September, Joanna reflected in her appointment’s diary, always minimal entries in fine propelling pencil of the most economic nature, that it was – Five weeks since I saw Johnnie. My life is fuller without him than years with him.

She had spent the previous day with her close friend Sheila, an old schoolfriend and now also a teacher. In the evening they went to the Globe Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, where they saw a new play, The Morning Star by, a then unknown playwright, Emlyn Williams. She reflects in a letter to Johnnie that it was – A deep and lovely play, poignant and touchingly sentimental which, over a period of several weeks, deals with the harsh realities of war experienced by one family.

She was surprised, however, when the play transferred to Broadway, almost immediately after it closed in London.

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