Christmas on the Coast by Rebecca Boxall

Author:Rebecca Boxall [Boxall, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781542047005
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: 2017-10-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

JERSEY, DECEMBER 1941

QUEENIE’S JOURNAL

It’s not long until Christmas now and I’m feeling quite optimistic, despite the fact that I still haven’t heard from Albert. There have been no letters in or out – last month, a chap was sent to prison in France for trying to post letters to England for a number of locals, poor fellow. Thank goodness for the Red Cross, which is the only way anyone’s able to get any news about loved ones. I still haven’t received a message from Albert, though, and it’s been ages since his parents last received anything from him.

Anyway, my cheery mood is down to the fact that last week we found out there are to be extra rations for Christmas week – the sugar ration has been doubled to six ounces and we’ll receive two ounces of tea and the same of pipe tobacco, so Papa is thrilled. There will be chocolate for the children, too, so Albert’s little sisters will be happy.

On top of that, the pantomime begins this afternoon – it’s on for three days and will finish on Saturday (the 20th of December). It seems strange for the panto to be on before Christmas rather than afterwards, as is traditional, but Foxy thought it might boost morale to put it on beforehand – to try to induce a little bit of Christmas cheer. Odette has kindly given Sabine and me the time off to perform but, for most of the other actors, time off work isn’t a problem – there’s so little to sell nowadays for anyone who’s a shopkeeper that they often shut early of an afternoon and many only open three days a week now, offering more of a trade or bartering system than anything else.

Once the pantomime is over, I’m not sure how I shall fill my spare time – I’ve never wished for time to go so quickly and never has it seemed to drag so slowly. It’s just so isolating to be stuck here with no escape and with no communication with the outside world. I’m reading anything I can get my hands on, although there are increasingly slim pickings at the public library. In September last year, the Germans ordered the removal of any books they didn’t approve of, many being burned – much to my horror – and the Evening Post has just reported a demand for all libraries to remove books with disparaging remarks about Germany before the end of the year. I pity the poor librarians!

The wireless is another important lifeline. There’s not yet been the expected order to hand them in, so we’re making the most of listening to the news broadcasts. There’s a feeling of optimism about the war in Britain at the moment thanks to the new American allies, and there’s less bombing going on – now that Hitler’s fighting Russia, he needs to divert a lot of the Luftwaffe eastwards. Listening to tales of the blitz earlier this year and knowing Albert’s up there fighting in the air terrifies me.

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