Free The Docklands Girls by June Tate Page A

down.
    ‘Remember what you’ve been taught during the exercises. Those Krauts will be waiting and they won’t be inviting you to stay and be friends. Show them the American GIs are up to the task and give them hell!’
    ‘Yes, Sergeant!’ they yelled in unison, now all pumped up, the adrenaline flowing through their veins.
    Throughout the night, the RAF had pounded German batteries along the French coast and in the early morning,the US Eighth Air Force took over the attack. Mines were swept from the invasion route and engineers demolished beach obstacles as the troops landed behind them.
    Milt’s landing craft eventually stopped and the front opened. The men poured out, jumping into the cold water, holding their rifles aloft as all hell broke loose. The rattle of machine guns was deafening. Explosions from enemy positions filled the air as gun boats opened fire on them, trying to eliminate their gun placements and afford some backup for the invading troops. The water was waist high and the men struggled towards the beach, bodies dropping as they were brought down by German bullets. Cries from injured men could be heard. Blood stained the water. The lucky ones eventually found solid sand beneath their feet and raced to find shelter against the cliff face, soaking wet, scared, but triumphant.
     
    In Southampton, Hildy leant against the wall of the factory, having watched the planes flying overhead, knowing that Milt would be on his way by now. They had spent his final night together in her flat, talking about the future and making plans for when he returned.
    Listening to him, Hildy was impressed by his optimism; he didn’t even consider that something might happen to destroy their future life together so she tried to be positive too and shut her mind to any negative thoughts.
    ‘I’m not sure how long I’ll stay in the army,’ he told her. ‘It just might be the time to quit and open up my own business, but we’ll wait and see how the land lies when I return. But no matter what, we’ll be together.’ He looked at her and asked, ‘Do you want to get married in Southamptonwith your family and friends around, or in the States?’
    She couldn’t help but give a sardonic smile. ‘With my mother there – or not! I doubt she’d want to come and, if I’m honest, I’m not sure that would be a good idea anyway, she would do her very best to spoil the happiest day of my life knowing her.’
    ‘You know, honey, I kind of feel sorry for her.’
    ‘You do?’
    ‘Well, it must be terrible for a woman like that, so wrapped up in herself. She’ll never know true happiness and that’s a great shame.’
    Hildy nested in to him. ‘You are an extraordinary man, Milt Miller.’
    ‘Not really. I’ve learnt a lot about people through being in the army and in charge of men. People come in all different types. I’ve met wives and mothers like yours before. The most important thing is not to let them run your life or for sure, they’ll destroy it.’
    Milt had brought some food over from the PX store and they sat like a married couple sharing a meal and chatting before going to bed together. As she lay in his arms, Hildy prayed that the plans they’d made that night would come to fruition because she knew that this man was solid. One she loved, one she would be content to grow old with and she made a quiet pledge to her maker that if he would only bring Milt back alive, she’d be a good woman for the rest of her days.
    The sound of a passing bus brought her back to the present and she returned to her work. Life had to go on and she’d sit down tonight and write her first letter to him.
     
    During the following weeks, troops still marched through Southampton before being shipped across the Channel. Boats came back filled with wounded and German prisoners who were marched to barbed wire holdings inside the Western Docks to await removal to prison camps. They were watched by the locals who gazed at them with mixed