The next morning, Mrs Cooper brought the newspapers in. Nothing of note said about German losses, which we took to mean there weren’t any. Our navy lost seven ships and six were damaged, and the loss of life was appalling.

‘BRITANNIA RULE THE WAVES! Bah. We’re a disgrace!’ Father bellowed over his breakfast. ‘How are we supposed to win this war if we can’t even scuttle a few ships on the doorstep of England?’ He glared across the table at me. ‘Go and dress in your uniform, Gertie, and be ready in fifteen minutes. You’re coming to the hospital with me.’

Mother gasped. ‘But why, Father?’

‘It’s about time our daughter saw some real casualties of this war. The tragedy of men with their arms and legs blown off.’ He turned to me. ‘Do you know what they’re known as?’ I shook my head. ‘Basket cases! Basket cases, do you hear me? Because there’s so little left of them, that’s how they’re transported, in a basket!’

Father’s plan was to horrify me so much I would give up my ‘harebrained scheme’ as he called it, to work for the Voluntary Aid Detachment. I’d show him I could be as strong as anyone. Although, when I glanced worriedly at Mother, who was practically trembling at that point, I feared perhaps I might not be able to take whatever he had in mind.

After losing Arthur and Sissy, his bombastic personality almost faded away; but now it was back with a vengeance. I understood that he wanted to keep me safe, and I loved him for that; but here was the odd thing: the more he tried to force his will on me, the stronger I became.

*

We arrived at the hospital and met Staff Nurse Cuthbert, in whose charge father left me. There followed the most disgusting four hours imaginable. I was ordered to perform the most sickening tasks.

‘Very good, Miss Smith,’ Staff Nurse said, her voice as cold as the sweat on my forehead. ‘You realise, as a VAD your life will mostly consist of bedpan duty?’

‘Yes, Staff Nurse.’ I nodded, suspecting that she’d caught my loathing of this chore. But I would rise above this station, and new recruits would take my place at the bottom of the nursing ladder.

‘Then you may wait for Dr Smith at the hospital entrance.’

I stood out front, wrapped my cape around myself, and watched the arrival of military ambulances. The stretchers, four to a vehicle, were pulled out and lined up outside the hospital where orderlies took over. Casualties from the night’s battle streamed in. Young men in a terrible state.

‘Nurse! Nurse, please help me,’ one young seaman cried. ‘My hand, please . . .’