Trevellion continued, ‘belief in our country and in the freedoms for which we are about to fight; third, belief in, and respect for, each other. The Navy is woefully short of everything — but through holding on to our beliefs, by hard work and by unselfishness, we’ll see this battle through.’
Then he was detailing the ship’s task for the days ahead: ‘Our Force Q has to cover the Canadian convoy on its passage to Oslo. We’ll be a hundred miles to the northwest of it at 0500 tomorrow morning — twelve hours time. I’ll be altering course to the northwest at 2000 — but I’ll have more to say-about the coming battle in a moment.
‘The first and over-riding essential,’ Trevellion went on, ‘is discipline — the organized working together of the whole ship for the common good. The old-timers will know just how much organization can make or mar a ship’s happiness. Instant obedience of orders is, of course, the first essential and I’ll say more of this too in a moment.
‘Our ship must be kept spotlessly clean. I hope that being operational will not be made an excuse for allowing this standard to fall. Our health and our ability to fight depends greatly on this…’
The ship was altering to her zigzag and Osgood saw the ranks swaying to her heel, like grass bending to a breeze.
Behind the leading ranks he could see the four Sea Harriers, Furious’ latest addition to her armament. The fifth was on deck, ready to jump after any intruder.
‘We’re lucky to have inherited a ship’s chapel and I hope that as many of you as possible will attend the services. It can, and ought to be, the focus of our inspiration; it can help us together as a team and it does bring us closer to our families.
‘I place training very high on my list of priorities. Whether we — and perhaps thousands of others — sink or swim depends on how we acquit ourselves, both in the air with our Sea Kings and Sea Harriers, and in the ship with our EW, sonar and Sea Cats. In war,’ he said quietly, ‘one man failing to do his duty properly and conscientiously can cause the loss of our ship.’
As if to reinforce the reality of the new existence into which they had all been catapulted, he announced that the Force had last night passed between a double ring of Soviet fleet submarines.
‘We know we’ve sunk two,’ he said. ‘The second almost committed suicide. I’m sorry that the squadron has suffered its first loss: Sea King 827 is a write-off after ditching while directing a vectac on to the Charlie. I’m glad to welcome her crew back after they were picked up by Brazen.’ He smiled briefly and added: ‘You’ll be relieved to know that Aircrewman Gooch — known to most of you as Wally — will be all right and that his back may not be permanently damaged. The surgeon commander is taking care of him until we can fly him home.
‘Don’t forget,’ Trevellion went on, ‘the correct procedure for stating complaints. If any man feels that he has received an unjust or unfair order, the custom of our service is quite clear: you must carry out the order first then state your complaint afterwards.’ He was looking at his watch, anxious, Osgood thought, to return to the bridge.
‘In the same way, if any man has any private troubles connected with his home affairs, he can have access to me at any time.’ Osgood remembered the help which Trevellion had ‘ given him in Icarus after Merle had quit. And now Gwen? ‘The chaplain’s always available at all times to see anyone,’ Trevellion continued.
‘I think he’s been longer in the ship than most of you.’ Osgood picked him out, standing relaxed.between the officers and the first line of seamen, a large man, with close-cropped, fuzzy hair; everybody called him Matthew, troops and officers alike.
‘I’ll always do my best to keep you up to date with what’s going on things’ll be moving fast during the next week, I expect. I’ll let you know immediately what’s happening at home, because I know what it’s like being without news. I’ve doubled up on the daily sitrep broadcasts by the first lieutenant — and if mails mean as much to you as they do to me, I’ll see to it that we pick up as much as we can but I think our best plan is to put that side of things behind us for a bit.
‘We’ll have our work cut out to fight this convoy through to Oslo, sailing north-about around the British Isles. The Soviet Northern Fleet is poised north of Iceland. There are bound to be attacks from their submarines, if these last twelve hours are anything to go by. At 0500 this morning the first all-out Soviet submarine attack took place on HX-OS 1 a few hours after it altered to the north-east after clearing Newfoundland. It’s difficult to know the casualties yet, because of radio policy, but two Yank submarines dealt with at least one of the enemy. The tactical control by the us was apparently a great success helping our ASW forces. The convoy is maintaining its speed.’
The frightfulness of what lay ahead was suddenly coming home to the men, but Old Chough had not finished yet.
‘Whatever happens to us during the busy days ahead, I want there to be complete understanding between all of you and me, just as I want understanding between officers, petty officers and men — in a spirit of mutual trust and respect. We can do without the time-wasting of the defaulter’s table. If I can’t get down for my requestmen, then I’m sure the commander will be able to help you.’
Osgood felt uplifted for a moment. There were two objects now for all of them: to fight this convoy through — and survive. If there was any weakening in resolution, none of them were likely to see their homes again.
The captain was standing, his arms by his sides. His grizzled hair showed beneath the sides of his cap. ‘Well, that’s all,’ he said. ‘We’ve got a job to do. Remember the last Furious who fought it out during the last war. Many a fine man died to uphold Furious’ traditions.’ He turned, glanced at the commander and stepped down from the crate.
When Osgood reached the Burma Road, he walked aft, towards his mess. In the regulating flat he saw Lieutenant Gamble.
‘I wanted to have a word with you,’ Hob said, a grim smile on his face, ‘but I’ve been a bit out of routine today.’
‘Wally Gooch will be all right then, sir?’
‘They’ll ground him until we can get him back to Haslar. The spinal column is a sensitive bit of kit.’ He jerked his head towards the bulkhead door. ‘Come down to my cabin. My oppo is on sortie, so we can talk.’
Osgood’s awkwardness soon evaporated in the tin box that was one of the squadron officers’ cabins. Gamble sat on the bunk and gave Osgood the chair.
‘Wally’s out of business for the rest of this trip,’ Gamble said directly. ‘I’ve fixed it with the powers that you can replace him to become one of our team.
Lieutenant Davies is our observer; Sub-Lieutenant Peterson, the co-pilot. I’m the captain of the aircraft and would like to have you as our aircrewman. The others agree. How about it, Osgood?’
Osgood hesitated, knowing that Gamble was a top-line pilot.
‘I’m a sprog at the game yet, sir.’ He was watching the pilot carefully, to see whether Hob’s interest was merely a charitable gesture: if so, Osgood wanted no part of it. Hob’s blue-green eyes were watching him from under those dark and bushy eyebrows which, beneath the straw-coloured hair of his head, gave him such a grotesque appearance. His forehead was freckled, as were the ridges of his cheekbones, and his hair stood up like stubble.