The Henrietta was full of men huddled against each other for warmth as the sea breeze came across the bow of the ship. Hetty carefully rationed the tins of biscuits and cans of water they’d received from the Royal Navy at Ramsgate. She also brewed a pot of tea in the cabin and gave cups to the men who were wettest and in need of warming up. There weren’t enough cups to give to all the men, so without a word spoken, they began to share.
HenriettaA fine mist settled over the Channel, and Hetty provided blankets to the soldiers who’d been able to shed their wet gear. A young soldier sat on the floor of the cabin interior eating a biscuit, his deep-brown eyes miles away. Every now and then he’d sigh and take a bite, as though even the act of eating was tiring. A sense of helplessness stilled
