Page 6 - The Spirit of Christmas 1940

CHAPTER ONE

CHURCH STREET

Pre-Christmas preparations at Church Street Station in the
heartland of London were proving to be something of a nightmare
as 1940 was coming to a close. London had been at the mercy of
the Luftwaffe since September and the constant bombardments
were taking its toll on the tired old station, although, thankfully,
it was yet to take a direct hit. Still, the scars from nearby flying
debris remained apparent on the face of the outside walls and
windows.

The station platform was still, apart from a few trade stalls being
prepared for the onslaught of daily commuters and a tired old man
lazily pushed a broom around the station mumbling quietly to
himself. The first of the outgoing passengers began wandering in
looking bleary eyed in the early morning cold air.

A suited man emerged from the station office, carrying a bag
stuffed full of crude Christmas decorations ready to adorn the tree
that sat beneath the station clock. Despite the constant air raid
warnings and piles of rubble lining the streets around the station,
Mr Crispin was determined to ensure that his patrons could, at
least, be reminded of the spirit of Christmas. James Crispin was
a clean cut, efficient man who ruled his station kingdom with
authority and precision. He was a proud man who, although
approaching his sixties, had the bearing of former military man.
In fact, he was a veteran of the trenches of the Great War. He
never spoke much about it, he didn’t want to have folks feel sorry