Code name sorrow a cleme.., p.1
Code Name Sorrow (A Clement Wisdom Novel Book 5), page 1
Code Name Sorrow
V. M. Knox
Dedication
Also by V. M. Knox
Sydney, Australia 1942
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Acknowledgements
Author’s Note
Also By V M Knox
The Clement Wisdom Series
In Spite of All Terror
If Necessary Alone
The Clement Wisdom Series
Where Death and Danger Go
West Wind Clear
The Neither Despise Nor Fear Series
Neither Despise Nor Fear
Copyright
Dedication
For Daniel
Also by V. M. Knox
The Clement Wisdom Series:
In Spite of All Terror
If Necessary Alone
Where Death and Danger Go
West Wind Clear
The Neither Despise Nor Fear Series:
Neither Despise Nor Fear
Sydney, Australia
1942
CHAPTER ONE
Tuesday 19th May 1942
Clement stepped from the tram into a bracing morning chill. He pulled his hat down hard and wrapped his scarf around his neck as rain began to fall. Around him, everyone hurried, their heads down, their umbrellas turned to the inclement conditions. Except the recently arrived American servicemen. Groups of them in their naval uniforms congested the city pavements. Despite the widely held fear that the Japanese would invade soon, spirits were high among the servicemen. The recent victory in the Coral Sea was, so Clement thought, the cause. Crossing the road, he increased his stride. Staring at his pounding feet, he pondered the arrival of the US servicemen and what it meant for the war in the Pacific. Their sheer weight of numbers would surely turn the tide for the Allies. He hoped so. Checking his watch, he broke into a slow run. He had ten minutes to be behind his wireless at the Women’s Emergency Signalling Corp located at 10 Clarence Street, Sydney.
Of all the skills Clement had learned in this war, wireless operation hadn’t been one of them. The lack of that skill had complicated his previous mission and had nearly put the life of a vitally important code breaker in danger. While he had found the lessons difficult, the people at WESC had welcomed him warmly. Not surprisingly, given its name, all were women. From the prodigious founder, Mrs Violet McKenzie, to her staff of two and the fourteen attendees, he was the only male. But today it would be different. The Royal Australian Navy, among others, were now sending serving men to the school, such was its reputation for proficiency. And, after a month of solid work, listening to endless clicks and the musical way Mrs McKenzie and her second in charge, Miss Veronica Evans taught the endless dits and dahs of Morse code, Clement believed he’d mastered the technique.
Today they would begin the more complex Japanese version of morse, Katakana Morse, commonly referred to as Kana. Others, already proficient at standard Morse Code were joining them and he was looking forward to having a few male faces in the class.
Clement pushed open the door to the old former woolshed at number 10, then made his way to the top floor. Veronica Evans was an efficient and attractive young woman with an eye-catching mass of brunette hair drawn back in a loose bun. Tall with a quick, competent manner, she stood before the already assembled group. As Clement entered, she tapped her watch. ‘Sorry,’ he whispered as he hurried towards the only vacant seat in the room. Removing his overcoat and hat quickly, he sat behind the wireless and reached for the headset. While he was aware of a greater number of people in the room, and that a few were men, he hadn’t taken in any of the faces.
‘Now that we are all here,’ Veronica began, ‘I wish to welcome our newcomers. Especially our new American friend from the USS Chicago and some of our own wonderful boys from HMAS Canberra and Westralia.’ There was a small round of applause and beaming smiles from the girls. Veronica continued. ‘This morning, we’ll begin with a revision of your speed with standard morse code. Then after lunch, a visitor will give us an insight into the Japanese language. It will differ from what you’re used to, but you should get the hang of it soon. Just remember that Japanese does not use a Romanised alphabet, so all signals in Kana are syllabic.’
A moan came from someone behind Clement.
‘We know morse code, Ma’am. We came here to learn Kana. Can’t we just get on with that?’
Veronica Evans’s eyes shifted to the American accent seated somewhere behind Clement.
‘I am aware of your skills with Morse Code, Mr Veretti, however not everyone in the room may have your level of proficiency. This test is simply for us to know if you are ready to progress to Kana. I’m sure you would be the first to want to know that the wireless operator on your ship could correctly record enemy transmissions. Your life, and indeed many others, may depend upon it.’
The room was silent, and Clement guessed Mr Veretti was feeling suitably chastised.
‘Clement!’
Clement heard the crisp whisper. Turning, he saw, seated in the next row and two seats behind him, his former colleague Joe Watkins.
‘Headsets on!’ Veronica called.
Clement smiled at Joe, then hurriedly pulled the headset over his ears. Joe had been with him on his mission to Singapore four months previously. Although Clement knew Joe had remained in Australia, he hadn’t seen the American since February. The clicking began in his ears, and Clement focused on the rapid succession of dits and dahs coming through the headset. It would be two hours before he could talk with Lieutenant Joe Watkins, American Signals Traffic Analyst, formerly from Station CAST in the now Japanese occupied Philippines.
Clement handed his transcripts forward and switched off his wireless.
‘We’ll have a twenty-minute break now,’ Veronica said, gathering the transcripts.
Some girls were already chatting to the newcomers, their green uniformed bodies huddled around the only heater in the room.
Clement stood. ‘How good to see you, Joe!’ he said and grasped Joe’s hand in greeting.
‘You too, Clem. It sure is a crazy place to learn Kana. Not at all what I expected. Although, I don’t mind seeing beautiful girls every day.’
A tall, young man with a profusion of wavy dark hair joined them. He had a boyish face and a broad grin. His body seemed to sway in perpetual movement, and he chewed something continually.
‘Hank Veretti, this is Clement Wisdom,’ Joe said.
‘Not the Clement Wisdom you’re always going on about.’
Joe shook his head. ‘He’s joking. Just ignore him, Clem.’
‘We’re in the same business for Uncle Sam, Joe and me. Except, I got out of CAST by the skin of my teeth.’
Clement stared at Veretti. ‘Perhaps you shouldn’t say too much about it, Hank,’ Clement said. ‘While this place isn’t a military institution, it is run on strict military lines. Regardless, loose lips, you understand.’
‘Loose lips? As long as those lips belong to the delightful Win Hughes, I won’t say a word,’ Hank said, winking, his stare fixed on Edwina Hughes, the chewing becoming more vigorous.
Clement glanced at the girls huddled around the radiator like birds in a rookery. Edwina Hughes was a beautiful young woman, blonde with a vivacious spirit and an alluring smile. She sat perched on the windowsill, her legs drawn up and her feet on the radiator. In the month Clement had spent at WESC learning Morse Code, he knew Edwina to be a vibrant, yet naively innocent girl. Beside her was Billie Caide, a country lass who was always laughing. The third in the close-knit trio was the most serious of the three, Joan Olivant. Slightly older than the other two, she was also clever and practical. And, she had the fastest morse code tapping speed in the class. The three young women had joined the group on the same day as Clement, so they had formed a bond of sorts. But while he had learned something about their pre-war lives, he’d been careful not to disclose too much about himself. All anyone there knew was that he was English and hadn’t been able to return home when war was declared. Only Mrs McKenzie knew his true rank and position with the Secret Intelligence Bureau in Melbourne.
In addition to Joe Watkins and Hank Veretti, two other men sat at the back of the classroom. Clement coul
‘I’ll leave you guys to chat about old times,’ Veretti said and sauntered towards the girls.
‘Don’t mind Hank, Clem. I’m sure he knows what Loose Lips means,’ Joe added. ‘Where are you living?’
‘At the barracks in Paddington. You?’
‘Same. Victoria Barracks. Only this one is in Sydney. She got around a bit, that queen of yours.’
‘Actually, she didn’t…’ Clement heard the door open, and everyone reluctantly resumed their seats as two women entered the room. The first to enter was Veronica Evans. His gaze shifted to the other woman. Clement stared in amazement. The visitor who had come to introduce them to the vagaries of the Japanese language was Evelyn Howard, code breaker and linguist originally from Bletchley Park in England then the Far East Combined Bureau in Singapore and more latterly of Commander Eric Nave’s Secret Intelligence Bureau based at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne.
‘Well, I never!’ Joe said under his breath.
‘You know her?’ Hank asked, taking his seat, but Joe didn’t reply.
Clement watched her. Evelyn Howard had been full of surprises when he’d met her previously. He knew she spoke Japanese, but after he’d left Melbourne, he’d thought it unlikely their paths would cross again; he to Special Operations and Evelyn to the tiny offices of the Code Breakers. And, as Veronica had not introduced Evelyn Howard by name, he guessed she was still operating in a clandestine capacity.
Clement glanced around the room. All eyes were on Evelyn. Without waiting for any introduction, she grabbed a piece of chalk and began scribbling on the blackboard. The room fell silent, everyone trying hard to memorise the symbols and sequences of dits and dahs they needed to operate Kana Morse. He wasn’t even sure Evelyn had seen him in the class, such was the level of her concentration.
Three hours later, Veronica thanked the nameless visitor for coming and escorted her to the door. ‘This side of the room is to go downstairs now,’ Veronica began, gesturing to his half of the classroom. ‘We’ll take it in turns to transmit to each other between the floors. Try to remember, syllables not letters.’
Clement followed his half downstairs to the middle floor. His eye searched for Evelyn, but he didn’t see her, and he supposed she’d already left. As he passed Mrs McKenzie’s office, the woman’s secretary, Peggy Seaton, was operating the switchboard beside her desk. Clement could hear her bright voice on the telephone.
‘Mr Wisdom!’ Peggy called from Mrs McKenzie’s office door.
Clement turned.
‘A letter for you.’
‘Thank you.’ Shoving it in his pocket, Clement went to the nearest wirelesses and sat down.
‘Teacher’s pet!’ Hank said, winking, a slow smirk spreading over his chewing lips.
Clement glanced at Joe, then Hank. But while Veretti’s manner irritated him, he said nothing. He placed the headset over his ears and turned the frequency dial. While he waited for the transmission to start, he tore open the note. It was from Evelyn.
Couldn’t talk earlier. Meet me in Hyde Park near the fountain at half-past five. Clement folded the note and placed it in his pocket.
Three hours later, Clement’s head was spinning with the sing-song dits and dahs of Kana Morse. Winding the cables around the headset, he switched off the transmitter, wondering if he was too old to learn new tricks.
‘Beer, Clem?’ Joe asked. ‘Looks like you could use it.’
Clement laughed. ‘Maybe tomorrow. Thank you, Joe.’
Off to his right, he could see Hank talking to Win Hughes and Billie Caide.
‘He doesn’t waste much time, does he?’ Joe said.
Clement watched the young man. ‘Is he also at Victoria Barracks, Joe?’
‘No. He’s on the Chicago. It’s moored in the harbour.’
‘Is he really in your line of work?’ Clement asked.
‘No. He’s just a radioman.’
Clement nodded. ‘Good.’
Joe laughed.
‘Well, I must go.’ Clement paused, then turned back to Joe. ‘I thought you may have learned Kana by now, Joe. Is there another reason you’re here?’
‘I did. But I haven’t used it in a while.’
‘And the other reason you’re here?’ Clement said, knowing Joe hadn’t fully answered his question.
‘Maybe they just want to make sure I haven’t forgotten it. Can’t really say.’
Clement smiled and nodded. ‘See you tomorrow, Joe.’
‘Sure thing, Clem. And don’t worry, I haven’t told him or anyone about what we did four months ago.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ Clement paused. ‘Perhaps best not to mention to anyone that you know Miss Howard.’
‘Sure thing, Sir.’
Clement left the middle floor and took the stairs to the street. Outside, he saw Hank Veretti still talking with Win Hughes and Billie Caide. Joan Olivant had joined them, her large satchel over her arm. Clement thought Hank too forward, but the ladies were laughing and seemed happy to be in his presence.
The afternoon rain had abated, but the wind was still strong and miserably cold. Hurrying, he left Clarence Street and walked across the city to Elizabeth Street. Just after half-past five, he entered Hyde Park. In front of him, the large fountain had been turned off and pigeons pecked the wet paths, hopeful of a scrap of food left there. People scurried past him, most heading for the nearby underground railway station, their working day over. Ahead of him he saw her standing by the fountain, her wispy brown hair contained under a scarf.
‘Clement. How good to see you,’ Evelyn said, smiling as he approached.
‘And you, Miss Howard.’
‘I thought we’d got beyond that.’
‘Well, I haven’t seen you in a while. Are you still based in Melbourne?’
‘Yes, but things are changing there now that the Americans have arrived.’
‘Do I detect a note of sadness? Or is it frustration?’
She smiled. ‘Nothing many escapes you, does it?’
‘Do you have time for tea?’ Clement asked.
‘I’d like that.’
‘David Jones is still open; despite the rationing, we can still get some there.’
Walking into the adjacent large department store, they took the lift to the dining room on the top floor.
‘This is rather grand,’ Evelyn said, staring at the long-arched windows and heavy blue brocade curtains. A man in a dinner suit was playing a grand piano and numerous chandeliers sparkled their brilliance over the gathering. A woman in a black dress escorted them to a table.
‘How have you been?’ Clement asked.
‘I’m fine, Clement…’
‘But?’
Evelyn smiled, but it lasted only a moment. ‘I’ve been recalled.’
‘Ah. I suppose it was to be expected. When do you go?’
‘Next week.’
‘Of course. You’re needed. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you back.’
‘Apparently Mr Tiltman isn’t happy I didn’t return sooner. But we’ve done some valuable work here in the meantime. And I’ll be sorry to leave Eric. He’s undervalued now. Shall I play mother?’ Evelyn said, reaching for the teapot.
He waited while she poured the tea. Clement visualised Commander Eric Nave, an unassuming man of immense intellect. Nave had introduced Clement to the seemingly unsolvable Japanese Naval Code known as JN25. But it was a subject that couldn’t be discussed in public. ‘Do you know which way your ship will go?’
‘East, I believe. To Canada.’
Clement nodded. But the truth was, whichever way the ship sailed, both the Indian and the Pacific Oceans were fraught with danger.
‘I have two more lessons to give to your group at Clarence Street, then it’s back to Melbourne and pack my things.’
They finished the tea. Taking the lift to the ground floor, he shook Evelyn’s hand. ‘Maybe best if we don’t acknowledge each other tomorrow. Just causes unnecessary gossip.’
‘I saw Joe seated behind you.’
‘He won’t say anything. Can I walk you back to your accommodation?’
‘That’s kind, but I’m staying at a guest house in Glebe. I’ll get the tram. It’s not far. But thank you for the offer. It was good to see you again, albeit briefly. Goodbye, Clement.’
