Sunday Morning, September 3, 1939
With the conclusion of Father Joseph O’Connor’s Holy Mass for several dozen Catholics aboard Athenia, Russell was on his feet. The morning service had seemed interminable as he sat with his mother, Rebecca, and the other worshipers in the ornately domed Tourist class smoking lounge on the Promenade deck. The combination of the ship’s motion and the room’s warm, still air made his stomach feel funny, and he did not want to be sick. His mother, Rebecca, finally relented after he had pleaded his case for nearly twenty-four hours. Russell would be able to explore the ship after lunch.
“Don’t go running off yet, young man,” Rebecca said. “We’re meeting your father for lunch.”
“I know.” Russell managed a smile and imagined he felt better now he was moving.
On their way down to the Tourist class dining saloon, Russell saw a group of people in the passageway on A deck looking at something on the wood-paneled wall. A low, anxious murmur filled the hall as a few individuals ran to join the group, while others walked away looking worried and unhappy.
“What is it?” Rebecca asked an older woman coming away from the growing crowd.
“England’s at war with Germany. The prime minister announced it this morning,” she said. Russell saw tears in the woman’s eyes.
“Oh no,” Rebecca said. She squeezed Russell’s hand, but did not start down the stairs.
“What do we do now?” Russell asked. His mother didn’t answer. She seemed rooted to the carpet.
“Mom?” Rebecca stared straight ahead. She looked worried and that concerned Russell. “Mom!”
“What?” she said, finally looking at him.
“Do we have to go back to England?”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure. Let’s find your father, he’ll probably know more.”
* * *
The Tourist Dining Saloon was not crowded for the midday meal; several tables sat unoccupied, their crisp, snowy linens and gleaming place settings abandoned. The Parks occupied three seats at the end of a rectangular table for eight. An older woman at the opposite end was the only other diner at their table. Russell sensed a somber mood in the room’s subdued conversations, and he feared it would make his parents even more cautious than usual.
He knew his mother and father were older than the parents of other boys his age, and he sometimes wondered if that was the reason for their caution. His father never joined in when other dads played ball with their sons on the street in front of their house. While Russell didn’t care much for sports, he often wished that he and his father shared an activity the other boys would admire, like big game hunting or stunt flying. His mother always kept a close eye on him and constantly warned Russell to be careful, even when he wasn’t doing anything dangerous. He thought her caution resulted from what his father called “her delicate health,” which could keep her bedridden for weeks at a time.
As they waited for their lunches, Russell’s father, Alexander, admitted he didn’t know much more about the morning’s announcement, although he seemed confident Athenia would continue on to Canada rather than sail back to England. When lunch arrived, Russell’s mother picked lightly at her food, saying she didn’t feel hungry. Russell hoped to counter the mood by cleaning his plate in a show of vitality he hoped would convince his parents to let him explore the ship as promised. But when Rebecca raised the subject with her husband, Russell realized she was wavering. He adopted his most fervent tone in hopes of saving his afternoon exploration.
“But mom, if they’re not going to turn the ship around they must not be worried. I’ll be real careful.”
“I’m not worried about you being careful,” she said. “I’m worried about something happening to the ship and not knowing where you are.”
“Okay, I know where our room is. I can come back right away to meet you if anything happens. Please…” He knew if he had enough time, he could wear his mother down, but that could take the rest of the day and he was eager to get started.
“I don’t think there’s much danger of anything happening, dear,” Alexander said. “It’s broad daylight and we are obviously a passenger ship, not a wartime target. Besides, a state of war has only just been declared. The Germans probably aren’t even in a position to attack at this point.”
Rebecca looked tired, and when she spoke, Russell heard a note of resignation in her voice that meant he’d won his case.
“Before I would let you go anywhere on this ship, you’re coming with me back to the cabin to change into your oldest clothes.”
Russell nodded enthusiastically.
“And you would have to promise me two things. First, that you won’t bother any other passengers. And second, that you won’t go anywhere you are not permitted.”
“I promise.” He certainly didn’t plan to bother anyone, and he had no intention of breaking his promise. But going where he wasn’t permitted ran counter to what explorers did.
* * *
*While Athenia sat at anchor Saturday, Sept. 2, 1939, in Liverpool’s Mersey River (see blog post March 15, 2017), 546 passengers boarded the ship before she sailed for Canada late that afternoon. The German army had marched into Poland Sept. 1, but despite an Anglo-French agreement to come to Poland’s defense, neither country had taken any action by early Sunday morning.
In our next blog: Russell makes a new friend.
