Secrets and Shadows by Brian Gallagher Page A

sunlight. High above him on the hill, Cobh cathedral seemed to soar up into the clear blue sky, while at ground level the curve of the bay provided a fine natural harbour. He could see where the transatlantic liners docked, while further west along the waterfront stood Haulbowline Island, headquarters of the Irish Navy.
    Barry had been told that the Irish navy was small –
tiny
when compared to Britain’s Royal Navy – but as the son of a serving seaman he was curious to see the main Irish naval base. The school tour had allowed the boys some free time, and after Barry and his classmates had visited the amusements at the eastern end of Cobh, Barry had chosen to walk back towards the western end. Many of the boys had gone on trips in rowing boats, but Barry had explained his interest in the navy and he headed off along the seafront towards Haulbowline.
    He could feel the heat of the sun on his shoulders and he breathed in deeply, savouring the salty tang of the sea air. The waterfront was busy with people making their way to and from the nearby railway station, but Barry strolled at a leisurely pace,enjoying the sense of being on holiday.
    He carried on until he was opposite the small outcrop known as Rocky Island, then he stopped and looked out across the water towards Haulbowline Island. He could make out the shape of a couple of grey naval vessels and he wondered what they were. Too small for destroyers, he thought, perhaps they were corvettes. He would have liked a closer look, but the naval base was off limits to civilians, and in any case it could only be reached by boat.
    Barry continued gazing across the water, wondering what it must be like to serve in the Irish navy. Being neutral must be really odd. Particularly when on your doorstep in the Atlantic a life and death struggle was going on between the German U-boats and the Royal Navy convoys that brought vital supplies to Britain.
    Of course, if Ireland had fought against Germany – or even allowed the Royal Navy to use its ports – then Irish cities would have been bombed by the dreaded
Luftwaffe
. And with Ireland having virtually no air force that would have meant the principal Irish cities being reduced to ruins. But though Barry could see why a small country like Ireland remained neutral, he also understood the frustration of people in England, who fumed about Ireland refusing to help protect the Atlantic convoys, while accepting some of the vital supplies that they carried.
    It was a tricky situation, and he decided that a sunny day like this wasn’t the time to worry about it. He was about to move off when out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of a familiar shape. It wasn’t someone he had expected to see here, and helooked again, surprised to confirm his first impression. The man who had caught his eye was Mr Pawlek.
What on earth was he doing on his own here, instead of being with the other teachers?
    Just then Barry saw the drill teacher raise a camera to his eye and quickly snap off a photograph. Barry was well out of his line of vision, and none of the other people who were coming and going paid much notice to the respectably dressed man looking out across the harbour. Fascinated, Barry watched him intently. There had been something furtive in the quick way he had taken the picture, and now Mr Pawlek moved a little further along the waterfront. Barry remained where he was but watched the teacher’s every move. Mr Pawlek was still looking across the water towards Haulbowline, and after a moment he once more raised a small camera to his eye. While his general demeanour seemed casual, there was something slightly strange about the very quick way he snapped off another picture, then slipped the camera into the pocket of his jacket.
    Barry stood unmoving but he felt the hairs stand up on his neck, a sixth sense telling him something was wrong here.
Why would a drill teacher want to take sly pictures of a naval base?
Barry had seen enough