Rereading: POWDER QUAY by Philip Turner

Cover art by Trevor Stubley

There are two series by Turner about the northeast England coast town of Darnley Mills, one in the present day, and one in historical times. This one is historical, at the time of World War One, and like others in the historical series, it’s more serious and emotional than the lighter present day books.

Young Richard Bridgebolton is home on leave from the Navy, where he’s been trained and assigned to the ship H.M.S. Grangemouth as a Midshipman, but in practice he’s the gofer to Captain Rolleson. The ship is being refitted, allowing all the crew a holiday leave, and when Richard arrives at Bridgebolton Manor outside of Darnley Mills, he finds his father, injured in the Boer War, but still able to get around with a cane, his mother, the staff, and also Emma Darnley, a family friend whose father has just been killed in fighting at Flanders. The two young people share their sorrows, and begin to fall in love, but before that gets far, Richard is suddenly called back to duty. His ship has been relaunched with the refit not done, as all ships are ordered to the North Sea to repel German warships. Dickie, as he’s known in the family, finds combat frightening, but does his duty until his ship is sunk. Rescued from the cold water by a friend and neighbor, Bob Hassock, also serving on the ship, Dickie finds himself senior and in command of a small crew of five in the damaged lifeboat, two with serious wounds. Can Dickie use his compass to pilot them to shore and Darnley Harbor before they sink or the wounded men die?

An excellent and exciting read full of action, heart, and wise insight. Characters and settings from the other Darnley Mills books add interest if you’ve read them. Recommended.

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