ordered her fireman and greaser to open the fuel injectors and main steam throttle to increase speed and then get out of the engine room in case they needed to abandon ship. Drummond remained alone at her post. Bonita had never before exceeded but in 10 minutes Drummond somehow increased speed to . The Master, a Captain Herz from Hungary, used the extra speed to change course sharply and avoid being hit whenever a Condor bombed the ship. The bombs were heavy enough to lift Bonita in the water and cause damage even by near misses. The ship was hit by both and machine-gun fire. Drummond says 25 bombs were dropped; this suggests that six or seven aircraft took part in the attack, which continued for 30–35 minutes. Bonita continued her crossing without further incident and reached Norfolk, Virginia on 8 September. There Drummond received news that The Studio at 143 Kennington Road had been bombed but Frances and Jean were safe. {{Rquote|right|She is about the most courageous woman I ever saw. She seems to be without fear or nerves, is very good at her job and has an uncanny power over engines, for which I once thanked God.}} Aboard Bonita Drummond formed a close friendship with another married man, the First Mate Mr Warner. In a published account of her conduct in the air raid, Warner described Drummond as "about the most courageous woman I ever saw". Newspapers in Norfolk, VA quoted Captain Herz commending Drummond as "one of the most competent engineers ever employed on this vessel". In Norfolk, Drummond made friends with a Virginian woman, Mrs Julia Davies, who was engaged in charitable work collecting goods to send to Britain that were in short supply because of the War. Davies engaged Drummond as a speaker at charitable events, and in return directed to Lambeth much of the goods that her charitable network was collecting. At Norfolk Bonita discharged her china clay and loaded scrap iron. The ship made her return crossing via Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she joined an eastbound convoy. The oil-burning ship was unable to stop making black smoke, which made her dangerously conspicuous. When the third or fourth engineer were on watch the ship lost speed and fell behind the convoy. Whenever Drummond was on watch the ship managed to increase speed and regain her station. Developments ashore By Christmas 1941 Drummond's sisters Jean