Dave Dawson with the Eighth Air ForceBowen, Robert Sidney
General
Dave Dawson with the Eighth Air Force
Bowen, Robert Sidney
World War, 1939-1945 -- Juvenile fiction
"Blast it, it's awful, horrible!" he heard Freddy Farmer speak from
the co-pilot's seat at his side. "Get us away, Dave quickly! I don't
even want to look at it. I--I almost feel sorry for those devils down
there, even though they were planning to do the same thing to England.
Horrible! They were like white water when they hit, Dave. Splashed out
in all directions like waves. Saw some of the devils just fall in their
tracks. Then everything was covered by the stuff. I couldn't look any
more. I can't now. Get us home, Dave. To England. I want to forget this
night. To try and make myself believe that it never happened. It's not
war. It's--it's--"
Young Farmer let the words trail off, sank back in the seat and closed
his eyes. Dawson nodded silently, licked his lips, shuddered a little,
and banked the Flying Fortress around on a course toward the English
Channel, and Britain beyond.
Dawn's light was chasing up out of the east after them when they
reached the English Channel, and Dawson began to let down toward the
ground. Over the radio he called Coastal Patrol, identified himself
and asked for escort to the nearest field. After all Freddy and he had
been through, it would be indeed the irony of fate for a chance Yank or
R.A.F. fighter plane to mistake him for a Nazi, and perhaps shoot him
down. So he played safe by calling Coastal Command, and a moment later
he saw half a dozen Spitfires prop-winding up to meet him.
He turned his head to Freddy Farmer only to see that Freddy was looking
at him, and grinning.
"Well, old thing," Freddy said. "That chap who was to go over tonight
and pick us up will be glad to see us. He won't have to go, now. But
what are we going to say in our reports? Nobody will believe us, I'm
sure."
"Probably not," Dawson grinned back. Then, as his grin faded, "But
we're going to make a report, and all the credit is going to that lad,
Dartmouth, and those four others, too."
"Quite!" young Farmer echoed. "Without his help, we'd--But that's
blasted war for you. The chaps that are really responsible for the
victories never get back to enjoy them."
"And I'm making a report, plus suggestions, to Bomber Command."
Dawson said with a grim nod. "We spoiled that party tonight, but only
yesterday I saw them making those fire bomb cylinders in Farbin Factory
Number Six. Maybe they figured to pull the stunt a second time. Yeah, I
think Bomber Command would be interested to hear about Farbin Factory
Number Six, and a couple of other spots around there."
And Bomber Command definitely was interested. It is a matter of record
that two nights later Duisburg, and Dortmund, too, received the most
devastating aerial blasting of the war thus far!
THE END
BOOKS BY R. SIDNEY BOWEN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account