as he swooped headlong down upon his astonished foe. All at once the
German waved an arm and sagged over sideways, his great battle-plane
wavering uncertainly, and, as it began to fall, Z. avoided the intended
collision by inches. Down went the German machine, down and down, and,
watching, Z. saw it plunge through the clouds wrapped in flame.
Then Z. turned and made for home as fast as his baulking engine would
allow.
These are but two stories among dozens I have heard, yet these, I
think, will suffice to show something of the spirit animating these
young paladins. The Spirit of Youth is surely a godlike spirit,
unconquerable, care-free, undying. It is a spirit to whom fear and
defeat are things to smile and wonder at, to whom risks and dangers are
joyous episodes, and Death himself, whose face their youthful eyes
have so often looked into, a friend familiar by close acquaintanceship.
Upon a time I mentioned some such thought to an American aviator, who
nodded youthful head and answered in this manner:
"The best fellows generally go first, and such a lot are gone now that
there'll be a whole bunch of them waiting to say 'Hello, old sport!'
so--what's it matter, anyway?"
XIII.
YPRES.
Much has been written concerning Ypres, but more, much more, remains
to be written. Some day, in years to come, when the roar of guns has
been long forgotten, and Time, that great and beneficent consoler, has
dried the eyes that are now wet with the bitter tears of bereavement
and comforted the agony of stricken hearts, at such a time someone will
set down the story of Ypres in imperishable words; for round about
this ancient town lie many of the best and bravest of Britain's heroic
army. Thick, thick, they lie together, Englishman, Scot and Irishman,
Australian, New Zealander, Canadian and Indian, linked close in the
comradeship of death as they were in life; but the glory of their
invincible courage, their noble self-sacrifice and endurance against
overwhelming odds shall never fade. Surely, surely while English is
spoken the story of "Wipers" will live on for ever and, through the
coming years, will be an inspiration to those for whom these thousands
went, cheering and undismayed, to meet and conquer Death.
Ypres, as all the world knows, forms a sharp salient in the British
line, and is, therefore, open to attack on three sides; and on these
three sides it has been furiously attacked over and over again, so very
often that the mere repetition would grow wearisome. And these attacks
were day-long, week, and sometimes month-long battles, but Britain's
army stood firm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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