Winning His Wings: A Story of the R.A.F. — John Shaqi
Winning His Wings: A Story of the R.A.F.Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
History
Winning His Wings: A Story of the R.A.F.
Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations -- Juvenile fiction
The cry, taken up by a score of youthful voices, echoed and re-echoed
along the concrete-paved corridors of the Averleigh T.D.S.--such
being the official designation of the Training and Disciplinary
School--one of those mushroom-growth establishments that bid fair to
blossom into permanent instruction schools under the aegis of the
juvenile but virile Royal Air Force.
Ensued a wild scramble. The morning mail had arrived but five minutes
before the momentous summons. Some of the cadets had seized upon
their share of letters, and had retired, like puppies with dainty
tit-bits, to the more secluded parts of the building, in which little
privacy is obtainable. Others, with scant regard for their
surroundings, were perusing their communications when the order that
meant the commencement of another day's work brought them back to
earth once more.
"Where's my cap?--Who's pinched my stick?--George, old son, what did
you do with those gloves of mine you had last night?--Now, then, my
brave, bold Blue Hungarian bandsman, get a move on."
The wearer of the latest pattern of the R.A.F. blue uniform raised
his hands deprecatingly. One of a few similarly attired amid a swarm
of khaki-clad flight-cadets, he was beginning to feel sorry for
himself for having been up-to-date, and vindictive towards the Powers
that Be who had given instructions for him to appear thus attired.
"Chuck it!" he exclaimed. "Not my fault, really. If this is the
R.A.F. idea of a sensible and serviceable get-up, I'm sorry for the
R.A.F."
"It'll come in handy when you sign on as a cinema chucker-out _après
la guerre,_ George," chimed in another, as he deftly adjusted his cap
and made sure that his brightly-gilded buttons were fulfilling those
important functions ordained by the Air Ministry Regulations and
Service Outfitters. He shot a rapid glance through the window, for
the long corridor was now ejecting the crowd of cadets in a
continuous stream of khaki, mingled with blue.
"Buck up, George!" continued the last speaker, addressing a
slightly-built youth who, red in the face, was bending over his
up-raised right knee. "What's wrong now?"
The individual addressed as George--and in the R.A.F. it is a safe
thing to address a man as George in default of giving him his correct
name--explained hurriedly and vehemently, directing his remarks with
the utmost impartiality both to his would-be benefactor and to a
refractory roll of cloth that showed a decided tendency to refuse to
coil neatly round his leg.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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