1915 Fokker Scourge (British Ace Book 2) (24 page)

I dumped my bag and coat in my room and went to the officers’ mess.
Gordy was in front of the fire with a glass of some spirit in his hand. He was more than a little drunk.  “What the hell are you doing here?  You aren’t due back until tomorrow.”

I smiled, “Major Burscough gave me a lift and I thought I would make your life a misery.”

“Huh, it’s that already. I had to leave Mary and then I have just spent a miserable week here with the bloody kindergarten.” He found the young officers like schoolboys.  Having been a sergeant for a long period and working alongside older soldiers had coloured his judgement. I noticed that he was slurring his words and looked flushed.  He was drunk.

I pointed to the drink.  “Well you have made yourself comfortable.  What is that?”

His elbow slipped on the arm of the chair and a little of the amber liquid spilled on his arm.  He lapped it like a cat.  “Brandy! I found a village down the road and they sell it there.  I thought it was a bit rough at first but I think that must have been a bad bottle.  The last two have been fine.”

I was shocked. 
I sniffed it.  It smelled like petrol! Gordy was normally a beer man and to have downed three bottles of cheap brandy in less than a week was worrying. “Have the cooks finished for the day?”

“I just told them to make sandwiches.  There
is a pile in the dining room if you are hungry.”

“Have you eaten?”

He shook his head, “Wasn’t hungry.” He had another sip of the brandy.  I took a chair and filled my pipe.  It was comfortable although I noticed that the fire had almost gone out.  I turned to Gordy, “The fire is…” He was asleep and the brandy was perilously close to spilling.  I took it and the half smoked cigarette from his hand.  I sniffed the brandy.  It was one level up from paint stripper by the smell. I put the stopper back in the bottle and removed it from harm’s way.  After I had banked the fire up I sat down with a plate of sandwiches. 

Two heads peered around the door.  It was the two lieutenants from Gordy’s flight. They looked worried.  When they saw he was asleep they came in, looking relieved. “Did you have a good leave sir?”

“Never mind that, Dixon.  Explain yourself.”

They tried to look innocent. “What do you mean sir?” I didn’t speak I just stared.  Eventually Lieutenant Dixon said, “It’s just that when Lieutenant Hewitt has had a drink he shouts at us a bit.  After two nights we decided to steer clear but it is warmer
in here and he is normally asleep at this point.”

I nodded, “Don’t worry Dixon.  He just disliked being on his own.  The rest of the squadron is back tomorrow.  There are sandwiches next door.”

They looked at my pile miserably.  “We know, sir, but we preferred hot food. Mr Hewitt said sandwiches were good enough for him.”

”Did the colonel eat sandwiches?”

“No sir, the cooks made him the same meals as the sergeants ate.”

“Righto.  Give me a hand and we’ll put him to bed.”

The three of us manhandled the corpselike Gordy and put him in his bed.  He never moved and snored away blissfully. I spoke with the cooks and asked them to cook a hot meal for the three of us. I left the two lieutenants in the mess and went to the colonel’s quarters.  The Royal Engineers had given him a bedroom and a small study.

I knocked on the door, “Come.” When I entered he beamed, “
Back early.  A bit keen eh?”

“No sir, I got a lift with
Colonel Burscough.”

“Ah and have you eaten?”

“I had some sandwiches but I will eat with the lieutenants in a moment. Er Colonel, how has Gordy been lately?  He seemed a little depressed to me.”

He nodded, “I am glad that you are all back.  He has been a little morose and, I think, drinking more than is good
for one.  I never judge and it seemed harmless but I wouldn’t like it to continue.” He gave me a pointed look.  “You and Thomas are close to him…”  He coughed, “I would prefer not to take disciplinary action.  Do I make myself clear?”

I nodded, “Right sir.” I saw he had a map in front of him. “Plans for us sir?”

“Yes, Harsker, we are going to be escorting bombers and spotters for a while.  It seems that we are one of only a handful of squadrons who are holding their own against the Fokkers.  Lord Burscough’s new aeroplane, the DH 2, might be useful but they aren’t even in France yet.”

“Baby sitting eh sir?”

“Remember William, our job is to stop other pilots getting killed.  It is damned expensive to train a pilot.  The aeroplane is cheap by comparison.  Some pilots are only lasting three hours over enemy territory.  That is unacceptable. Even Freddy Carrick, our most junior officer has shot down a Fokker and lasted much longer than every other pilot who came out with him. The powers that be want to use that expertise.” I turned to go.  “Oh by the way the promotions for Hutton and Laithwaite came through.  They are both in your flight, I’ll let you tell them.” He reached into a drawer and brought out two sets of sergeant stripes.

“Thank you
, sir.  They’ll be pleased.”

“They deserve it. Oh and I haven’t heard yet about your medal.  Damned pencil pushers.”

“Don’t worry, sir, you never miss what you have never had.” I had already been turned for one medal I suspected with my record they would turn this request down too. I was just happy that my men had been rewarded.

I ate with the lieutenants and explained to them our new role. I think they appreciated it.  Gordy had not been himself; that much was clear.

Gordy was hung over the next day and could barely remember speaking with me.  “How did I get to bed?”

“Me and your lads put you there.”

“Oh.”

We were alone in the mess
and I decided to take the bull by the horns.  “Gordy, you have to be less aggressive with your flight.”

I saw him stiffen, “Is that an order sir or just some advice which I can ignore if I choose
?”

He was aggressive and I wondered if I ought to have waited until Ted was there.  Then I realised that was the coward’s way out.  I decided there was no point in being subtle.  It was for Gordy’s good. “Actually, Gordy, it was advice from a friend but if you choose to ignore it then I will give you orders.” It was then that I realised he didn’t look well.  His eyes
had dark rings around them and he looked to have sunken cheeks. It was accentuated by the aggressive look he gave me and the way he balled his fists. “And I would warn you now to back off.”

“Or what,” he sneered, “you will put me on a charge?”

“No, we are old friends.  I would take you outside and teach you a lesson.” I leaned in to him and added quietly, “And you know I can do it.” He glared at me for a moment and then sank back into his seat. “There was a time, Gordy, when I would never have dreamed of saying what I did but, at the moment, you are a wreck.  I can’t believe the change in you in just two weeks.”

He suddenly changed.  His face became haunted and his tone pleading.  He spoke quietly, “It’s Mar
y, Bill, and she wants to get married.”

I smiled, “That is wonderful news, congratulations.”

He shook his head, “You don’t understand.  How can I marry her when I might die at any time?  Can I make her a widow a second time?  I don’t think so.”

I nodded and began to fill my pipe.  “I see, so instead you will become everything that you hated as a sergeant. You will be the bullying and uncaring officer who finds solace in the bottom of a bottle.  You will break the heart of the woman who loves you. Yes you are right; that makes perfect sense to me.” I lit the pipe and puffed on it while I watched Gordy take in that information.  He was breathing easier now. “Is she a bright woman, this Mary?” His eyes widened and I held up my hand.  “I mean no offence but if she is, as I assume, intelligent, then do you not think that she has worked out that she could become a widow again and she is willing to take that chance
>” He sat back with his mouth open.  “You and Mary have a chance of happiness.  Of course you could get killed.  We all could.  If you do die then she will at least have the happy memory of the time you spent together.  The longer you delay the marriage the shorter that time will be.”

The door opened and Johnny and Freddy stood there with grins on their faces. They looked at us and the grins disappeared.  Gordy stood and grabbed my hand.
He shook it. He said, quietly, “Thanks Bill.  I’ve been an idiot. Use the rest of that brandy as a firelighter.  I have a letter to write.” He left and closed the door behind him.

“What was all that about sir?”

I put my hands on my hips.  “Nothing for Second Lieutenants to worry about.” I smiled to take the sting from my words.  “Did you have a good leave?”

“Oh yes sir. But it is good to be back.”

I shook my head, “Oh to be young and foolish again.”

The others all arrived together on the same train and the mess became crowded, noisy and smoky. The only absentee was Gordy and Ted took me to one side. “Where is Gordy?  I have heard he was hitting the bottle and behaving like an idiot.”

“He is fine now, Ted.  He just needs his friends around him.  There is nothing to worry about so don’t mention it.  It was a mistake to leave the three of them alone for a week. But we are back now and we can start to win the war.”

The first night back was a party atmosphere but Gordy, noticeably, abstained.  I too took it easy and the three of us sat and chatted whilst the younger ones told tall tales of their leaves and the hearts they had broken. Major Leach was the last to arrive back.  He had had the shortest leave having travelled
all the way to Scotland. He caught my eye and waved me outside.

“Let’s take a wee stroll around the field eh laddie.  A nice fresh night.” Fresh was the word; it was freezing but I complied. “I take it you ha
d a word with Gordy then?”

“Yes sir.” I paused, “
The colonel spoke with you and told you of the problem?”

“Aye, he let the lieutenant’s behaviour slide but he was prepared to do something if you hadna had a word. Is it sorted?” He held up a hand.  “You two are friends and I am not going to pry
. I am asking as the officer who has to lead this squadron to war.  Can I rely on Gordy?”

I looked him squarely in the eye. “One hundred per cent sir.  You have my word.”

He grinned and slapped me on the back. “You are a good lad, Bill. Well let’s get back inside I am freezing.”

The next day we received our orders and the rest of the squadron received the news that we would be watching over some RE 7 bombers.  We were going back to war. Before I went into the briefing I went to the aeroplanes where Laithwaite and Hutton were busy working on the buses.  I took Holt and Carrick with me.  They knew what was coming and wanted to be part of it.

“Laithwaite, Hutton, stop what you are doing and come here a moment please.”

They both stiffened as though they had done something wrong. Lumpy asked, “Summat up, sir?”

I reached into my right hand po
cket and brought out the sergeant’s stripes. “Not really but you have been promoted. Congratulations.” I handed him the stripes.  I was delighted to see that Laithwaite looked pleased for his friend.  “And you too Laithwaite.  Well done.” I handed him his stripes.  “I think we can get it backdated to the first of January. A little more money always comes in handy after Christmas eh?”

“Thank you sir.”

“Carry on.”

As the engines were being warmed up, in this cold February morning, I
took Holt and Carrick to one side. “I want to practise staying in formation today at high altitude.  I want to try something different for us three.  If it works we will try it with Lieutenant Hewitt’s flight too.”

Their keen young faces showed that they were
eager to learn.

“I will fly in the middle, Johnny you will fly slightly behind to the right and Freddy, slightly behind and to the left. It means that I can see you both and give you better direction.  It will not need to be follow my leader. I will use simple handle signals.  I will point in the direction I want us to go.  If I want you to do something different I will point to me and then the pilot I am ordering. Does that seem simple enough?”

“Yes sir.”

“I want to give us more flexibility.  There is little point in three of us chasing after one Hun and leaving the bombers to be attacked by hordes of the little beggars.”

“Righto sir.  When do we start the escort duties?”

“It could be any time, Johnny so be on your toes.”

I returned to Captain Marshall’s office. Since the new building had been erected we had an office where Randolph could keep the reports and maps.  I would spend an increasing amount of time there.  Major Leach was already there when I arrived. He waved a sheet of paper at me.

“We are popular fellows, Bill. It seems we are to escort two squadrons of bombers each heading for a separate target.
”

Captain Marshall walked to the map and put a red pin in the airfields of the two squadrons. I could see that they were further from the front than we were.  One was to the north and one to the south. “From what I have been able to gather these birds have a slower speed, about ten
miles an hour, at least, slower. They have a lower altitude as well as a shorter range.”