1916 Angels over the Somme (British Ace Book 3) (35 page)

The lieutenant who had been looking increasingly uncomfortable said, “Sir, don’t you think we ought to telephone London to confirm his identity?  He may be telling the truth. He does not sound German and his story makes sense.”

“Nonsense Lieutenant White, you are too naïve and trusting.  These two are spies and we will shoot them.” He picked up the swagger stick.  I had had enough. I pulled my right arm forward and elbowed the hatchet faced sergeant between the legs.  He went down as though pole axed. I whipped out my gun and held it to the forehead of Captain Ebbs.  Hutton took out his Luger and covered my back. “Listen you pathetic excuse for an officer.  I am Captain Harsker MC of 41 Squadron and in a moment I am going to leave here with Sergeant Hutton.  I will happily shoot you or anyone else who tries to stop us.”

“I’ll have you court martialed for this!”

I laughed, “I have lived through one before and that was from someone just like you!” I cocked the Webley. “Perhaps I ought to do the world a favour and finish you now.” He went white.

The lieutenant knelt down and picked up my tunic.  He held it triumphantly in the air.  “I thought I recognised you sir.” He turned to Captain Ebbs “Sir, this is the officer who received the Military Cross from King George and the Legion D’Honneur.” He pointed to the ribbons.

“I er, well, er I mean you can see why I...”

I holstered the Webley.  “No I can’t! A word of advice Captain… resign and find somewhere far away to hide.  When this war is over I am going to come and get you.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Of course I am, you pathetic little man.” I grabbed the swagger stick and used it to lift the hatchet faced sergeant to his feet. I put my face close to his.  “And the same goes for you Sergeant.  I have seen too many good men die. You pair are neither good nor men.  Now out of my way.” He limped to the side with hatred in his eyes. I handed the swagger stick to Hutton who snapped it in two and threw it towards the shocked and apoplectic captain.

“Lieutenant, you seem to have some sense. Could you get your driver to take us to a hospital?  My friend here needs stitches.”

Glancing at the captain who remained speechless he said, “I’ll drive you sir, in my car.  I am off duty now.”

Once in the car I said, “Ask for a transfer Lieutenant before you become like him.”

“I have been trying sir but he always refuses me permission.” He sighed, “I wanted to be a pilot.”

“Then ring General Henderson and say you spoke to me. He is desperate for young men who have something about them.”

He brightened, “I will do sir.”

“And get in touch with your headquarters and tell them everything that went on tonight.  I wouldn’t want you in trouble as well.”

“Right sir, I will and thank you.”

The hospital was in Norwich.  When the doctor saw Hutton’s face and heard our story he was appalled. The nurse took Hutton away to dress the wound and he looked at me. “You don’t look too good either, captain.”

The pain killer had worn off a long time ago and I was in pain.  “I have to admit that I don’t feel too grand, doctor.”

I began to feel faint.  He and the nurse caught me and laid me on a bed.  He thrust a thermometer in my mouth. When it came out he shouted, “Get theatre ready! This man has an infection.” He looked at me.  “This should have been dealt with as soon as you landed.  You are in danger of losing your arm.”

A team of nurses swarmed over me.  My clothes were removed, almost painlessly and an operating gown put on me. The doctor injected my arm.  “Count backwards from ten, Captain Harsker.”

I reached four and then all went black.

ittoH

When I awoke there was a nurse standing over me.  She smiled.  “You are a lucky man, Captain Harsker. There was some material in the break in your arms and it was infected. A delay of an hour more and your arm would have had to be removed.  As it is it is touch and go if you are out of the woods yet. The doctor is a brilliant man and you will be in good hands.”

She turned to go and I grabbed her hand, “Nurse, could you do me a favour?”

“If I can.”

“Get me a pen and paper please.” As she went to the nurse’s station I saw Hutton asleep in a chair.  “How long has he been here?”

“Since you came out of surgery. He refused a bed and said he needed to watch over you. That is real loyalty, Captain Harsker.”

I wrote down Beatrice’s address and the hospital telephone number on the paper. “This is my young lady.  Could you tell her where I am, she is a nurse.”

“Of course Captain Harsker, it will be my pleasure.”

As she left and the door slammed Hutton sat bolt upright in his chair.  He grinned when he saw me sitting up. ”I was right worried about you, sir.  They were all flying around like chickens without heads.”

“Well I am fine now so please use the bed they have given you.  You were closer to death than I was.”

He stood, stretched and yawned. “You look better sir, so I will.  Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Sergeant Hutton, and thank you for caring.”

“Where else could I get a pilot I have trained so well sir?  It’s in my interest to keep you healthy.”

After he had left I tried to rise but another nurse came in. ”And where do you think you are going to?”

“I was going to stretch my legs.”

She wagged a finger at me. “Here, the doctor said to give you this.  Take it and get some sleep.  You need it!”

I did as I was told and the tablet began to work. I just closed my eyes and soon I was asleep.  I had my falling dream again and wondered what it meant.

When I woke I could smell the nurse in the room.  I opened my eyes and looked up into the smiling face of Beatrice. She leaned down and kissed me.  “As soon as Matron heard you were wounded again she granted me compassionate leave and I caught the first train up here that I could.  Until you are well I am not taking my eyes off you.”

She kissed me again, “And that is the best medicine I could have. I will be looked after by an angel.”

BEF- British Expeditionary Force

Beer Boys
-inexperienced fliers (slang)

Blighty
- Britain (slang)

Boche
- German (slang)

Bowser- refuelling vehicle

Bus
- aeroplane (slang)

Corned dog
- corned beef (slang)

Craiglockhart- A Victorian building taken over by the military and used to treat shell shocked soldiers.  Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen both spent time there.

Crossley- an early British motor car

Dewar Flask- an early Thermos invented in 1890

Donkey Walloper
- Horseman (slang)

Fizzer
- a charge (slang)

Foot Slogger
- Infantry (slang)

Google eyed booger
with
the tit
- gas mask (slang)

Griffin (Griff)
- confidential information (slang)

Hun
- German (slang)

Jasta- a German Squadron

Jippo
- the shout that food was ready from the cooks (slang)

Kanone 14- 10cm German artillery piece

Killick
- Leading seaman (slang-Royal Navy)

Lanchester- a prestigious British car with the same status as a Rolls Royce

Loot
- a second lieutenant (slang)

Lufbery Circle- An aerial defensive formation

M.C. - Military Cross (for officers only)

M.M. - Military Medal (for other ranks introduced in 1915)

Nelson’s Blood-
rum (slang- Royal Navy)

Nicked
- stolen (slang)

Number ones
- Best uniform (slang)

Oblt. - Oberlieutenant (abbr.)

Oppo-
workmate/friend (slang)

Outdoor
- the place they sold beer in a pub to take away (slang)

Parkin or Perkin- a soft cake traditionally made of
oatmeal
and black
treacle
,
which originated in
northern England
.

Pop your clogs
- die (slang)

Posser- a three legged stool attached to a long handle and used to agitate washing in the days before washing machines

Pickelhaube- German helmet with a spike on the top.  Worn by German soldiers until 1916

Scousers-
Liverpudlians (slang)

Shufti
- a quick look (slang)

Scheiße
- Shit (German)

Singer 10 - a British car developed by Lionel Martin who went on to make Aston Martins

The smoke
- London (slang)

Toff
- aristocrat (slang)

V.C. - Victoria Cross, the highest honour in the British Army

Map courtesy of Wikipedia

Battle of the Somme 

Courtesy of Wikipedia –Public Domain

Map of the
Somme battlefield
, 1916, showing the frontline before the three major offensives of 1 & 14 July and 15 September as well as the final frontline at the end of the battle of 18 November. Based on a map from
A Short Military History of World War I - Atlas
, edited by T. Dodson Stamps and Vincent J. Esposito, 1950. This work has been released into the
public domain
by its author,
Gsl
.

Historical note