Moral Fibre by Helena P. Schrader
Author:Helena P. Schrader
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781735313993
Publisher: Cross Seas Press
It was easy to spot his crew at the Friar Tuck because they sat together in a sober and tense group while around them the others celebrated and animatedly discussed the future. As Kit joined them, Stu announced, âForresterâs bragging about being posted to 617 Squadron. Is that right?â
âI told Stu they only take experienced crews.â Adrian answered in an irritated voice. Stu got on Adrianâs nerves when his âknow-allâ attitude showed too much. With an annoyed frown at the bomb aimer, Adrian insisted, âForresterâs line shooting!â
âTheyâve just forced a number of the veteran crews off the squadron and are recruiting new crews,â Kit admitted, sitting down.
âWhat? Seriously?â They gaped at him. In fact, they appeared to be holding their breath in anticipation of what he was going to say next.
When Kit didnât respond, Nigel burst out, âYou mean weâre going to 617 too?â
âNo, not necessarily. We have to volunteer, and I didnât want to do that without consulting you.â
Adrian and Terry nodded appreciatively. The gunners exchanged a look of disbelief, and Stu exclaimed in awe, âBut Skipper! 617! Theyâre the best!â
âThey are also known known as the âdeath or glory boys.ââ Kit tried to dampen the enthusiasm. âFurthermore, a tour with 617 Squadron entails signing on for 45 ops,â he added solemnly.
âSkipper! Theyâre legendary.â Stu insisted, his eyes alight.
âIt is definitely an honour, Kit,â Adrian seconded him. âI canât say Iâm not chuffed. And arenât they stationed at Woodhall Spa, where the officerâs mess is housed in the old Petwood Mansion Hotel?â
âThatâs hardly a reason for committing to fifteen more ops than on a Main Force squadron,â Kit countered in evident irritation.
Terry piped up next, sitting straighter as he declared with pride, âThis is an opportunity to be part of history, Skipper.â
âEvery squadron is part of history, Terry. Every one of us is part of history already.â
âBut this is different,â Terry argued.
Nigel and Frank were grinning at each other pleased as punch, so Kit turned to his last hope for caution, the older and steadier Daddy MacDonald. âWhat do you think, Daddy?â
The flight engineer concentrated on lighting his pipe. Finally, he shook out his match and looked straight at his skipper. âI donât see as it makes much difference what squadron weâre on. The flak and the fighters donât discriminate as far as Iâve heard. As to forty-five versus thirty missions, my guess is the Germans arenât going to last much more than six months, and weâre probably in it that long no matter where we go. Whatâs holding you back, Skipper?â
âA squadron like 617 with a high sense of its elite status is not going to welcome sprogs. Weâre going to be scorned and disdained.â
âSprogs are disdained regardless of squadron â until theyâve proven themselves by putting a few ops behind them,â Daddy replied. âThatâs just the way it is.â
âUp to a point, but at 617 the situation will be extreme. Some of their crews have more than two tours behind them already. That means the experienced crews arenât 10, 20 or 29 sorties ahead of us, theyâre 65, 75 and 85 ops ahead of us.
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