Air Stories, April 1936 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WINGED WARRIORS a little surprised. He laughed as he pinned the little ornament to his tunic. ‘* Net gain from my visit to thiscountry,’’ he said ; ‘‘a ribbon, a rosette, and a rotten bad temper ! ’’ With Savage gone, Warton came to rely more and more on Lastor for com- panionship, conversation, and even for opinions. By degrees, under the influence of Lastor’s imperturbable views on life, and carefully concealed energy, Warton came to take a new interest in his work. He reviewed his past achievements and his talents ; the destruction of twenty- three German machines, and a happy knack of shooting straight. Anything he might acquire in the future must result from his knowledge of aerial fighting and careful use of a machine- gun. At first vague, but growing steadily in purpose and intensity, came the desire to gain further recognition and win another decoration. The chances seemed all in his favour, for he knew himself to be an expert in the handling of a fighting machine, and, with Lastor as observer, he felt that nothing short of overwhelming odds or inevitable bad luck could defeat him. For a long time he debated in his mind whether to take the risk ; but the desire to see D.S.O. written after his name was so strong that the result of that debate was almost settled in his own mind before ever he had started it. Thereafter he flew with a new enthu- siasm, and faced the world with a curious air of suppressed triumph. The Major quickly noticed his change in manner, and was puzzled by it. He discussed the matter, as was his custom, with Astley. ‘*T can’t understand that fellow,’’ he said thoughtfully, watching Warton as he strode whistling past the squadron office. ‘‘ A few weeks ago he was going about looking like Hamlet in flying clothes. Now he’s as pleased with life as a cherub possessed of the devil. He doesn’t buck himself with drink, does he ? ’’ he added anxiously. Astley handed him a small slip of paper. ‘‘No, sir,’’ he said. ‘‘ Look at his mess bill.’’ The Major frowned and tapped the paper with his fingers as though he were disappointed with it. ‘‘Hm!’’ he said at length. ‘‘ He’s a fair whale for lime juice, and that’s about the worst one can say about him. Anyway, he seems to have got his nerve back.’’ The Major turned to the consideration of a pile of papers that lay upon his desk, and left the problem of Warton’s new behaviour unsolved. OR some time past there had been rumours of a move to another aero- drome on the same part of the front, but closer up to the lines. The Major had maintained a discreet silence on this subject, but it was felt that his silence was ominous, and groups of men in the mess whispered darkly of an approach- ing offensive, of extra shows conducted from a base within shelling distance of the line, of an aerodrome pitted with bomb holes, where they would be re- quired to sleep under canvas and land their machines cross-wind. At length the name of their destination was divulged, and Warton flew over to inspect their new quarters. He discovered that, to acertain extent, the squadron’s fears had been well grounded, for the aero- drome, although unmarked by pits, was small and unsuitable, while the prospective site of the officers’ quarters consisted of a virgin cornfield swarming with insects. The hangars were new, but there was no transport accommoda- tion, and the nearest water supply was in a village more than a mile distant. With the help of some engineers, the ground was cleared, tents erected, and a rough lorry park constructed. Then the squadron moved in, execrated the wilderness in appropriate terms, and proceeded to make itself as comfortable as possible. Warton was sharing a tent with Lastor. When their camp beds had been fixed up, and kit unpacked, they set to work digging a trench outside the canvas and spraying the surrounding grass with Pyrene to kill the insects. But at night they discovered that the 323 tent was still infested with them, mostly earwigs, which crawled up the Conmicooolkks.com