1916 Angels over the Somme (British Ace Book 3) Read Online Free

when they recalled you.”
    Ted who was, without doubt, the most pessimistic man I had ever known was also one of the kindest men and he asked, “How is the wound by the way?”
    My hand went to the shoulder. “It is fine but I reckon it will ache in the damp and the doctor said I am now destined for arthritis and rheumatism.”
    We walked in silence. Gordy said, “They are old men’s complaints.  Personally I shall be quite happy to get those two.” He looked meaningfully at our small stand of graves which were clustered at the far end of the field.  “Because that means I will have survived the war.”
    I changed into overalls and I spent the afternoon with Lumpy.  The ground crews had had a couple of weeks to replace all the damaged parts of our damaged bus and cannibalise some of the parts from crashed aeroplanes.  The result was that she was as good as new.  We had the advantage that the engine was now well run and Lumpy and I knew all her idiosyncrasies. We took her up for half an hour.  She didn’t need it but I did.  I had barely managed to land the aeroplane after I had been wounded and I knew that it was like riding a horse after a fall. You had to get back in the saddle as soon as possible. When the propeller stopped turning I breathed a sigh of relief.
    Lumpy waited for me next to the wing. “Well done sir.  That couldn’t have been easy.”
    “It wasn’t.”
    He pointed to the medals.  “They look good sir.”
    “I am sorry that you didn’t get one.  You deserved it for saving my life.”
    “I was mentioned in despatches and that will help me get promotion.”
    When I had been in the cavalry I had served with many soldiers like Lumpy.  They were what made the British Army what it was, the best in the world. He was one of the reasons that I knew we would not lose this war.  It might take time but we British, and especially the likes of Lumpy, were stubborn and dogged fighters.  We just didn’t give in.  That evening I went into the mess feeling more optimistic than I had for some time.
    That evening I made sure I was dressed for dinner. Sometimes we were a little casual but I had made myself smart for Beatrice for the past week or so and it had become a habit. It made me walk a little taller.
    I noticed, as I sat next to my two best friends that Charlie was sitting with the other flight lieutenants.  They were all talking in an animated fashion except Second Lieutenant Jamie Carstairs who did not look happy.  Randolph had told me that the young man had not taken criticism well.  He made excuses for all the things he had done wrong. I had warned Gordy.  That was the worst kind of attitude.  My view was that if you did something wrong you owned up to it, changed and then moved on.
    I soon forgot him when the Colonel stood and spoke. “Gentlemen you may smoke.” He turned to the sergeant, “Keep the doors closed eh Flight?  We have things to talk about.”
    There was a buzz of anticipation in the mess.  I knew that I had been privy to more information than many.  It would be interesting to see their reactions.
    “Gentlemen, tomorrow morning is a momentous day for the British Army. We will be beginning our first major offensive since Ypres and Loos. Tomorrow eleven divisions of British Infantry and five divisions of French will advance towards the Albert-Bapaume roads.  Our job from dawn until the battle is over is to maintain air superiority. We must deny the Germans the skies over the Somme.” He smiled and pointed his cigar at me.  “As Captain Harsker said, we must be the angels protecting the infantry. I like that metaphor. You need to see yourselves as the men who protect our brothers in arms on the ground. We will fly two patrols a day.  Major Leach will lead his and Lieutenant Thomas’ flights in the morning and Captain Harsker will take the other two flights out in the afternoon. In the second week, if the battle is not won we will reverse the timings. I know we