The Dawn Patrol Page #2

I'm puzzled over that word.

It has an unfamiliar look.

Unfamiliar?

Well, you've written it often enough.

Don't you think our letters of sympathy

are becoming stereotyped?

I think I'll try and alter my prose style

and humanize this one.

Well, no matter how you write it...

...it'll break her heart just the same.

Hooray! Hooray!

"Hurrah for the next man who dies."

Bluffing as though death doesn't mean

anything. Trying to live for the moment...

...as if they didn't care a hang

about going up tomorrow--

And never coming back.

Because they don't come back...

...do they?

No, but new ones keep coming up.

It goes on and on.

- Hello, yes, 59th.

- Brand?

- This is Brand.

- We have a nice job for you.

A good one this time. I understand.

Starting tomorrow you are to patrol

every two hours starting at 5, ask Emma.

Wait a minute, sir.

Where do I get the men to do it?

- Are you there?

- Yes? Yes, sir.

- Replacements move up tonight.

- Replacements?

- Oh, they're on their way here now.

- They report before dawn.

- Yes, sir.

- Send the new men up.

- Yes.

- They've had enough training.

Have you get that?

Yes, of course, of course, sir.

Of course we'll do it.

If we must, we must.

- The 59th--

- Wait a minute, sir.

- If any of them get back from a job--

- Speak louder. I can't hear you.

If any of them get back from a job like that

it'll be a miracle.

- Well, do the best you can.

- Yes, sir. All right.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

A new something nasty, huh?

Four new youngsters

are on their way here.

They'll get their baptism in the morning

with Courtney, who'll have to take them up.

Strange how a man like that

can annoy you and yet...

...keep you worried to death

about his safety.

It's not strange. It's the responsibility.

Haven't you seen a mother

risk her life to save her child...

...then spanks it soundly for getting itself

into danger? Of course you have.

When I order him to take up replacements

again, you watch him.

He's going to stand there looking holes

clean through me. You watch him.

Then he'll say, "Right." Like that.

- Right.

- Come along, sir. Let's get to it.

One day you'll find my plane--

Turn that thing off, will you, Esmund?

Thanks.

Quiet, lads. Attention there, please.

Orders for tomorrow morning.

A Flight.

Come on, there, hurry up.

Stand to attention.

A Flight on the early show

over Baulay Sector.

We're making an advance

5:
00 in the morning.

We're to patrol four kilometers

behind to the enemy lines.

Strafe enemy reinforcements

and munition convoys.

When the barrage starts, B Flight will cover

our observation ships and artillery.

You'll take up the details

amongst yourselves later on.

That's all. Thank you, gentlemen.

Good night.

Dismissed, gentlemen.

All right, what is it?

A Flight has only got five man.

- More replacements are on their way up.

- More replacements.

Yes. They'll be here first thing

in the morning.

You're telling me that I'm expected

to go out on a job like that...

- ...with two inexperienced men?

- Those are the orders.

Right.

- What?

- He said "right" just as you said he would.

I'm glad I'm not in A Flight.

Speaking of A Flight, where's Scotty?

He's down here.

Look at that. A couple of drinks

and he goes out like a light.

Hey, Scotty, come on.

Time to tucky uppy now, Master Scott.

No sign of life. Wait a minute. Here.

Come along, Master Scott.

Time to tucky uppy.

Rain, rain, go away, come back--

Come on.

- Up you come.

- Good morning, all.

- Say good night to the gentlemen now.

- Good night.

- That's right. Now to these gentlemen.

- Good night.

Good night, gentlemen. Alley-oop.

- Say good night to the gentlemen now.

- Good night.

Way to go, Scotty.

I've never heard of anyone like you.

Couple of drinks

and you get as fuzzy as an owl.

You can't even keep your eyes open.

A couple of drinks?

Maybe four, maybe eight.

Who knows? Who cares? Who--?

Oh, here are my piebald pajamas.

I will now discard

the lower half as usual.

I have spots in front of my eyes, Court.

- Well, what do you expect?

- Oh, these?

These were a going-away present

from a little froufrou.

- Who, who?

- Froufrou.

Froufrou, froufrou. Froufrou was sweet.

What's the matter with you?

You're moping about something.

Oh, No. No, I was just

thinking of Hollister.

It's pretty rough losing your best friend,

isn't it?

- And he's gone.

- Go on, go to bed.

Machen, he was just a baby.

Couldn't have been older

than that brother of yours.

Oh, little Donnie.

Oh, I hope this war is over

by the time he gets out of school.

I haven't seen him in so long...

...I probably won't even recognize him

when I do see him.

Court, I've got awful opening and shutting

trouble with my head. Awful.

All that seems pretty far away, doesn't it?

Home and all that sort of thing.

My head seems awfully far away.

Imagine being at home now,

peaceful and quiet.

Nothing to worry about.

Nothing to do except get up in the morning

and laze around.

Marvelous.

Be able to know that you'll come back

to your own bed at night.

- I'm sorry, sir.

- What's the time, sergeant?

Nearly 5:
00, sir.

Dawn's just coming up.

- How's the weather?

- A bit cloudy, sir.

Where's that honey

you're always talking about?

Honey you could have had

right on this table.

Could I get anyone to help

with them bees?

Up they'll go

with their lives in their hands...

...but will one of them face a bee? No.

- It's a phenomena, sir. Phenomena.

- You're very good with the chicken.

How is it you could do nothing

with bees?

I put a sack over me head

as Mr. Scott recommended...

- ...and out I goes to be friendly--

- Scotty!

Out I goes to be friendly like,

I start buzzing back to them, like:

- How?

- Morning, Mr. Scott.

- Oh, good morning, sergeant.

- Good morning--

Oh, good morning, Mr. Scott.

It's a beautiful morning, Mr. Scott.

- Have an egg, Mr. Scott.

- Off from the nest, sir.

Coffee, Mr. Scott?

Don't stand there gaping.

Bring a couple of headache powders

on toast. Mr. Scott, a little coffee.

What's that singing outside?

Replacements coming up, sir.

- Send them in.

- Very good, sir.

Court, have you ever seen mice

on roller skates?

On bicycles, never on skates, old man.

- Morning, gentlemen.

- Good morning, sergeant.

Right this way, please, gentlemen.

That's all right. We'll look after

your luggage. Just follow me.

- This way, gentlemen, please.

- Here they are.

Will you wait here, please, gentlemen?

- The replacements, sir.

- They get younger every day.

If this goes on much longer,

they'll be coming in perambulators.

Come on, fix them up.

Gentlemen, Captain Courtney.

- Good morning, gents.

- Good morning, sir.

Russell, second lieutenant, sir,

reporting from the pool for duty.

I see. How do you do, Russell?

Nice to have you with us.

- At ease. We don't have any formality.

- Thank you, sir.

- What's your name?

- Burt, sir.

Burt, eh? Burt what?

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