The Dawn Patrol Page #3

- Henry Burt.

- Oh, I see. How do you do?

- And you?

- Cleaver, sir.

Hello, Cleaver.

- And what's your name?

- Smythe, sir.

Hello, Smythe. Nice to have you with us.

- How many hours have you fellows had?

- I've had 18, sir.

Eighteen. And you?

- Thirteen, sir.

- Fifteen, sir.

- And how many have you had?

- Seven and a half, sir.

Seven and a half, eh?

I'll take Russell and Cleaver.

Get your things on.

- We're going to strafe trenches.

- Now, sir?

- You won't have time for breakfast.

- We've had it, sir.

- When do we go, sir?

- You'll go soon enough. Get some coffee.

- Morning, Hollister.

- Morning.

- Breakfast waiting for you, sir.

- I don't want breakfast.

- I think you better have some breakfast.

- I don't want any breakfast, thank you.

Have some coffee or breakfast

or drinks or something.

- Kirby, bring some cups.

- Coming.

- Bott. The usual.

- Coming, sir.

Thank you.

Hollister, have a little breakfast.

- I'm just giving a little nourishment.

- I see.

I should explain

that this little spotted number on my left...

...goes under the name of Scotty.

He's in A Flight.

- First today.

- Nice fellow, but he drinks too much.

Have some of this.

Come on, old chap.

Good luck.

Scotty.

Come on, now.

What are you doing asleep?

Come on, wake up.

Will you come or must I--?

- No, wait. Hold on.

- Come on. Come on then. Quick.

They can wait for me.

Go.

- There you are, sergeant.

- Yes, sir.

Russell and Cleaver

will take four and five.

- This way.

- Don't forget to stick to my tail. Good luck.

You. You're an old hand now.

We're counting on you.

- Right, sir.

- Better watch him.

- Don't forget, you're protecting the tail.

- Yeah.

And watch yourself too, old man.

I don't want be left holding the bottle.

Thank you.

Is everything all right, Mac?

- Everything's all right, sir.

- Fine.

- Switch off.

- All right. Spin it.

Has the officer got any papers

that might give information to the enemy?

No.

Has the officer got any papers

that might give information to the enemy?

No.

Beat us to it

just by a few more flying hours.

Lucky devils.

"And mother and I talk about how much

you would love the old rock path now.

Last Sunday's rain

brought up the best primroses."

Primroses.

"Jenny's had seven darling puppies."

Well, well, the rain seems

to be accomplishing many blessings.

Think of it, Brand, a litter of seven.

"We'll have to give most of them away...

...because the milk rationing

is very strict now...

...and we won't be able

to buy enough for them."

Buy enough. Well, that's strange.

I always thought puppies were provided

with private rations by their mother.

Even England's getting muddled

with this war.

It'd be awfully nice if we had a dog

around here in the mornings...

...to come in and cheer us up.

Here.

Come on, fella. Come on here.

Mind your muddy feet. Come on.

- What you doing?

- The dog.

Dog? What dog? Where?

No, I say it would be nice if we had a dog

to come in here in the mornings...

...to sort of cheer us up, you know?

I thought it would be sort of cozy,

you know?

Not Mr. Scott, sir?

There were two Boches after me.

Scotty was trying to help me.

Yes, Courtney?

We fought off the counterattack

for an hour...

...and they found us.

We lost three men. Russell...

...Cleaver, Scott.

I'm sorry about Mr. Scott, sir.

Yes.

To him.

I'll drink to that.

To Scott-o.

Sleep tight.

What happened, Courtney?

Well....

We were strafing that convoy

right after the first barrage...

...trying to get out under a cloud bank.

The Jerries came down on us like that:

Poor little Cleaver went first.

I don't think he even fired a shot.

Then Russell must have gone

at about the same time. I didn't see.

Then Hollister.

Well?

- Something must have happened.

- He funked?

Yes, he did a bit. He got in a jam....

What?

And Scott-o went after him,

to help him out.

Jerry got on his tail

and shot him down out of patrol.

You sure?

Yes, I saw it.

It was right underneath me.

There was nothing I could do.

He had his tail surfaces all shot away.

He caught in a spin.

As he went down, he waved goodbye.

Where'd he'd go down?

I don't know, somewhere behind our lines.

I went after that Jerry bullheaded.

- Did you get him?

- No, I put a bullet in his motor.

He came down

behind our lines somewhere.

Behind our lines?

Hi there, fellas. Turn that off, please.

No, no. Play it. Go ahead. Play it.

What's it matter?

You fellas don't appreciate good music.

Play it.

Maybe Scotty will hear it.

Funny if you really thought he could,

wouldn't it?

He was wearing

those bright piebald pajamas.

Remember, the one's with the spots?

It'll be funny if he shows up

before the devil in those.

- Right, bring him in.

- Great fellow, Scotty.

You may send the car back.

Just wait here a moment, Henderson.

- What's all this?

- Pardon me, sir.

An artillery car brought in a German.

One moment, Captain Henderson.

- Who brought him down?

- They say the leader of A Flight.

That's you, Captain Courtney.

Steady, old fellow.

- Good morning, sir. I have my prisoner here.

- Good morning.

Hauptmann Von Mueller.

Hauptmann Von Mueller, Major Brand.

And Captain Courtney.

Phipps, tell him Courtney

is the man that brought him down.

He says he's delighted to meet you.

Oh, sorry.

- So sorry?

- Sorry. Yeah. Will you have a drink?

Yes? Come on.

Bott, drinks.

What will you have, whiskey,

cognac, champagne?

- Nothing but the best.

- Cognac.

- Cognac.

- Cognac.

Hello, Hollister. Have a drink.

- This is Hollister, Captain Von--

- Von Mueller.

Sorry.

- Sorry.

- We are sorry.

So....

He wants us drink to the day

they'll blow us out of the skies.

0h, no, no, no. Can't do that.

Ask him if he'll drink a toast to the dead.

To the dead.

- That's very nice.

- Sorry.

No, no.

Thank you very much indeed.

Very nice. Thank you.

Do you think you could manage

to say "the" next man "that" dies...

...not "zee" next man "zat" dies?

- The.

- The. That's it.

Very nice.

Very good.

You can laugh, joke with him,

a man who murdered your best friend!

- He's dead! You know that, don't you?

- Shut up!

So is Blane. And Machen, my best friend!

They're dead!

They aren't coming back.

They aren't coming back anymore.

Shut up.

I believe you've forgotten Scott-o already.

Brandy, Bott.

He wants to know if Hollister flies.

Tell him yes.

Off the handle more times than not.

Brandy, Bott!

"Pack Up Your Troubles."

Scotty!

Scotty!

Where did--?

Where did you get the champagne?

I don't know.

You-- You--

You know, we thought you'd gone west.

Tell us, what happened?

Well, the last thing I remember

was pancaking into a trench...

...and seeing my wings fold up.

Then I woke up with a bump on my head--

Feel it?

--and a stretcher bearer

pouring rum down my--

- You should have that rum.

- You didn't have any, did you?

Just a couple of drops.

I stopped on the way back...

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