Free 1918 We will remember them by Griiff Hosker

I felt angry.  I dressed for dinner. We had to bring this war to an end and do so quickly.  Our people at home were suffering and none of us had gone to war to allow that!
    I called in at the sick bay on my way to the mess.  My two pilots had survived but, even had their aeroplanes not been damaged, they would not be able to fly for a few days. Lieutenant Hazell tried to rise when I entered.
    “No, Nat, rest easy.  You did well today.  Those new Fokkers are very nifty.”
    “Thank you sir.  I appreciate you coming to my aid.”
    “Nonsense we are one squadron here and we all fight for each other.” I turned to Jenkin, “And how are you George?”
    “Feeling like a fool.”
    “How so?”
    “When my compass was shot out I flew in the wrong bloody direction sir!”
    I smiled, “An easy enough mistake to make.  I have seen pilots flying upside down because they became disorientated. A little tip; have a spare compass in your flying jacket and always look for the sun.  We normally fly in the morning so the sun should be ahead of you; that tells you where east is.  Don’t berate yourself, you acquitted yourself well today.”
    “But still no kills!”
    I sighed and shook my head, “We had no kills in the squadron today but as all our pilots made it back, then it is not a bad trade off.  You two take it easy.  Your new buses will be here in a week.  You are under Doc Brennan’s orders now, not mine.”
    I knew that we had made important strides with Jenkin but he was not the finished article yet.
    Everyone was in a better mood thanks to the delivery of letters.  Gordy insisted upon reading them out so that we could hear every breath his new son made. We smiled.  It was harmless and the baby promised hope.  We had perilously little of that.
    The talk was of the trenches. The Canadians were still bleeding for every inch of land at Passchendaele and we saw little progress.  Flying high over the lines meant you could see how little land had been gained in over three years of war. There were also rumours of trouble in Russia. Randolph, who had many contacts in the intelligence community, was particularly sombre. “We are making little progress here on the Western front but if the Tsar makes peace then the Germans will have more men and materiel to send here.  If that happens this war could go on for another ten years.”
    Johnny scoffed, “A thirteen year war?  I think you are exaggerating sir.”
    “We had a war with France that lasted over a hundred years.  The Napoleonic wars lasted over twenty five years.  There was a war in Europe which lasted for thirty years. No, do not assume that this war will be as quick as the Zulu war or the South African War.  We were fighting tribesmen then.  We are fighting people like ourselves now. Our king, the Kaiser and the Tsar are all cousins!”
    “People won’t stand for it sir.”
    “I’m afraid, Freddie, that the powers that be are like gamblers gathered around a table.  The table stakes are so high that no-one dares to be the one to leave first.  They just keep raising the stakes and we are the chips!”
    We were having a glass of port when Ted sidled over.  “What is the problem, Bill?”
    “How do you know there is a problem?”
    “Because I have known you too long.  If Gordy wasn’t so full of Mary and his son then he would have noticed too.  I have bugger all but for the squadron.  You are like my family and I can tell that something has upset you.” He gestured to the port. “You are drinking more than you used to for a start.”
    “We all drink.”
    “Aye but you used to drink the least out of any of us.  Now you drink as much and sometimes a little more.  So come on, out with it.  You know what they say a problem shared is a problem halved.”
    I nodded.  He was a good friend and he was right. “It’s Beattie.  She is getting upset.  The Germans are bombing London and she is worried about me.  She was the only one not happy