Authors: Griiff Hosker

Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Historical, #Military, #War, #Historical Fiction

1918 We will remember them (27 page)

“And sir, this makes you the Squadron Leader; they will all be looking to you. You will need some words tonight. It will be expected.”

Terror filled me, “I can’t say anything! I will make a fool of myself! I don’t have the words!”

“Have your bath sir and another whisky. Trust in the lord and the words will come to you.”

I did not believe him but I obeyed his orders. He was right; I had to say something. Either the whisky or the bath worked for I had the words. When I came out I said, “Send for Captain Marshall, I need to speak with him.”

Randolph looked awful when he arrived. “I know it is hard but you and I, along with Ted, are the senior officers now. We have to set an example. I want formal dress tonight. We owe it to Archie.”

He stiffened, “You are right… Squadron Leader.” I looked at him. “General Trenchard was told about Archie. The promotion is premature; the ranks won’t come into effect until January but that is your new rank sir and you are the Commanding Officer of this squadron. At least until hostilities cease.”

After he had gone Bates said, “Congratulations. No more than you deserve.”

The squadron looked magnificent in their dress uniforms. The mess sergeants and orderlies had broken out the best cutlery and they too were dressed impeccably. Before we began, Senior Flight Sergeant Lowery marched into the mess also in his full dress uniform. He stood before me and saluted, “Sit, forgive this unwarranted intrusion but I just wanted to congratulate you on the promotion and to tell you, as a former sergeant,” he allowed the briefest of smiles, “that the Sergeant’s Mess will also be honouring a great man this evening.” He stood to attention and then did a smart about face and left.

The meal was beautifully cooked. The cooks had gone to great lengths to make it perfect. There was just a murmur of conversation as we ate. I was flanked by Randolph and Ted while Doc Brennan sat on the other side of Ted. The doctor appeared to have aged ten years since the morning. After the meal everyone looked at me expectantly. I stood.

“Gentlemen, charge your glasses.” They all stood. “To Colonel Archibald Wilberforce Leach.”

When they had toasted Archie I waved them to their seats. “Bates said that I ought to say a few words about Archie.” Everyone knew Bates and they smiled. “I was not certain I knew what to say about such a tragedy. I thought, when my regiment was wiped out in 1914, that no greater tragedy could occur. I was wrong. This is the last in a series of deaths which has taken almost all of my friends.” I looked down at Ted who raised his glass to me. “I will not list their names for it would not be seemly for me to break down before you. Rest assured that I will mourn them all in my own way. Archie was a great leader. He was quietly spoken but you knew where you stood with him. He was kind and he was thoughtful. I am most upset because I knew he had a future planned for his wife and his sons. He was to be a farmer. That was not meant to be. But today we also lost two more comrades. Captain Marshall has told me that since 1915 we have lost over eighty pilots and thirty gunners. We have rarely mentioned them. That was remiss of us.”

I found my voice was breaking and so I took another drink of the whisky, “We also lost today a young pilot Ralph Carter. He had been with us for weeks only and yet he was as much a part of this squadron as Archie Leach. We will miss him. And poor Jack Fall who watched the rear of my flight for the past six months. What a tragedy that he will not fly again.”

Just then the door burst open and Jack stood there with his arm in a sling. I did not know what to say. I knew I had to finish what I had started, “Give Lieutenant Fall a drink and I can finish my speech and we can celebrate his return from the dead!”

George Jenkin gave him a drink and sat him down. I saw smiles replacing frowns and felt the hope surge in the mess. “I had nearly finished. Let me see if I can get through this. Soon this war will be over. Some of us will stay in the service while others will move on to other things. I may never get a chance to command you again so let me give you one order now and I hope that you will all swear to obey it. For the rest of your lives live your lives for those who have no life to live. Each decision you make should be determined by a reflection on what our dead comrades would have done. The land we go back to will be broken. We owe to those who died to make it even greater in their memory. And when there is a quiet time each day, perhaps in the pub or watching the fire or looking at a sunset; we will remember them for if we fail to do so then their deaths will have been in vain.”

Epilogue

The war ended a week later. We had no more losses. Within a week we were sent home. Many of the men took the opportunity to return to civilian life while those of us who would remain in the service were told to await orders. I will always remember the day the war ended for that was the day that John Charles Albert Harsker was born. When I reached Burscough on the twentieth of November I walked into my home and saw my wife with a perfect baby. My mother burst into tears and hugged me. Even Beattie cried. Then she stood and put the child in my arms.

“Here is your son. We named him in honour of…” She began to cry, well you know... I hope you approve of the names.”

I nodded, I too was close to tears. I looked at my son who stared seriously at me. I wondered if he would cry. Instead his mouth creased into a smile which, as Ted had told me, meant he had wind. But his eyes glowed and that was not wind. “Well son, I am your dad. And you have been named after three of the finest men I knew. If I named you after every brave man with whom I have fought then we would take all day to speak your name. I can see in your eyes that you will be just as brave as they were and you will do your duty. That, in the end, is all that a man can do.”

I cradled him in my arms as my father came to shake my hand. “Well done son. I am proud of you.”

The door leading to the upstairs opened and there I saw Caroline Fox. She opened it fearfully. I could see that she was almost due to give birth. I handed my son back to Beattie and went to her. I took her hands in mine. “Your husband was a brave man who died well. He has been awarded the MC. It is no exchange for your husband but it will be something to show his child. It will be a memory to cherish. I promised him that I would care for you and his child as though you were my own. It was a promise made to a dying man and I swear that I will honour that pledge.” I saw Beattie nod and knew that it would be fine.

I found that I could plan and organise far better after the experience of the war. I was helped when Bates came to Burscough a few days later. He had rejoined and would be my servant as long as I served. He helped to organise to rent a larger cottage on the estate from Lady Mary. Her ladyship, my sisters and my parents were all delighted. Emma Mary Fox was born on Christmas Day 1918 and she was perfect. As I strolled outside having a last pipe of the night I began to make plans. I was to take up my new post in March that gave me enough time to take Beattie and see Lumpy. What I had to tell him could not be put in a letter and besides I wanted to see him in his new home. We would then visit Gordy and Mary. They would be anxious to see my new child too and then I would see Ted so that we could plan the squadron reunion. I had told the squadron that we would remember them and I planned to do so every year. They deserved the honour.

I looked up at the sky, “Well, Jamie, I have kept my promise.” I put my arms by my side, “And to the rest of you I say, it was an honour to serve with you all. Rest in peace.” I stood looking at the stars and saluted my comrades in the sky.

The End

Glossary

BEF- British Expeditionary Force

Beer Boys
-inexperienced fliers (slang)

Blighty
- Britain (slang)

Boche
- German (slang)

Bowser- refuelling vehicle

Bus
- aeroplane (slang)

Corned dog
- corned beef (slang)

Craiglockhart- A Victorian building taken over by the military and used to treat shell shocked soldiers. Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen both spent time there.

Crossley- an early British motor car

Dewar Flask- an early Thermos invented in 1890

Donkey Walloper
- Horseman (slang)

Fizzer
- a charge (slang)

Foot Slogger
- Infantry (slang)

Gaspers-
Cigarettes (slang)

Google eyed booger
with
the tit
- gas mask (slang)

Griffin (Griff)
- confidential information (slang)

Hun
- German (slang)

Jagdgeschwader – four German Jasta flying under one leader

Jasta- a German Squadron

Jippo
- the shout that food was ready from the cooks (slang)