Vets Might Fly Read online

  rounds, and after the visit to the farm we climbed up the fell-side,

  panting through the scent of the warm bracken, feeling the old

  excitement as we nears the summit.

  Then we were on the top, facing into the wide fret moorland and the

  clean Yorkshire wind and the cloud shadows racing over the greens and

  brown Helen's hand was warm in mine as we wandered among the heather

  through green islets nibbled to a velvet sward by the sheep She raised

  a finger ag curlew's lonely cry sounded across the wild tapestry and

  the wonder in her eYes' shone through the dark flurry of hair blowing

  across her face.

  The gentle shaking at my shoulder pulled me back to wakefulness, to the

  hiss of steam and the clatter of boots. The table top was hard against

  my hip at my neck was stiff where it had rested on my pack.

  "Train's in, Jim." An airman was loo king down at me.

  "I hated to wake you - you were smiling."

  Two hours later, sweaty, unshaven, half asleep, laden with kit, we

  shuffled in the airfield at Windsor. Sitting in the wooden building we

  only half listened the corporal giving us our introductory address.

  Then suddenly his words struck' home.

  There's one other thing," he said.

  "Remember to wear your identity discs all times. We had two prangs

  last week couple of fellers burned beyond recognition and neither of

  'em was wearing his discs. we didn't know who they were." He spread

  his hands appealingly.

  "This sort of thing makes a lot of work for us, so remember what I've

  told you."

  In a moment we were all wide awake and listening intently. Probably

  think)' as I was that we had only been playing at being airmen up till

  now.