THE RESCUE FLIGHT

by Captain W. E. Johns

II. THE ADVENTURE BEGINS (Pages 22 – 34)

On the main road to London, they get an army lorry driver to drive them to the City “to join up”. Dropped off at Crystal Palace, they walk to Mayfair, “where the Fortymore town house was situated”. Thompson, the butler, lets them in and Thirty tells him the news about Forty and that he is going to France. With just a few hours’ sleep, Thirty and Rip then put on Forty’s old uniforms. “What aerodrome are you going to make for?” inquired Rip. It was significant that although he was the elder he instinctively left the leadership to Thirty”. Thirty decides to go to Hounslow. Thirty is given five pounds by Thompson, the butler, who is reminded not to say anything about their plans. Getting into a taxi, a passing Tommy salutes the two “officers”. “It took them rather more than an hour to reach Hounslow Aerodrome, where the first of the pound notes was almost exhausted in paying off the taxi”. Seeing a dozen or more aircraft they select two Sopwith Camels and ask an N.C.O. “Whose machines are these, flight-sergeant?”. (Whose machines are those, flight-sergeant? He inquired blandly - is the illustration on page 31 – Note the slightly different wording!). “They belong to two officers just come on leave, sir,” was the prompt reply. “Ah, they’re the ones we’re looking for,” declared Thirty calmly. “We’re going to test them, to find out just what condition these overseas machines get in after a period of service”. “Yes, Sir”. The flight-sergeant showed not the slightest surprise at the statement or at the youthfulness of the two ‘test pilots’, for during the war pilots of eighteen or nineteen years of age were common, and many of them looked younger”. With full tanks and borrowed flying kit, they both take off.