THE RESCUE FLIGHT

by Captain W. E. Johns

XX. ACCUSED (Pages 251 – 256)

In the office are Major Mullen, the C.O., Major Raymond, Biggles, Algy, Forty, Rip and Thirty. Raymond tells Thirty that he has submitted his name to General Headquarters for a decoration – the Military Cross. “You can imagine my surprise,” continued the major, “when Wing Headquarters were informed by General Headquarters, who had been in touch with the Air Board, that there was no officer of your name on the list of the Royal Flying Corps. Raymond says they have discovered there are two officers not appearing on the official list. “Well, we’re not officers at all; that is, we’ve never been gazetted,” burst out Thirty, desperately. Forty is astonished. Raymond asks where they got their service aeroplanes. “We borrowed them, sir”. “Stole them, you mean”. “No, sir,” denied Thirty. “We only moved them from one place to another. They’re been in service all the time. We could think of no other way of getting here”. After discussion of the situation, Raymond tells both Thirty and Rip they have been given commissions in the field. “Your names will both appear in to-morrow’s Gazette, and to save your skins, in case either of you is ever caught by the enemy, your commissions have been antedated from the day you joined this squadron. Which means that you have both been officers since that day. That being so, the recommendation for the Military Cross has been allowed to stand”. Major Raymond tells Forty he can stay at 266 or he can return to his old squadron with Thirty. “I’m not going to leave Biggles,” announced Thirty, firmly. “Well, talk it over,” smiled the major. The C.O. accompanies Raymond to the door and they stand outside conversing in low tones. Raymond returns only to find Thirty fast asleep in Major Mullen’s chair. “Fetch a stretcher, Algy; let’s put him to bed. In fact, I think it’s about time we all had a spot of sleep” said Biggles. With which suggestion the others agreed. (Forty, Thirty and Rip appear in no other Biggles stories so for continuity purposes it must be assumed they chose to move to Forty’s old squadron).