Dave Dawson, Flight Lieutenant

by R. SIDNEY BOWEN
Author of DAVE DAWSON AT DUNKIRK DAVE DAWSON WITH THE R. A. F. DAVE DAWSON IN LIBYA DAVE DAWSON ON CONVOY PATROL
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY AKRON, OHIO · NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1941, BY CROWN PUBLISHERS PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Squadron Leader Markham, O.C. of the famous Eighty-Fourth Squadron of the Royal Air Force Fighter Command, leaned back in his office chair, dug knuckles into his tired eyes, and heaved a long sigh of relief.
I say, but am I fed up to the teeth with the blasted paper work that goes with this kind of a job! he groaned. Not at all like in the last mess we had with Jerry. A chap could fly every day, then, regardless of rank. That is, up until the last nine months or so. Then C.O.s were grounded, as being too valuable to lose. But still there was no paper work. Not a bit of it.
True, it is a bit of a task and a bore, Adjutant Phipps agreed from his desk in the corner. Seems Adastral House must know everything from what the lads have for breakfast to whether or not they wear their socks on the wrong feet. All for a good reason, I suppose. But it does give a chap the writer's cramp. What do you make of this latest memo that came through, sir? Number Six-Four-Two-Nine.
The Squadron Leader pulled his hands down from his face and blinked.
Eh? he grunted. Don't believe I saw that one. Must have passed it over. What's it about, Phipps? Does it make sense or is it like the usual stuff that comes through?
The Adjutant fished an official looking sheet of yellow paper from a pile on his desk, got up from his chair and crossed the office.
There it is, he said placing it in front of the Officer Commanding. Frankly, I haven't the faintest idea, sir. Looks to me like some bloke at Air Ministry wasn't quite recovered from a terrific binge, or something. All a lot of Greek, as they say.
Markham blinked his eyes a couple of more times, leaned forward a bit and squinted at the yellow sheet of paper. The top half was filled with all the routine junk ... code letters, numbers, and file reference marks ... that always accompany official communications. So he gave that part just a sweeping glance. It was the communication itself that attracted and held his attention.