Yet, although from an Allied6 point of view the situation was serious, not for one moment did the British, from the Commander-in-Chief down to the latest-arrived Tommy, entertain any doubts as to the issue of the titanic7 conflict. We were going back, it was true, but sooner or later the pendulum8 would swing in the opposite direction, and the Hunnish hordes9 would either be smashed by Foch, or else driven pell-mell across the Rhine.
Already airmen were busily engaged in getting stores and material away. Rumours10, often too true, were coming through of vast quantities of stores falling into the hands of the enemy, often owing to the blind confidence of those in charge in the ability of a comparatively few British troops to withstand ten or even twenty times their number.
Huge motor-lorries, piled high with material, rumbled11 away as fast as they could be loaded up. Wounded men, some "walking cases", others badly hit, were streaming towards the now perilously-advanced dressing-stations. Troops, both British and French, were arriving to succour their worn-out and harassed12 comrades, while, almost momentarily, night bombing-machines were either going to or returning from their destructive missions.
The flashes of countless13 guns and the lurid14 flares15 of abandoned ammunition16-dumps and petrol-stores illuminated17 the misty18 sky, while the sodden19 earth trembled under the thunder of artillery-fire. At frequent intervals20 Hun bombing-'planes, soaring at great heights, fearful lest their careers might be cut short by the British machines, dropped bombs indiscriminately, the loud clatter21 of which was distinctly audible above the roar of the howitzers and heavies. It was an inferno22 into which men, who a few years ago never thought to handle a rifle and bayonet, plunged23 bravely and resolutely24 to give their lives for their country.
Realizing that Flanders and Northern France were Britain's bulwarks25, and that should the Channel ports be lost the thorny26 problem of Ostend and Zeebrugge would be magnified a thousand-fold, every foot of ground was obstinately27 contested by the hard-pressed troops. Isolated28 battalions29 deliberately31 sacrificed themselves on this account, thus obtaining a temporary respite32 for their undaunted comrades, while in countless numbers fresh hordes of field-greys hurled33 themselves by day and night against the dauntless khaki lines.
Derek soon found the reason for his hasty flight to France. With hundreds of other airmen he had been sent across to assist in stemming the tide of Huns. Success or failure in the present struggle depended mainly upon superiority in the air. Not only did aerial combination mean that the enemy's concentration could be clearly observed—mists and fogs alone preventing—but his lines of communication could be constantly interrupted, while a new factor, low-altitude machine-gunning, was "putting the wind up" the German infantry34 in no half-hearted fashion.
The young pilot was told off to start at dawn. Provided with a series of aerial photographs of the enemy's positions, and also a map ruled off in squares and numbered and lettered, he was able to obtain a clear idea of the sub-sector over which he was to operate. So elaborate were the preparations that there was hardly a square yard of ground captured by the enemy that was not mapped out for particular attention by the R.A.F. By bomb and machine-gun fire the Huns were to be unmercifully galled—but at a cost.
With the first blush of dawn, when rosy35 tints36 glowing beyond the flame-tinged clouds of smoke betokened37 another wet day, GV 7, in company with others of her kind, was brought from the camouflaged39 hangar.
During the night her crew had snatched a few hours' sleep, the work of replenishing fuel and ammunition being entrusted40 to the air-mechanics and ground men. With her cylinders41 shedding enough castor oil to dose a battalion30 at full strength, and every part of her construction carefully tested, she stood ready to start upon her errand of death and destruction.
The air was "stiff" with machines as GV 7 began to climb steadily42. Derek's whole attention for the time being was to avoid certain "unhealthy" spots where high-velocity shells from the British heavies screeched43 unceasingly. There were other shells which he might not be able to avoid—those coming from the opposite direction—for he knew that it was not an uncommon45 occurrence for a 'plane to get in the way of a high-velocity projectile46 and to vanish into fragments.
In the hollows wreaths of white mist still clung: danger-spots concealing47 swarms48 of German troops who had been rushed up under cover of night in spite of the terrific barrage49 of the guns and bombs from the British air-craft. A few miles beyond the irregular line of contesting foes50 a Hun sausage-balloon rose rapidly, swaying and jerking at the end of a two-thousand-feet length of wire. In less than three minutes it was spotted51 and brought down by a direct hit, while a second, in the act of ascending52, was promptly53 hauled down to earth.
Suddenly GV 7 side-slipped, pitching violently in a tremendous air-current. A German eight-inch—a missile that arrived some seconds before its screech44 was heard—had passed within a few feet of the starboard longeron.
The observer turned and grinned at the nearest machine-gunner. It was his way of expressing the fact that they had had a very narrow shave. Derek, too, realised the danger, although his attention was mainly directed towards his task of piloting the battleplane. Occasionally checking his position by means of his map, he held on until it was time to dive to the attack.
Viewed from a height of three thousand feet the battlefield lost much of its sordid54 horror. The old trenches55, overrun by the Allies some eighteen months previously56, were barely discernible. Hardly anyone expected that they would again prove to be the scene of a sanguinary struggle. New shell-holes contrasted forcibly with the older craters57, but of new defensive58 work there was little to be seen. So rapid had been the German onrush that the British on the defensive had but little time to reorganize. They contented59 themselves by holding desperately60 to every bit of cover, receiving and giving hard knocks in characteristic bull-dog fashion.
Miles behind the opposing line the air was thick with smoke from burning dumps and stores. Here and there were low mounds61 of rubble62 that once were prosperous villages, some others rebuilt only a few months previously to suffer again from an advance of the modern Hun. Here and there guns, scorning the use of camouflage38, were firing with open sights at the dense63 field-grey masses, while farther back on both sides the heavies were exchanging tokens of mutual64 hate.
A streak65 of flame plunging66 earthwards within fifty yards of GV 7 attracted Derek's attention. One glance revealed the sad fact that a British biplane was crashing. He could see the concentric red, white, and blue circles as the doped canvas glinted in the ruddy light. A little beyond two British chaser-machines were climbing "all out" towards a patch of clouds where the Hun who had downed the unsuspecting biplane was "squatting67" in fancied security. His dream of safety was soon to be rudely shattered, for the Boche 'plane stood as little chance as a rat when cornered by a trained terrier.
Just as Derek was preparing for a vol-plane, a Hun triplane dashed blindly athwart his path, followed by a British "Camel". The Boche evidently "had the wind up" horribly, for he made no attempt to use his after machine-gun, but merely dodged68 and banked stupidly in a forlorn attempt to shake off the pursuit. Then with ostrich-like tactics he attempted to fly under, and in the same direction as GV 7, regardless of the fact that the latter could "drop an egg" with unerring aim upon his broad expanse of planes.
Daventry let him severely69 alone, knowing that the Boche had all his work cut out to defend himself without a chance to fire upwards70 into the battleplane. It was against the ethics71 of aerial warfare72 to spoil another man's bag.
On came the Camel, her speed being only about five miles more than GV 7, although both were tearing through the air at more than a hundred miles an hour. Derek could see the hooded73 and goggled74 head of the machine-gunner as he bent75 over his sights. Then came a rapid burst of flame from the Lewis gun. Daventry looked over the side of the fuselage. The triplane, a litter of rents and fluttering canvas, was plunging earthwards.
Waving his arm in joyous76 congratulation to the victorious77 Camel, Derek turned, and began to swoop78 down upon his objective. As he did so he became aware that he was an object of attention from a particularly-aggressive anti-aircraft battery. The Huns had brought up several Archibalds, mounted on swift armoured-cars, and were doing their level best to counteract79 the demoralizing attack of the "air hussars".
Banking80, Derek brought his machine out of the danger-zone, but not before the wings showed unpleasant signs of the accuracy of the Huns' aim. The rotten part of the business was that he was unable to locate the position of the antis. Right out in the open were several sky-directed guns surrounded by men, but Derek was becoming a wily bird. He knew that both men and guns were decoys, and that the actual battery was some hundreds of yards away and skilfully81 camouflaged. To fall into the error of attempting to wipe out the decoy would be an act of self-destruction.
A battalion in mass formation moving by the side of a straight stretch of canal afforded fair sport. Derek dived almost perpendicularly82, with engines "all out" until within two hundred feet from the ground, then, flattening83 out, made straight for the head of the field-greys.
At the sight of this startling apparition84 the Boches were instantly thrown into a panic. They broke ranks and fled. Barred on the right by the canal, they were compelled to surge in a disorderly mob across absolutely open ground. Impeding85 each other, literally86 falling over one another, the wretched Boches were at the mercy of the swift battleplane. Machine-guns and bombs both took heavy toll87, hardly a shot being fired in return.
Not once, but many times, did GV 7 swing round and return to the attack, until the thoroughly88 terrified survivors89 took refuge in isolated shell-holes until the immediate90 danger was past.
Then back to the almost deserted91 aerodrome Derek flew, replenished92 petrol and trays of ammunition, and returned to the fray93. He was but one pilot of hundreds engaged upon the same errand. Truly the magnificent work was being accomplished94 at heavy cost, but temporarily at least the rush was stayed, and the much-harassed infantry—the troops who invariably bear the brunt of both attack and defence—were able to take breathing-space.
"We're holding the blighters all right, sir," reported the Wing-Commander to the General of the Division.
"Quite so," rejoined the other dryly. "Unfortunately, the line is bending both on our right and left flanks. 'Fraid we'll have to give the Boche a little more ground."
For three more days the retirement95, under excessive pressure, continued; and during the whole of that time massed squadrons of air-craft were continuously in the air—bombing, machine-gunning, undertaking96 reconnaissance work, and altogether making things very uncomfortable for the Huns. But there were undoubted evidences that the greatly-advertised Boche offensive was slowing down. Already the advance through Noyon towards Paris was an admitted failure, and both British and French, assisted by small American forces, were preparing for the gigantic counter-attack. Fritz had shot his bolt and had missed his target.
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1
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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crumpling
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| 压皱，弄皱( crumple的现在分词 )； 变皱 | |
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relaxation
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| n.松弛，放松；休息；消遣；娱乐 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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pendulum
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| n.摆，钟摆 | |
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hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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rumbled
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| 发出隆隆声，发出辘辘声( rumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 轰鸣着缓慢行进； 发现…的真相； 看穿（阴谋） | |
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12
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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13
countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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flares
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| n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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21
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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inferno
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| n.火海；地狱般的场所 | |
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23
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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betokened
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| v.预示，表示( betoken的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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camouflaged
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| v.隐蔽( camouflage的过去式和过去分词 )；掩盖；伪装，掩饰 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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42
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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43
screeched
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的过去式和过去分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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45
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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46
projectile
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| n.投射物，发射体；adj.向前开进的；推进的；抛掷的 | |
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47
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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48
swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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49
barrage
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| n.火力网，弹幕 | |
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50
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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51
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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55
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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56
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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craters
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| n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等 | |
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58
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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rubble
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| n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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67
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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ethics
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| n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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74
goggled
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| adj.戴护目镜的v.睁大眼睛瞪视， （惊讶的）转动眼珠( goggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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75
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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78
swoop
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| n.俯冲，攫取；v.抓取，突然袭击 | |
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79
counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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80
banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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81
skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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82
perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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83
flattening
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| n. 修平 动词flatten的现在分词 | |
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84
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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85
impeding
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| a.(尤指坏事)即将发生的，临近的 | |
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86
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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87
toll
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| n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟) | |
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88
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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89
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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90
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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91
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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92
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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93
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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94
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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95
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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96
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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