Rewriting History - Part I (1239 hits)
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Submitted by Avals (View user info) at 2004-06-08 06:13:22 EDT
[The following is excerpted from the memoirs of Pilot Officer Geoffrey Aldridge:]
On 10th July, 1940, the Battle of Britain began. The Krauts kept us on our toes with frequent nuisance raids, making sure our radar boys and observers weren't sleeping at their posts.
Towards the middle of August the Huns suddenly took on a more serious approach, mounting massive bomber raids against our airfields, radar stations, and factories.
One of these raids stands out clearly in my mind.
I wasn't flying that day, so I sat outside reading a book. Another squadron had scrambled not fifteen minutes before to intercept an incoming raid.
Suddenly, I heard the whine of a *Merlin. I looked up to see a Spit, shot up and trailing smoke, coming in to land. The pilot had his hood open and was coming in very steeply.
I watched petrified, unable to help, as the Spitfire came in fast and steep, screaming as it went. I wanted to scream to the boy "pull up lad! Pull up damn you!" But I was frozen at the sight of what was unfolding before me. The Spitfire hit the ground with great force. It spun around, ripping off the wings and parts of the fuselage, and ejecting the hapless pilot clear from his seat.
I dropped my book and rushed to the young lad sprawled bleeding on the ground. I reached him and knelt beside him; he was cut and bleeding all over, his right leg-weakened by multiple bullet wounds still visible on the bloody flesh and torn off by the force of the subsequent crash-was missing below the knee. He looked up at me with the most horrible look of fear I have ever seen in his eyes; the look on that young lad's face will hunt me for the rest of my life.
By the time the medical crews arrived, it was too late.
Our boys did their best during that time, they truly did, but it just wasn't enough. The bombers that did come through made a mess of our factories and airfields. It seemed as though we were losing more planes on the ground than in the air, and our industry just couldn't keep up, especially with the Hun pounding away at our factories. Soon the lack of aircraft, as well as pilots, started to show.
Britain was in trouble.
Near midnight on the 24th of August, we were scrambled to intercept a German bomber formation coming in from the South-East. The radar operators guided our three **flights to an intercept at 7000 feet in the area of Dover. The R/T broke the silence:
- "Sapper, Gannic leader. Tally-ho! Tally-ho! Enemy bombers at angels seven; attacking now!"
- "Gannic leader, this is Sapper, received and understood. Good luck."
With that we turn towards the German bombers, their exhaust flames barely visible in the dark sky. There are no escorts at night, so we are free to chase the bombers as we please. I weave through their formation, taking snap shots at them as I go. I see the flashes of my bullets hitting their mark several times, but it's hard to estimate the damage in the dark.
I stop weaving and settle my Spitfire into a level attitude, lining up behind one of the bombers. Defensive fire is relatively weak at night-our small Spitfires are hard to see in the dark.
I take careful aim at the port engine of the bomber and squeeze off a long burst.
The Hun's engine bursts into flames and he pushes forward into a steep dive. The flame following his aircraft hurtles quickly towards the ground. Suddenly, it disappears. I didn't see a crash.
By this time, we're over London and the Krauts are beginning their bombing run. Out of ammo, I have nothing left to do but to watch the explosions illuminating London as bombs tear into the city.
That night was the beginning of the Blitz. The Germans appeared to have lost interest in our airfields and industry and began bombing our cities into rubble instead.
The death toll was dreadful, but our citizens stood brave against the German attacks. Meanwhile, the opportunity was not wasted. Factories were quickly restored to full working order; our airfields brought back into shape. With squadrons in full operational strength we began taking a steady toll on the German formations.
This was indeed our finest hour.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
* The Rolls-Royce Merlin was the engine that powered the famous British Spitfire.
** A flight is a formation of four aircraft.
User Reviews
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2004-10-23 09:55:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
kick ass
Submitted by Timmah (user info) at 2004-10-09 12:41:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was fantastic, very well written. I wouldn't worry about hits and reviews it takes a while for people to notice your posts. I still get shitty hits AND ratings. Although I'm not to worried about ratings anymore seeing as Fetish and Bargled like to spam my posts with a vengeance. In my opinion you will soon be a well known writer "round these 'ere parts".
Submitted by electrictoothsyndrome (user info) at 2004-10-09 12:25:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I feel like I am watching the Discovery Channel...and I love it.
Submitted by Big Al at 2004-07-20 01:04:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent. Planes and WW2 have always been an interest of mine.
Submitted by smokymtcsw (user info) at 2004-06-10 06:40:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is well written and I am interested to see where it goes. You will get a readership eventually.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2004-06-10 06:27:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is quite good.
Don't worry about not getting as many hits as you deserve, most people who regularly churn out quality posts get noticed eventually.
Submitted by Scotsman (user info) at 2004-06-10 06:10:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Spam! Spam! Baked Beans and Spam!
Have another +2 for making me think of Monty Python.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-09 08:59:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Come on baby, just one more review. Daddy needs a new pair of shoes.
Come on, you can't seriously tell me that posts like 'vagina' and 'y dont u shave ur legs bitch?' is all people read around here. Are subjects that make your topic look like spam email the only way to get noticed around here?
Mmmmmmmm... spam.
Submitted by SoxSexSax (user info) at 2004-06-09 05:45:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really enjoyed this.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-09 05:37:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fuck, I meant 24 hours, not 2.
Damnit. Now I sound like I'm whining about getting too many hits... Shit.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-09 04:46:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
w00t! 88 hits in two hours, with an incredible number of two reviews! (squattail's doesn't count because he's a fuckwad.) At the same time the incredible post called 'Nude Pics of Avril Lavigne and Dora the Explorer' has gotten 170 hits with four times as many reviews in the last two and a half hours! Guess I should've called this post something more attention grabbing like 'My Triple Asian Slut Gangbang Story'.
But am I bitter? No, of course not. Why do you ask?
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-06-08 09:13:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
Submitted by Scotsman (user info) at 2004-06-08 08:10:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I am meant to be doing Safety Engineering but have Uber on in background to save my sanity. Can't concentrate too much on story though :)
Submitted by squattail (user info) at 2004-06-08 06:48:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
God damn. I wish you were in WWII, then maybe you would be dead right now.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-08 06:40:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Damn! It seems like you're always lurking here during work hours. Do you ever actually get any work done? ;)
Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad you liked it.
Like I said, this is the historical background, so I tried to make it as accurate as possible (despite my limited research and historical knowledge ;) ). Hopefully it will be well received enough for me to write some more parts, which should gradually develop the scenario I had in mind.
As for the explanations, I reckoned not everyone will know what a Merlin is, so I added them at the end just in case. I didn't really think it will disrupt the flow of the narrative as it's tacked on at the end there.
And what are you doing here anyway? You're supposed to be writing your story you bastard! That g/f excuse doesn't hold up, now get cracking. ;)
Submitted by Scotsman (user info) at 2004-06-08 06:22:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn you! :) That is good mate. I like the way you have the ability (which I feel I lack) to meld characters into the main tale. I see I am going to have to raise my game to hope to keep up with this.
I was wondering where you are going with this though....so far it is accurate.
Is there a need for the explanations i.e. Merlin, Flight??? Actually as I ask I guess there is.
Keep it up...I just hope I find the time to write some more of mine.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2004-06-08 06:15:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
This is my attempt at a historical "what if?" scenario. Part I presents the historical background to the story.
I'd like to get some opinions on the idea and execution before I continue this. Be gentle... I'm fragile.