The Way to the Stars Page #5

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There.

The skirt's still far too long.

l shall tread on it, l know l shall.

No, you won't

Don't l look a sight!

Yes, you do look a sight.

l'll get your bouquet.

Why, whatever's the matter?

Nothing.

Darling Toddy.

- Good luck.

- Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen,

l am glad to say that to me

has fallen the lot to propose

the health of the...

...if l may coin a phrase,

"happy pair".

To the bridegroom, l would say this.

May his matrimonial takeoff

be straight and smooth.

May his climb through the clouds

of married bliss be swift and controlled.

May his navigation be sure, his air speed steady

and may all his engine troubles be little ones.

To the bride, l would merely say this.

That man again. Better get down the shelter.

Come on. Slide along, Corporal. Slide along.

Up a wee bit. That's it.

Thank you so much.

More ruddy craters!

Halfpenny Field.

Halfpenny?

That's a funny kind of a name.

Well, it seems in 1066,

the owner used to pay a"halfpenny" rent for it.

That was our biggest crater.

Over there. By that Boston.

That damn port engine's

still not giving me anything like the right boost.

- Why wasn't it fixed?

- l thought it was. We worked on it all morning.

lf you want to break our ruddy necks,

you're going the right way about it.

See it's fixed by 1430 this afternoon, eh?

Yes, sir. Shall l put it"US", then, sir?

l said,"Fix it", didn't l?

Yes, sir.

What's the matter, Dad?

lf you ask me, son, l think it's about time

that young chap had a bit of a rest.

Yeah.

This way, sir. This is the officers' mess

and this is the anteroom.

What a honey!

- What a ship!

- That's supposed to be American ?

Yeah gentlemen the B 17

""The Flying Fortress"" as we cal her is surely

the greatest bombing ship God ever made

Why, it cruises at 650.

Well, let's say 645.

We mustn't exaggerate, must me, gentlemen ?

This bombing ship is the only ship

that will fly in ever-decreasing circles,

until finally it shoots itself down.

Or conversely,

it disappears up its own...

Gosh.

The B17 is a mighty fast machine, son,

but l don't think it's quite as fast as all that.

l mean, yes, sir.

- l mean...

- l think l understand what you mean.

- Would you have a beer, sir?

- Thank you.

Gentlemen, Colonel Page.

- How do you do, sir?

- Thank you.

ls it true, sir, l mean, about the rumour?

What rumour?

Well, as you'll all get to hear about it,

sooner or later, yes, it's perfectly true.

That Halfpenny Field is being taken over

by the Yan... by the American Air Corps, sir?

- By the Eight Air Force.

- What sort of aircraft? A20s?

No, B17s.

"The Flying Fortress",

as we call her.

You "ve had it again Prune

Right. Well, tell her l'll be right down.

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