War Story

[EARTHLING]

I am re-reading

War Story

War Story

by Derek Robinson which was originally published in 1987 and re-published by Cassel Military Paperbacks in 2001.
It is set in 1916 and they are flying Fe2b's and regard BE2c's as suicidal because they are inherently stable. They are known as 'Quirks.' The time is just before the Battle of the Somme.
There has been discussion before on the merits of Goshawk Squadron which was nominated for the Booker prize Alex Revell being critical. Personally I liked it.
My point with War Story is two fold:

1 Robinson has a gift for comic dialogue and his characters are more than two dimensional. Whether pilots of that period, however, speak in the manner suggested I have some doubts. Undestatement is typically British. RFC communiques were referred to as 'Comic Cuts'. The dialogue I felt might be better suited to pilots in WW2. This is not to say that I didn't laugh uproariously. I set out below an example.

2 When I see that there has been a glossary published for the terms used etc of Bennet's smash hit on Broadway of 'The History Boys' I wonder if what is funny to us (Brits) is funny to our American cousins. In fairness I thought 'Catch 22' which has passed into our language was a superb example of comedy with a point. I can't think of its title.

I would be glad of comments .

" Oh, one last thing," Cleve-Cutler said (new CO). I'm sorry to see you all looking disgustingly fit. It means I can't try out my Universal High-Altitude Cure-All Treatment. Doesn't matter what's wrong with the chap. I take him up to five thousand feet and chuck him out. By the time he's fallen four thousand nine hundred and ninety feet, the rush of air has completely cured him. Never fails. Marvellous isn't it?" He beamed like a bishop.
Somebody had to ask, so somebody did. "What about the last ten feet?"
"Well he's fit and strong by then , isn't he? Strong enough to fall ten feet, I should hope."
"Actually, it's only the last six inches that hurt," someone else said. Cleve-Cutler roared with laughter, and this time they joined in. Cautiously but it was a start.

Reading from the newspaper, "Do you know Kitchener's dead?"
"No but if you play it I'll try to sing along."

EARTHLING

[EARTHLING]

In view of the absence of a response but convinced that members who view ‘Books & Magazines’ are the crème de la crème in that they are literate in reading and writing whereas others content themselves with viewing blurred photographs of multi winged flying machines or discuss the merits of rotary engines. I thought it worthwhile to quote further passages for your delectation from Robinson’s masterpiece ‘War Story’.

.”By the way, I had a word with Frank Foster,” the CO told Dando (Squadron Doctor). “He said he thinks you’re dotty.”
“Yes, I know. He came and apologised for that. He was very calm and civilised about it. Apparently he’s been under a lot of strain concerning a personal matter.”
“Family problems?”
“I’m not sure I ought to discuss it.”
“If he’s told you, he’s told half the squadron,” Brazier (Adjutant, very tall & strong) said.
“It’s about his lady friend in England, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it seems someone wrote and told him she had died, rather violently. That’s why he got so upset. Now he’s heard it was all a mistake, she’s really alive and well.”
“Good!” said Cleve-Cutler (CO). “So that’s alright.”
“If you’re worried about Foster’s state of mind,” the adjutant said, “you could always send him to see a doctor called Jackson. That’s who my general sent me to see after I shot young Ashby. Jackson’s the Army’s top man on heads, I understand.”
“How did you get on with him?”
“Useless! The man’s mentally defective.”
“As a matter of interest,” Dando said, “how could you tell?”
“Simple. He wanted to talk about panic. How could one recognise panic? So I picked up the poker and chased him round his desk for a couple of minutes. He knew all about panic. Didn’t thank me for it, though. Got very angry, screamed, made no sense. Touch of insanity somewhere in the family, I shouldn’t wonder.”
“Forget Jackson,” Cleve-Cutler told Dando.
“And forget Foster?”
“He’s happy flying and killing Huns. And besides, I’m not about to go looking for a new Flight Commander when the Big Push is starting.”…………..


“Never apologise when you’ve got an alibi,” O’Neil told Essex. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“And we’ve got them licked in the air. That’s obvious.”
“I had an alibi once,” Mayo said, “but Dando gave me some ointment to rub on it.”….

[Pips]

Derek Robinson definitely has a gift when it comes to writing of the absurd in a everyday manner. All his books are well worth reading.

[EARTHLING]

The viewing figures after the first extract were 40 and though not excessive encouraged the second excerpt from ‘Air Story. The viewing figures then rose to 52 by 10.00p.m. GMT.; but soared to a massive 66 when the antipodes bestirred themselves and there was a succinct but welcome intervention from Cobby.
Encouraged by having received no abuse I set out below a further extract replete with annotations for our American cousins.

Note:
Paxton and Lacey were fellow pupils at Sherbourne, a British Public School. This means of course that whilst originally a charitable institution it now admitted only the progeny of the wealthy with the occasional scholarship for the intellectual peasant and bursaries for the bright pupil. Bursaries being a form of cash discount (fee reduction) to encourage the intelligent to attend the school in order to prevent it being dominated by the intellectually challenged. Paxton is 19 patriotic, very brave but dim or to put it another way foolhardy and not very bright. Lacey on the other hand is shrewd, and intelligent but with no desire to take a commission and fight for King and Country.
I must emphasise that these words are mine and for Robinson’s now read on:

“Boy Binns chucked a bucket of water at Paxton, so he dived into the pool and cruised underwater until his outstretched fingers touched the other side. He came up to see Corporal Lacey looking down at him.
“Circumcision is clearly a hallmark of the British middle class,” Lacey said, “I make the vote fourteen to three in favour of the amendment, with one member indecisive.”
Paxton climbed out. ”What about you?”
“Oh, quite, quite conventional. As an infant I shut my eyes and thought of England, or at least the Home Counties, while the surgeon’s knife made the supreme sacrifice. So I suppose you could say I did my bit for my country. Not a very big bit but—“
“Look here,” Paxton said, “I really don’t care, so if that’s all you came to tell me…..”
“I wondered if you’d mind witnessing Rufus Milne’s will.”(previous CO).
Paxton dried his hands on a towel, took the document, and glanced through it before he fully understood what Lacey had said. “How on earth can I witness his will? The man’s dead. There’s no signature here. He hasn’t signed it.”
“A detail. To be added later.”
Paxton turned a page. “One thousand pounds to the Golden Sunset Donkey Sanctuary, Taunton Somerset,” he said.
“Milne was very fond of donkeys.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“A generous gesture. It will be much appreciated.”
“You’ve faked this, haven’t you? It’s all a cheat.”
“Nothing of the sort. It’s all perfectly valid. I spent two years in the family law office, you know.” He took the will back. “My mother’s sister Maud, set up the Golden Sunset Donkey Sanctuary. She does splendid work, but funding is an endless headache…. Oh well, if you won’t witness it I shall have to find someone else.”
“You’ll never get away with this.”
“I always have. Toby Chivers, for instance, left five thousand to the Leeds and District Society for Unmarried Mothers. That’s my cousin Harriet’s main interest in life.”
“I think I’ll turn you over to the police.”
“In that case I shan’t tell you about the equipment for the tennis courts that I’ve just got hold of.”
“Ah,” Paxton was quite good at tennis. It would be nice to be squadron tennis champion. “Nets and stuff, eh? We ought to find a nice level bit of grass.”
“I’ve found one. Perfectly level, no slope, but it’s got a few bumps.”
“We need a roller, then.”
“We need a company of infantry. There’s a battalion in camp behind the church who seem keen on drill. Why don’t you ask them to come and march up and down on our tennis court? Take a box of cigars with you.” (Paxton has an uncle who keeps sending supplies of cigars. Lacey uses them to acquire things.)
“All right.” Paxton looked at Lacey and shared in the warm glow of the Public School Spirit. “Hell’s bells, what the devil, give me your pen,” he said, and witnessed the will. “It can’t be illegal,” he said, “because I’m not actually witnessing anything, am I?”
“You know, it’s time you put your own affairs in order,” Lacey said, “I’ll draft something for you to look at.”

[Taz]

Earthling- Any rotary engines or multi-winged aircraft in the book? Could be interesting. Joseph Heller's book was titled Catch 22 and there is a sequel if you are interested.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[EARTHLING]

Thank you Taz for your timely reminder because my last input should be about aeroplanes fighting. Robinson, after all was writing a book about a squadron called Hornet flying and fighting in 1916, just before the Battle of the Somme. The piece quoted reflects his unsentimental style of writing.
Taz, I did not know there was a sequel to Heller’s Catch 22 and I would be interested in reading it, if I knew what it was called.

NOTE
Paxton is the observer and O’Neil is the pilot. The plane is an F.E.2d which has a 150 H.P. Beardmore engine with a fixed forward firing gun for the pilot. Paxton also has a forward firing M.G. and one on a pillar mounting for firing over the 6 cylinder engine and tail.

“C” Flight’s orders were to go trench-strafing in support of the attack, but the mist would have to clear first. O’Neil hung about until the archie became a pest. It was curious how they could see him up here when he couldn’t see them down there. He changed height and course, and flew near some British Nieuports having a scrap with some Fokkers. It was none of his business until a Nieuport dropped out, looking unhappy: one wing down, dirty smoke pumping from the exhausts. It was heading west at no great speed and being overhauled by one of the Fokkers.
O’Neil flew an interception course and arrived in time to make a nuisance of himself. Paxton fired a drum at long range, the Fokker got distracted, the Nieuport limped across the Lines. O’Neil was ready to leave it at that but the Fokker was determined to fight someone. It wanted to make a flank attack while O’Neil preferred a head-on attack, so they had a head-on attack. Paxton welcomed it. The Lewis clattered cheerfully, the enemy blossomed in his sights, tracer drifted towards the Hun as if it were being hauled in by hand. The enemy tracer flicked harmlessly past, as it always did. Someone stuck a red-hot poker through his right arm, ripped his hand off the Lewis and flung him back in his seat. Then the sun went in.
It came out again, but the sky was not blue. It was a milky white. O’Neil’s fixed Lewis was banging away. The Fokker was twisting and dodging. Paxton reached out to grab his own Lewis and discovered a right hand and arm covered in blood. There was so much blood he couldn’t work the trigger. There was so much blood, the slipstream blew it along his sleeve. The funny thing was, his arm didn’t hurt. He used his other arm to feel it. That hurt. Oh Christ did that hurt! The sun went in again. Night fell early.

The really funny thing Paxton tried to tell everyone at the Casualty Clearing Station, was the way getting shot in the arm turned other people deaf. It was really very funny. He could clearly remember O’Neil and someone else lifting him out of the cockpit and O’Neil asking something, or at least his mouth kept opening and shutting but no sounds came out. Same with Dando, when Paxton was lying on a stretcher. Much mouth action, no sound. Which meant they had all gone deaf and that was very funny, you must agree. Paxton tried to tell everyone. Some smiled, some didn’t. They were all deaf too. In the end he gave up. It was awfully tiring talking to deaf people. He fell asleep.

[Taz]

Earthling- The sequel is Closing Time and you can find it here for a very low price. Hopefully a dealer near you. Will pick up Robinson's books, sound like fun and also fairly well researched. What was Alex's complaint?

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/...+NOVEL+BY&x=15

Taz
Terry Phillips

[EARTHLING]

Originally Posted by Taz

Earthling- The sequel is Closing Time and you can find it here for a very low price. Hopefully a dealer near you. Will pick up Robinson's books, sound like fun and also fairly well researched. What was Alex's complaint?

http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/...+NOVEL+BY&x=15

Taz
Terry Phillips

Taz

Alex was critical of Goshawk Squadron because, if my memory serves me correctly, Woolley the CO of his 1918 SE5a squadron insisted tin cans were thrown overboard in flight and shot at to improve gunnery. Alex stated that this would have a deleterious effect upon the prop and/or sundry other parts of the planes structure. This was the book that was recommended for the Booker prize but didn’t win. The Booker is our poor man’s equivalent of the Pulitzer.
Derek Robinson was born in 1932, did his National Service in the RAF, and graduated from Cambridge with a degree in modern history.
Famous Alex and I have some additional claim to fame in that we appear to be the only two people posting to this site that have heard and read about Captain Rupert Turk, who appears in a book of short stories called ‘War Patrol’ by A.S.Long (whoever he was). The end of the book contains one of the great tales on the RFC. Almost a novella it is called 5 Days and relates the wiping out in 1917 of a squadron of outclassed Sopwith 1.5 Strutters. It also has an American, Paul Jackson Butler an ex mining engineer as the narrator. Published by John Hamilton in 1936 it is very rare and the cheapest copy is £20 odd, i.e. $35. I am always quoting from it, so apologise for mentioning it further.
Re the Heller sequel, I always try the local municipal lending library in the first place for a recommended book in case I don’t like it. Over here we run a service for the cost of a post card that libraries will obtain a copy for you from others of the same ilk. If that is not possible they will purchase one as they have an allocation of funds for new stock. I got to read ‘Tumult of the Clouds’ in this way. I look forward to reading the sequel.
Regards

EARTHLING

[Taz]

Earthling- Thanks for the info. Alex has a point because you would have to throw very large cans overboard for it to be possible to even see them, much less shoot at them. Not to mention which, firing range would have had to be very short followed almost immediately by a clunk as you hit the object at which you were shooting. Not sure it would do much for marksmanship either since the aerodynamics of an open tin can differ slightly from those of an aircraft.

Both sides killed quite a few people shooting at ground targets, however, and at least this could have been done at altitude where it was safer. Do not remember reading about WW-I use of towed targets.

War Patrol sounds fascinating, as well. Found a copy for only $15, so will jump on it. Also found a hardback copy of War Story for $5 so will go for that , too. Thanks for the heads-up. It is good to read WW-I books and only have to translate from King's English to Yank English rather than from German to English.

Taz
Terry Phillips

[alex_revell]

Hello all,
Goshawk Sqdn is a poor book because Robinson has no knowledge of the time in which it was set, the mores and language of the people concerned. In historical novels, apart from a knowledge of the time, and any technical details (aeroplanes etc, and putting bullets through somebody's tailplane to encourage them to get nearer to the target, really!!) it's important to get the mode and patterns of speech correct for the period, otherwise a false impression of the period is given to the reader and everything goes out of the window. This is what made the Aubrey/Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian so much better than the other novels in the genre. People speak in the speech patterns of the time and all the details of daily life in the period are accurate, giving a true picture of the time in which story takes place. This takes the reader into the time. Read Winged Victory by V Yeates and see how bad Goshawk Sqdn really is. This is not to say that Robinson writes badly, I read another of his about WW2 flying (in the desert, if memory serves) which was pretty good. He was obviously on firmer ground with WW2 material. Maybe he knew some WW2 pilots. If you chaps really want to have a really good read of WW1 flying, with some genuine very comic writing thrown in, I'd recommend Three Cheers For Me, That's Me in the Middle, It's Me Again, and the others by Donald Jack. They were published in the middle 70s by Quartet Books.
Sorry to be such a nit picker, but I think it's important to get things right in historical novels. If one picked up a novel about everyday farm folk in Georgian England and one of the characters drove a Fordson tractor, then, hopefully, the book would go out of the window into the trash can.
Cheers
Alex R