Colin Gee - Stalemate

Crozier looked away from his waist guns, and saw Rawson moving forward.

“All yours, Tiger,” and Crozier slapped the gunner on the shoulder, as he headed towards the stairs, that rose up to the flight deck.

Rawson had been nicknamed ‘Sid’ at a young age, for reasons best known to God, and his friends in Mrs Oosterhuis’ class. That label survived until the first time that 246 Squadron’s Operations officer had placed his initials up on the crew roster.

By the time those present had stopped laughing at G.R.R.R., ‘Sid’ was history, and ‘Tiger’ was born.

“Radar Contact, bearing 010, range approximately 95 miles, heading unknown, possibly south-south-west, Skipper.”

Magic Malan’s report was delivered in his normal impersonal style. The type VIc Radar set was supposed to be capable up to 100 miles in the right circumstances, and Flight Sergeant Malan always seemed to coax the best out of the equipment.

Cox thumbed his mike.

“Busby, fit in with you at all?”

After the slightest delay the Navigator replied.

“Position could tie in with the Stord, Skipper.”

“Roger.”

Stord was a destroyer of the Royal Norwegian Navy, one of the array of vessels converging on the area.

Crozier slipped into the second seat, a place he often occupied. He had failed his pilot’s training, not on his ability behind the controls, but more on his inability with the required mathematics.

Lining up on the wreckage, Cox throttled back as much as he dared.

“Ok crew, Slow pass. Keep your eyes skinned.”

As the big flying boat did a leisurely flyover, Dagga and the rear-gunner, Van der Blumm, confirmed the presence of Naval personnel amongst the survivors, as well as many bodies floating on the surface.

“Skipper, radar target has changed course, now confirmed at 90 miles, heading 190. She changed course after Sparks lit up the airwaves.”

“Roger, Magic.”

Standing orders no longer permitted the Flying Boat to touch down and recover the Canadians, but as the Norwegian Navy was coming to the rescue, it just meant a few more hours on the water for the survivors.

“Dagga, use the Aldis. Let them know we can’t stop, but help is on its way. Witty, how long?”

Navigator Jason Witt was already prepared for the question, so his answer was immediate.

“Thanks, Witty. Four hours, Dagga. And wish them good luck. Sparks, send confirmed survivors at this location.””

The Sunderland circled slowly, as the Aldis lamp blinked out the message to the men below.

“Skipper, message sent.”

“Roger Dagga. Right, now let’s find the bastards who did this.”

For more, watch out for Book Four of the Red Gambit series, ‘Impasse’, which should be available by December 2013, on Amazon Kindle as a download, and createspace.com as a book.