1954-07-24 — Page 6

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SOUTH CHINMORNING *

THIS

HONG KONG & KOWLOON

B

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1954,

GROUNDED!

1

So a jobless Bader leaves the RAF

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR - - -

ACK

Bader

at Wittering Was doing acrobatics again in a Bulldog as well as ever he had, though still irked by the compulsory presence of the instructor in The back cockpit,

Once or twice he assuaged this front to his dignity by brashly criticising the instructor's own aerobatles and giving him a few tips.

Bader's flying was so in- variably immaculate that resumption of full flying duties seemned "in the bag." On the strength of that he traded in his M.G. for later model that week, though it took the last

out penny

of his bank account.

Quick reply

NOW WALKING normally on tro metal legs and intent on getting back to his full fixing status in the RAF, Douglas Boder is sent to the Central Firing School at Wittering for a report on the oblilty. Meanwhite fa is not permitted to fly solo. At week-ends he drives to Loadon and goes dancing with Thelma Edwards, the girl be met at the Pantiles, where she was wacking as a waitress at the time he was learning to walk again.

REACH FOR

THE SKY

By

PART O

PAUL BRICKHILL

wing commander's office and the iman with the detached pro- essional air behind the desk said: "Ah, Bader, nice to see you again. Sit down, will you?'

ile

for sat, waiting equably

The wing com- the good news. munder cleared his throat and glanced at some papers on his desk. Clearing his throat again he said: "I've just been read- ing what the Central Flying School says about you. They say you can fly pretty well."

Bader

Forgetting discipline, flared angrily: "Well, why the hell did you send me there to

be tested?"

sald

Embarrassed, the wing com-

apologetically: mander "Well, you were very keen to have a shot and I'm just terribly sorry it turned out like this."

very

The pilots watching by the hangar saw the aircrats come down with Cox's arms ostentatiously' held high to demonstrate that Bader was doing the flying.

Officially he was still classed the grass. They were not off-

us "General Duties," the flying cially approved of and there- branch, and stubbornly he felt fore popular.) there might still be a chance of

Next morning at eleven o'clock Ketting an airborne job-how, he

watching by tho didn't know. They asked if he the pilots

saw the Allas waffle like to be

reclassifed hangar

down with Cox's arms ostenta- "Equip "Administrative"

or

the RAF

Towards the end of April he was set for by Squadron Leader Sanderson, CO of 10 Squadron and acting station commander in the senior man's absence.

Sanderson had been adjutant at Kenley before Bader lost his ment," and he said no. Vaguely tlously held high to demonstrate legs, and when the young man

walked inbo his office saluted, the good-natured San. unhappy, he soon knew that he that Bader was doing the flying.

slay in

At the critical moment as the derson said: "Douglas, this is the could never

on the worst thing I've ever had to do doing a ground job because his Atlas touched neatly unhappiness come from watch-

in the wing commander

the Ale Force I've just ing others flying.

walked round the site of the received a letter from Air Minis hangar, saw the performance and try....here, you'd better rood il guessed grimly from the Instruc- yourself." Ho passed the letter tor's upheld arms that he was across. Bader took it and read: allowing a pupil to do a tarmac Landing.

Grin faded

HE became friend-

о

tarmac

nised. The senior

sald

Subject: Flying Officer D. R.S. Bader.

(1) The Air Council regreta that in consequence of the reduits of this officer's final medical board he can no longer be em- the General Duties played in Branch of the Royal Air Force.

(2) It is suggested therefore the that this officer revert to "Was that you flying this air- retired list on the grounds of ill

health. craft, Bader?" "Yes, sir."

(3) A further communication "But you're not allowed to will be sent in respect of the dule of his retirement and detalis concerning his retired pay and disability pension.

J

Too sick with disappointment

ly with Joe As Cox climbed down, his grin and anger to argue any longer.

of orbe

the faded to see the wing commun- he pushed himself to his feet,

Instructore training der standing next to him like an said stilly, "Thank you

the Cambridge un- outraged schoolmaster. The wing much, sir," and stumped out.

dengraduates and commander opened his mouth to December day speak, and then Bader pushed Bader waited politely.

A work inter-it was Novem- Chief Flying

was recog "Unfortunately," tho wing ber

posted

the to when

wing commander up his goggles and WAS THE

dow-he Instructor sent commundor went on, "we can'! Duxford, a fighter station some, was away Cox took him up in for Bader and said: pass you it for flying because 40 miles north of London la ad Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, coldly: "Look, you're wast-

he there's nothing In King's Regu

gu Cambridgeshire, where

an Army co-operation biplans. Ing your time up, lations which covers your case. found 10 Squadron

flying Cox let his passenger do most of here. There's' For a moment it didn't sink in, Bulldogs, some instructors train- the flying and was impressed, after that when nothing more Wo and then a cold feeling slowly

Cambridge ing the

University Several times can teach you about flying and spread through han, He sat in

Air Squadron, and a precise, the coast was clear they went up there's no point in your mucking stunned silence for

few the immaculate wing commander in bogether, and after Cox's reports By!" about not able to go sulo.”

charge of the station, who sald: the other pilots were indignan! "Glad to have you here, Bader, that bureaucracy limited Bader You're taking over the motor to flying on the sly. transport section."

to

"That's what I was sent bere

find out, sir," Bader sold. "Once I'm passed by you the medical board can decide on my fying category.”

"All right," said the CFI. "1'11 write and tell 'em."

more

and moments found his voice: "But of course there's nothing in King's Regu

lations, sir,

fly.

That's why I was

sent to CFS. To see if could They were the only ones who could give ruling. i mean

doesn't that at the case?" The

wing commander cleared his throat again. "I'm sorry, I'm The answer came back усту sorry Indeed, but I'm surprisingly quickly a culi for ofraid not. We've thought about Bader to appear for another it a lot and I'm afraid there's medical. He drove to London nothing we can do about it." savouring the moment that

evening when he would see Thelma and tell her he WAS going back to n squadron,

In the Kingsway building the robund warrant officer гесер ilonist who had seen so mony accident

come

up for medical check, welcomed him. "Hallo, str. Back again. Just n moment, sir and I'll gel your Bic."

He was back with It shortly, saying: "You don't have to see the doctor after all, sir. the wing commander."

Good, Bader thought. formality.

He went into

Parker 51 Pen

MAKES THE BEST GIFT YET!

Only a the

ODITIE

"No, sir."

The wing commander turned to Cox. "Don't you know Bader fan't allowed to fly, Cox?"

Sanderson said: "I'm terribly

sorry,

That's all right, sir,” he said, Bader cut in. "No, sir," he and after a while he saluted and ed. "Flying Officer Cox had no stumped out. There did not idea, I should have told him, I seen anything else to say. In

way he had been expecting it! It was still a shock and left him odd numbed foeling. with an odd

They were discussing it in the The job was simple enough; mess one night when Cox said, not much more than sitting in "Look,

out and watch a le office all day drinking Douglas do a tarmac landing

(Tanac tomorrow.

landings know." tea, signing chils and giving

slowly orders about lorries. He knew consisted of coming in so several

"

of the squadron pilots and with such fine judgment The wing commander said and he thought it would not be that the aircraft touched down grimly: "Well, Cox, if you didn't diflcult to talk them into giving, on the short termne apron and know before, you know nowy,

to Bader is not to fly again),” him some flying.

stopped before running on

Where Railwaymen

T is usual to assume that, however much dis-

By DAVID LAIDLAW

forthright speech

In

has

content a given set of workers to do better and cut out

conditions may "unwarranted idling." working evoke, there will always be

This Only some who are satisfied. The

the the satellite nouncements railway system of the Com- been followed by similar pro- In Czechoslovakia, the munist countries are an ex- tates.

For Minister of Transport recently ception to this rule.

declared that the shortcomings literally no one is satisfied of the railways had inflicted nelther the Party nor the heavy damage on the national public, and certainly not the economy. He announced a new imposes greater decree which railway workers them-

on ali railway responsibilities selves. Every month this workers. becomes more obvious.

In the past few years there has been a spate of troubles in the East European rallway systems, with frequent reports

Hostility

13

Must

да

unsoldterly voco when the rallwaymen read this order.

It seems that women railway. employees are backsiders. "The they turn out," way in which

Minister went on wrath- fully, "is impossible. With uniform blouse they put on ä civilian skirt, and add a hat... It is intolerable that they should

fashion shoes and im possibly coloured stockings with their uniforms" The Minister con- added: The slightest

of the regulations travention must bo

censured and punished."

wear

to

coum-

Those who ate inclined accept Communist criticism of railway workers' conditions in the West at its face value should themselves reflect irport the working conditions of railway- men in the Communist trics, and upon the military mindedness of the authorities that issue orders of the kind de

the

Procedit scribed paragraph. Con we belleve this semi-martial discipline is

for

"peace, about the necessary

In Hungary, said a refugeć of accidents and so-called acts railway official, "one of the main of sabotage. This is under- reasons for accidents is the flood atandable in view of the heavy of instructions and decrees with to the which stationmasters have strain put upon them in

a contributory carriage of goods to and from deal." This Russia.

factor, no doubt; but there also appears to be very marked hostility between the Communist authorities and the workers, Viewed from a distance,

Running Slowly

ать

ས

of a

ضا

It would appear from reports, situation has its comic aspect, which the Communist Party however, that the Russian Another Hungarian refugee has talks so incessantly? Are rail- ministerial roads not the veins and arteries system is also very unsatisfac- given news

All Union Con- tory. As

warning delivered earlier, this of war? ferenco of Railway Workers, year to railwaymen who misus held from May 4 to May 11, their uniforms and fail to saluto 1954, L., M. Kaganovich, First properly. Deputy Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, strongly criticised the Soviet railway system for having falled "for years" to full its loading plans.

"I have spoken over and over

of again," said the Minister Transport, "about railway em ployees in uniform not behaving like soldiers... In place of the soldierly solute many just about a greeting...If the man question is wearing a cap should salute...if not, he should turn his eyes towards cauitled to the the person : salute. No word should pass."!

he

He also said that passenger trains ron more slowly in 1953- 54 than before the war, and that accidents had been taken us a matter of course, so that mea sures to eliminate them were put in band only after they had occurred. He announced a new schedule which would be a One can imagine some of the that did Dass - sotto "mighty weapon" to compel bad words

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THAT LOOKS LIKE:- THE SAME SNOW. MAN, BUT IT'S". HUNDREDS OF MAN FEET AWAY NOW!

THIS PLACE GETS STRANGER AND STRANGER

·NAPDA~-

FAT BAD

HAD

NO REAS

*ES HAUNTED

-

Tragic Aspect

Salute

Nor was this an isolated in- cident. To arrest and sentence

an

+but

Shortly it began to seep through od, possessing mo ddill that ha that he would soon be unemploy could profitably use and mobile only so long as he could afford to buy petrol for the MG.

'Read it. yourself'

HE

drove down to see Thelma and told her.

could

"But you still stay in on the ground, couldn't you?" she asked...

railwaymen immediately after the accident appears to be normal thing, Sometimes. how- ever the charge is not cate-

He said bluntly: "I suppose lessness, but treason and es plonage. This is evidently s

comic, but I won't. It's no good ia- when active resistance is

anti-State being in, the Air Force unless Thus on volved. group" of Czech railwaymen you're of it, and as far as I'm was charged in the Spring, of concerned you're not of it unless 1054 with trying to dislocate you're flying." railway trafik, the alleged leader receiving the death sentence,

Scapegoats

"Do you have any idea as to what you'd like to do?"

"Frankly," he said, “nox*!**

He took her out to dinner, and they sat close together. After a In East Germany, where the cilence he said obliquely, I'm not much of a proposition for railway system is notoriously

anyone, you know. No lega.. No bia owing to dismantling and job. No money." overloading, axitimber of rail- waymen were recently arrested for what the East German news espionage agency described as and sabotage on behalf of the

Weat Berlin branch of

the

"Don't worry," she said “We'll make out. I could always make a low pennies at the Pantiles."

There was not much more tion. No blunt answer. Just'a American Intelligence Service," mid than that. No blunt ques- Railway personnel were asked delicato understanding that sent to be vigilant and to co-operate him back to Duxford quietly in thwarting such dangerous happy, knowing he was not

pots."

alone.

Shortly another letter came Some of these men have no doubt been made scapegoats from the Alt Ministry, per for, the Party's sins. With him £100 a year total disability sonal but not unkind, granting

mich certainty, we can..KAV that there no love lost be pension and £99 10s, 'a ybair That was not too and retired pay. tween the Commamista those, they claim to stand for. bad in those days at least, dor There is bitter worldig is dings, someone content to exist quietly, The situation also has its opposition to Soviet rule in all Bader wasn't

'WORLD:1 COPYRIGHT: ZRSELVED tragic aspect. It is not long the satellite countries.

Czechoslovak Party

"Reach for the Sky" by Paut since Budapest Radio annamood simultaneously the "trial and At the execution of a railway employee Congres, Novotny First Poets Brickhill, is published by Collins, and DOWN of an accident he was Socretary, complained of what alleged to have caufed through he called solidarity" carelessness three days earlier, among transport workers.

from mado In the resistance which An immediate protest was made by the International Transport time to time shows itself, Eko a Workers' Federation, who flash from a hidden fire, there pointed out that no proper in-lign of that true solidarity. quiry could have been held in so for which railway workers are

renowned all over the world, short a period.

By Lee Falk and Phil Davis

*THEN WE SAW-- OR THOUGHT WE

SAW--THE GHOST SKIER

HOW-- A"SNOW MAN THAT MOVES! I THINK I'LISTAKE A WALK DUT THERE HARDA.

Next Wednesday:- *suppose we can start thinking

wttling "mmaeriad 'now," sald' Bader,

TALK

"Prides: ROLLED SOLD)

• Agosti - BURIRO (CI