Sergeant Moulton and I discussed ways to add additional firepower to my Scout, but before the additional gun could be mounted I was again in the air.
This time I happened upon a pair of more familiar prey; two Albatos two-seaters.
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Between gun jams and reloading I exchanged ineffective fire with the pair as they reached their target and took their photos.
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They then started back the way they’d come. We continued our ineffective duel and my frustration grew.
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At one point we were flying in what appeared to be formation.
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Then I made a foolhardy move to get closer. It paid off as my target went down, but Huntress took some hits too. And I had almost exhausted my ammunition.
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I then moved right to bring my machinegun to bear on the other Albatros. The few rounds I fired found their marked. The Albatros exploded and fragments rained down upon the countryside below.
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I was elated! I had scored my first double victory, but Huntress was badly wounded in the duel. I turned her back towards base and it was then I noticed I too had been wounded. The left side of my head had been grazed and was damp with blood.
Upon returning to base I was sent directly to the infirmary where I was tended by a comely young nurse. Her name was Jane, a French Canadian, who spoke English with the cutest lisp.
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When the doctor arrived he stitched my wound. Jane intrigued me so I stayed around until she was off-duty.
She didn’t really seem surprised to see me when I said, “Hello.”
She smiled.
“May I walk you to your quarters?”
“That would be nice.”
That smile again.
We talked as we walked. She was from Montreal; born there is the autumn of ‘98. This was her first time away from home or, for that matter, off the island where the city stood. She had attended a Catholic Girls School then received training as a nurse. She’d only been in country a couple of months.
When we arrived at her place I asked if she would like to see a movie when we were both off duty.
“Are you asking me on a date? I’ve never been on a date.”
That surprised me. “Well, then we’ll have to make it extra special then. So?”
She nodded, “Yes.”
We talked some more then said our goodbyes for the evening. I left resolved to make our next meeting an extra special one…
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