Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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****************Perth docks, March 22, 1942(e)*********** Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: <inspecting row upon row of unused Mitchell II bombers, canvas still on the windscreen and engine nacelles. An ear to ear grin overtakes his face> SPLENDID, SPLENDID, SPLENDID! LOVLEY, LOVELY, LOVELY! A great leap forward over those bloody flying coffins! Damnable Jap invasion of New South Wales is the best thing that ever happened! Pried loose some help from those stingy bastards in London and Washington. Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Aye, sir. That it did. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: When can we have them, son. The men are like children on Christmas Eve. Harbour Quatermaster Dude: <consults clipboard> Let me see......Mitchell II....ummmm......<cheerily> 2nd maybe, 3rd at the latest. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: Splendid! I'll go tell the men straight away! Harbour Quatermaster Dude: But sir, why the hurry? Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: Hurry? Are you serious that's less than two weeks. We've a training operation to set up..crews, ground support, ordnance lads. Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Oh, no, sorry sir. I meant the third of August. They aren't officially in inventory until August, sir. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: Not in inventory? <touches a horizontal stabilizer of the nearest plane> This, this is real. Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Oh, yes sir. They are REAL, just not in inventory. You'll need to talk the lads in Procurement, sir. They're in Canberra, sir. I have the phone number sir. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: Splendid! May I use the phone in your office? Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Absolutely, sir. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: Thank you son. <begins walking to the office> Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Oh, you're quite welcome, sir.....Sir, you aren't going to call Canberra are you sir? Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: <stops abruptly> Whom else would I be calling? Is there a problem? Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Yes, you might say that, sir. There is catch. The phone lines to Canberra go through Melbourne and the bloody Japs have pretty much surrounded Melbourne, sir. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: So the bloody marvelous planes that have been shipped across two oceans at great cost and peril to help us in our hour of desperate, existential need...we cannot use because we need permission from a place that is cut off because of the bloody Jap invasion? Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Yes, sir, succinctly that is the situation. Squadron Leader Forsythe, No. 25 Squadron, RAAF: That is quite a catch. Harbour Quatermaster Dude: Oh, yes the best sir, Catch 22
< Message edited by Cap Mandrake -- 2/11/2016 3:44:15 PM >
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