Lou, I’m surprised that neither Collins nor Jericho came to visit Swany in the hospital.

13 February , 1916 8:00
Senard, Verdun Sector
Escadrille N37
Sergent Gaston A. Voscadeaux

Durand is still sick in bed and Gaston gets physically sick every time he looks at the damp grey skies. Then this little voice in his head that sounds exactly like his darling wife asks him: “Would you prefer to be down there in the mud?” Gaston's immediate response is always a resounding “no” and so, here he is flying another recon mission over the front lines directly north of Senard aerodrome. Along with his wingman, Caporal Papinet and his stand-in observer Roze, they are to note any troop or vehicle movement. Movement? There is plenty of movement with les Bouchers Noirs* mistreating part of the landscape occupied by the Boche. Of course there was movement. The Huns were scurrying away from the shells falling on their heads.

*Les Bouchers Noirs : “ The Black Butchers “ - soldiers in the artillery. The name referred to the colour of the artillery uniforms and the devastating damage their guns inflicted.


"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys,
The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain,
From out of my arse take the camshaft,
And assemble the engine again."