homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Battle of Britain + Battle of Britain II Here's what happened (Continued)

Folks,

Dux:

Once again you are far too modest. The fact that you were lighting a fine Havana stogie with your stole... swipe... pilfere... borrowed Zippo lighter at the very moment when the emission in question occurred was crucial as well.

That event was at the time and it continues to be regarded by those who survived it as "The Big Blast of '42". I vaguely remember waking in the infirmary two days later with several nasty contusions and a serious concussion. My uniform had to be burned and it took a full week of scrubbing down with lye soap just to remove the stench. Before waking in the infirmary things are a bit misty. I do have a recurring nightmare in which the brave but doomed Huncrusher is trying unsuccessfully to stuff the empty barrel's bung right up Olga's, well you know.

I'm told this is what actually happened right after the initial blast which rendered most of us unconscious. Huncrusher came to, grasped the situation instantly and grabbed the bung. He ran to Olga's side and thrust the bung toward the offending location. This he attempted in a valiant effort to stop any residual deadly emissions. The rumor that I was the one that poured that spittoon over you and your smoldering cigar is a blatant lie. The blast blew you and your smoke out a window and I was found comatose under a table.

Though he was unsuccessful... ummm ahhh... in the end... I'm advised there is no doubt that General Huncrusher saved several lives by his superb and selfless effort. Totally blotto, Olga became aroused by what she thought were Huncrusher's amorous advances with the bung. She grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged the helpless general outside and into some convenient bushes where all additional emissions were safely dissipated. After that point I understand his useless cries for mercy were heard by the few who were still conscious and that they were pitiful indeed and truly unnerving. Nearly everyone who was ambulatory went home. The rest were collected by ambulances and whisked away as the terrible wailings from Huncrusher reached a crescendo.

Sadly all attempts to erect a statue commemorating the valorous action came to naught when it was determined that:
1) Strictly speaking it had not been a combat action
2) There was not enough bronze in the whole of Britain to sculpt both Olga's behind and Huncrusher's likeness
3) Even the survivors would not willingly part with their brass to pay the tariff
4) A reasonably sober Olga threatened to kick the statue over the day it went up

MG:

Yes all work on the Manhattan Project was stopped for several days until it was deemed safe to begin again. The transatlantic cable between Washington and London was red hot for a time as Mr. Churchill tried to convince Mr. Roosevelt that they had not exploded an A-bomb.

Thanks for your good wishes. We sit and wait. It appears the great storm has slightly weakened. The storm is however near. Good night Irene.