The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-02
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert GraySon

voice suddenly doomed at him:
Tommy speaking on the radio
phone. Can you hear me. Gun?
over :"
Gun speaking, Tommy. l can
hear you splendidly What's the
idea of this gadget? over ="
You're asking me? The only
tw special things about this cod
machine are this radio-phone,
extra heavily amplified. and the
radio set. Gives Morse in lights as
well as sound-red for dots. white
for dashes. You're in charge OF the
radio. Phone enables you to attend
to it and talk TO me without
changing headphones, if necessary.
Send out message in cole We are
in the air-awaiting instructions
And, by the way, before you do
that. put on the belt you'll find by
the right-hand side of you"
Gun found the belt. attached to
it a holster. carrying a heavy.
long range service revolver and a
pouch of cartridges.
This looks like business" COM
mented Gun to himself He adjust
ed the belt, slipped on the radio
headphones, and tapped out his
message, using the F2 code.
At a thousand feet Tommy had
ceased to climb, and was flying
around in a wide circle, After a
few moments there was agitation
on the radio. 1t commenced to
buzz. and the white and red lights
flashed:
Toni Toni y to C
Fly S. s. f., as slowly as possible
You may presently get a message
1t probably will be in Air Force
code. D2. or w. O. code, A3 But
cannot be certain II will give you
instructions AS soon as received.
acknowledge and state you are fol-
lowing instructions. Then immedi-
ately relay message to me. and
await my instructions. Now &C
knowledge and repeat this mes
sage"
Gun repled;
&c. to Y c. to X. Message re-
ceived as follows" repeated mes
sage. instructions understood,
and will be followed. Tony-Tony."
He spoke into the radio-phone:
Hello, Tommy. Instructions
through. Turn her due S. S. F., and
fly as slow as you can. Furtl in
structions to come. Have you got
it? Over"
90 K. Gun! Looks as though
the hunt Is up. even If we can't
see the quarry l say, this is flying
blind. in more ways than one,
though. isn't it? Over
Never mind, Tommy. There are
advantages in being blind. A mods
as good as wink to a blind horse,
they say
1t was a fine night. There was a
ground mist over the surface of
the earth. but up there it was clear
and sparkling, with he stars
twinkling above and the air like
wine.
They flew steadily for half an
hour or so, and Guns spirits be-
gan to drop. 1t looked as though
there would be nothing doing.
after all!
The radio sang out:
Calling plane x. o. o.
Calling plane - O. o. ="
Guns spirits scared again. and
he answered with promptitude and
enthusiasm:
plane X. o. o. answering. Do
you want us ?"
"Poop-poop pooop-poop-
poop :"
The answer was not in code, and
read:
IF you are X o. O., who is
sending"
Gun replied:
Pilot. Squadron Leader Hazel
deane, T., sending. Who are you? ?"
1t was part of Guns business to
be familiar with certain stock
codes, and the reply to his query
came in War Office code A.3. as X
had suggested 1t might. 1t read:
wv. o. Department All. to
Squadron Leader T. Hazeldeane.
Plane X. o. o. Set your course for
Cape Clear,rto arrive over that
point at approximately half an
hour before dawn. Then set your
course w. S. W.. and proceed until
you pick up large black plane.
number G1313' in reu. She will
communicate with you. using this
code. You will obey her instruc-
tons to the letter. Reply, and re-
peat message If understood"
Gun passed on the message to
Tommy Hazeldeane through the
ut looks as though there might
be some fun after ALL"
Ito BE Continued)