Free Republic

At long last, the glove has come off. After 20-odd years of training exercises, drill parades, dawn reccys, evening fly-bys and, let's not forget, the occasional kamikaze mission, my boys are finally due for live action. Morale runs at an all-time high, fructose rations are doubled, rumour circulates like wildfire: the next scramble will be for real, offering a chance for heroism and great honour in triumph against all odds; or, more likely, a death for once blessed with dignity, at rest beside millions of comrades fallen similarly in the line of duty, glory in their minds, joy in their...