Chapter XVII: “Auf Wiedersehen”

A fortnight later found us in Warnemünde, awaiting embarkation. We were quartered in the luxurious Naval Flying Corps Barracks, and living on the fat of the land, but chafing and impatient for the old “Blighty” ship. The natives of Warnemünde were obsequiously polite to the _Engländer_ now. I was returning one evening to the _Flugplatz_ when I was overtaken by a kindly-looking old lady.

“_Guten Abend, Junger_,” she said, smiling pleasantly. “They say you’re leaving tomorrow. I suppose you’re glad you are going home?”

I told her I was.

“My boys will never come again,” she went on sadly, and she told me about her three sons which she had sacrificed for the Fatherland.

“Now the nightmare is over,” she sighed, “and _Deutschland liegt unter_!”[24]

Finally, as she grasped my hand before turning down another street:

“Tell them to be merciful on us,” she said. “Goodbye, and _bon voyage_!”

True enough the next day we marched down overloaded with kit and souvenirs to board the ship and bade a final “_Auf Wiedersehen_” to the Land of Captivity. Happy and excited we greeted the ship as a Goddess of Liberty come to take us to a better land. Laughing and singing were the order and with the unfailing humor of Tommy Atkins as we mounted the gangplank arose the familiar strains of:

“... For this is the end of a Perfect Day.”

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[24] Germany lies under (Germany is vanquished).

Transcriber’s Notes

Obvious errors in punctuation have been fixed.

Page 12: “bid them boodbye” changed to “bid them goodbye”

Page 23: “the Millenium belongs” changed to “the Millennium belongs”

Page 27: “wearing classes” changed to “wearing glasses” and “sound of our foosteps” changed to “sound of our footsteps”

Page 29: “_Landpolizei_ road up.” changed to “_Landpolizei_ rode up”

Page 38: “up-turned mustacche” changed to “up-turned mustache” “chef of III Kompanie” changed to “chief of III Kompanie”

Page 47: “are are going home” changed to “are going home”