THE COVENANTER
RAF staion but a small private airfield with down to four of them with Dicky acting as
a lot of small planes and the De Havilland Banker and Dealer and about fifty pounds in
Rapide in Rothmans colours standing near bets floating about the table when in walks
a building with lots of civvy sport jumping the Colour Sergeant. He watched them play
fanatics and some Paras in civvies waiting until one was cleaned out and left the table
their turn to get up in the air. It really looked whereupon he asked the players if we could
as though I was going up with them when join the game.
Sam went off to borrow some overalls,boots It was pointed out to him that this was the
and helmet for me from his friends. I just end of a game that had been going for four
couldn’t back out now, besides some of these days, the stakes were high and he would
sport jumpers were girls. Apart from that need at least twenty pounds to get in. At this
Sam and his friend actually believed they point Dicky and his his mate had lost most
were doing me a great favour. Only so many of the money and the other player who was
would be jumpers could go in the plane at one of the Welsh Guards was almost out
one time so there was a queue list and it was of funds. They probably thought it would
sort of first come first served and we were be smart to take another twenty from a C/
scheduled to go at two fifteen . They had Sgt. This was turning into a scene from a
me falling and rolling about on the grass as I Hollywood movie and even those who had
was supposed to do when I landed but that lost interest in the game gathered round to
was OK because lots of others were doing it watch. At first the C\Sgt was losing until he
too. was down to less than ten pounds but the
Some of the civvies were about to make their Welsh man started winning and then the
first jump. Once I’d got my head round C\Sgt won a couple of hands and opted to
the idea I actually began to get quite game take the Bank and be Dealer. Within a short
to do it but it wasn’t to be. time Dicky and his mate were cleaned out.
The wind had been rising steadily all morning The Welshman had about fifteen pounds
and then it started to rain, by midday the left and the C\Sgt called the game quits
windspeed had gone over the safety limit collected a large bundle of notes and went
and at one o’clock the days activities were off to his room. During all this time he never
called off. I didn’t know whether to be uttered an unnecessary word which seemed
disappointed or relieved but I was saved a bit unusual for an Irishman
a bit of embarassment by the cancellation .
because I didn’t know that there was a fee of On the Saturday morning when the course
four pounds when getting on the plane and broke up I said my goodbyes to Sam I never
I didn’t have anything like that to spare. saw him again and I often wonder if he did
really go on to be a priest.
In the last week of the course a card school If so he was never going to be your cuddly
started up in the barrack room mostly local clergy and I imagine he would have
instigated by Dicky. A lot of guys were been found in some benighted mission up
playing at first and betting in small amounts the Amazon or in Africa. Maybe in some
of money but they eventually gave it up and inner city hellhole where God help any
the game came down to about six hard core toerag he caught vandalising his church or
gamblers who were by this time playing stealing from the poor box. At least the
for high stakes with the money they had choirboys would have been in no danger but
taken from the mugs. There was a Colour the local young ladies would have been.
Sergterant from one of the Irish Regiments I think he honestly believed that going to
on the course but he lived in separate room confession once a week did actually absolve
at the end of the block and we rarely saw him of the sins commited since the last
him. He came into the room one evening confession.
when the game was in full flow with lots of
money on the table and since he was the Those of us travelling to Scotland and
senior rank in the we expected him to put a Northern Ireland were not to be taken to the
stop to it since gambling is not encouraged station until midday so we went down to
in troops accommodation. All he did was the Sgts Mess where we were joined by the
watch the game for about half an hour with Irish C\Sgt of the card school episode. He
no comment whatever and then left the was very affable and really good company
room. but the best bit came when he produced
a coin and began to do the most amazing
On the last night they played the game it was tricks, having it disappear and reappear in
54
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