Flames

We were flying back after flattening Coventry, all of us cheerful, confident young men, all heroes. On the return landing, amazingly we saw that the airfield was deserted - strange, for we had left with many aircraft, the mission a great success. Then from the ruins of a hanger they appeared, people of all ages, families, all wore gasmasks; their torn clothes smoldering. Bewildered we raced back to the bomber. Aboard once more we lumbered into the night sky, where later we were shot down as we fire-bombed Dresden.