ONE DAY, A FEW WEEKS LATER, Barry returned to the barracks in the late afternoon from his walk minus Flap.
‘What happened?’ asked Duck.
‘I’ve set him free,’ the good doctor said.
‘He’s healthy and needs to be free.’
However, minutes later, a guy walked in with the bird on his shoulder.
‘Look who I found.’
They were gobsmacked. Flap initially ignored the doctor but jigged its head towards Duck. A little while later, however, all was forgiven and soon Barry and the bird were again the best of friends. So, it was decided that Flap should stay if he wanted. It quickly became known as the soldier-whispering bird, hopping from one shoulder to the next, keeping men company in their troubles.
And it hadn’t only been Flap. There were also Carol, a feisty German shepherd, and her litter they
