1917 Eagles Fall (23 page)

We were stood down the next day as a storm closed in our field.  It was a late spring soaking for all of us but it allowed the mechanics to repair the damage to the Bristols and for Johnny to recover a little.

I had him in my office as soon as he left the sick bay.  I did not want this hanging over him. He knew what was coming and he had a hang dog expression on his face. I lit my pipe and watched him.  He had a bandage on his head but Doc Brennan had said that he could fly by the end of the week.  Of course we had no bus for him to fly anyway but no matter what I said the loss of his Pup would be the greatest punishment. I needed to know if he had learned his lesson.

“I know that you are a good pilot, Johnny.  I have told you before that you and Freddie are the best in the squadron but the difference is that Freddie has self control and you do not.”

“I know sir and I…”

“Let me finish. You were lucky the other day. If I hadn’t followed you then you would be behind German bars by now and we would have lost a damned good pilot.”

“It won’t happen again, sir.” There was an earnest tone in his voice.

I nodded, “I know because if you ever do anything like this again then I will ground you and give you a desk job.”

He looked up; horror written all over his face. “I promise sir.  I have learned my lesson. Get me back in the air and I will show you.”

“I am afraid, Johnny, that, like me, you will have to wait until the new aeroplanes arrive before we can test your resolve.”

“I know sir.  But thank you for the chance.”

The next morning Johnny and I watched the squadron as they left without us. The field seemed empty somehow.  Bates was delighted that I was grounded. He whistled cheerfully as he tidied my room. I went to the office to catch up on some overdue paperwork.

Randolph was in a chatty mood.  “Did you hear about the Yanks coming in to the war?”

“Yes General Trenchard mentioned them.”

“That will make a difference. They will have fresh troops and machines.”

“Hopefully they will use them in different way.”

He leaned back, “How do you mean, Bill?”

“If they come in and try to fight the war the way that we have then things will not change.  We need a whole new approach. I hope the Yanks can bring it.”

I fiddled around until it was nearly noon and then I watched for the return of the squadron. I knew that I would rather be up there than waiting like the father of a girl out with her young man and worrying what was happening. The uneven sound of engines told me that the squadron had hit trouble. Two smoking and sickly Bristols returned first.  They were the new pilots and it was to be expected.  I breathed a sigh of relief when Gordy, Ted and Harry returned. I noticed that there were at least two Bristols missing.  When Lieutenant Alldardyce landed, somewhat shakily then I knew that there was just one missing and I realised that it was Freddie.

I heard the Pup which seemed to be approaching the field like a crab, sideways.  I turned to the fire crews.  “Get out there; Mr Carrick is in trouble. You had better fetch the doctor too.”

I ran to the field. Freddie was in trouble, I could see that. When the Pup rolled to a halt I ran to the cockpit. Freddie was out for the count.  I did not know how he had managed to land the Pup. Miraculously the Pup appeared to be undamaged and I wondered what injury he had suffered.  I saw that there was blood close to his helmet. I took off his goggles and his helmet.  A bullet had scored a line along the side of his cheek and his head.

“Let me see him, Bill.”

Doc Brennan leapt up to the cockpit and I stepped down. Gordy and Ted ran from their Bristols. “He and Alldardyce covered us when we were jumped.  I didn’t see any damage to his bus and I assumed he was fine.”

Doc Brennan stepped down as his orderlies manhandled Freddie from the cockpit. “His head has been creased by a bullet and he has concussion.  He won’t be able to fly for a few days.”

“That’s not a problem.  I can replace an aeroplane but not a fine pilot.”

When Ted and Gordy had finished their report I could see that the Germans had determined to get revenge for their loss the previous day. Once again we had lost a couple of pilots but we were suffering fewer casualties than the other squadrons.  Somehow that seemed like cold comfort. Our young pilots were still bleeding for Britain. I knew that the human body had eight pints of blood coursing through it.  How many pints of pilots did Britain have?

I looked up at Randolph.  “How long until those Camels get here?”

“I told you, Bill, it could be a fortnight.”

“Well until then we have one Pup and just four experienced pilots. We need a miracle.”

Although we were suffering casualties others had to endure wholesale losses. Pilots in training from England were rushed too early to the front with the direst of consequences. “We are ordered up to Vimy again.  We are supporting 56 Squadron.  They have a new bus, the SE5, which can fly at a hundred and thirty five miles an hour. Perhaps their presence will be of some help.”

“If it can fly at that speed it might be but it really needs two guns.  We shall see.”

Inside I was quite hopeful. The Bristol had been an improvement and if the SE 5 was as good then perhaps we could turn the tide.

I led the squadron up the next day.  The stubborn little Pup had stood up to the rigours of war well but it was the last of the three.  They had all done remarkably well for such a small aeroplane. I had Alldardyce behind me and I felt slightly lonely five hundred feet above the rest of the squadron. Below me I could see the new roads which the engineers had built to supply the newly dug trenches. We must have outstripped the underground bunkers and roads which Bert had been building.  I wondered where he and his moles had been sent now. There could not be a bigger contrast between our worlds.  He was in the dark and with not enough room to swing.  I had the skies above me and fresh air too.

I saw the eight SE 5 coming from the north.  They were the size of the Bristol but without the rear gunner. As we converged on them I saw that they had a second Lewis mounted over the wing.  It was still not what we wanted but the extra speed might help. They were fast and as they sped east the leader gave me a cheery wave. I took a position to the south of them.  Their extra speed gradually took them away from us.  Not by much but they were ahead.

The Jasta swooped down from above and emerged from the thin cloud cover to the north. The SE 5s had not seen them but they reacted quickly enough. They quickly climbed to meet the Albatros squadron.  I banked and led my squadron to add our firepower. Although the new fighters were powerful they were not as agile as us and, unfortunately for them, they were not as agile as the Germans. Their speed saved them and the two converging forces exchanged fire and then began to turn.

The Germans had not seen us.  Gordy and Ted were climbing to reach us and it was just Alldardyce and me who were close enough to them. We hit their rear buses. I fired a long burst at five hundred feet and struck the tail of an Albatros with a green rudder. As I banked to fire at the next Alldardyce fired a burst at the green rudder and he struck it in the middle of the fuselage.  The Albatros pilot turned the wrong way and he flew into the rest of Alldardyce’s bullets.  He began to spiral to earth. Our sudden appearance had disrupted and disorientated the Germans.  I was in my element and the Pup began to squirm amongst the bright green rudders of the Albatros squadron. I fired when I saw a target. I knew that Gordy and Ted would add their firepower soon and my job was to be like a Jack Russell terrier and worry them.

It took nerves of steel to fly so close to the Albatros but the Pup never let me down. I found myself in clear air and I banked to starboard. I saw the Albatros leader had had enough and was trying to run east.  The SE 5 came into its own and they began to overhaul the slower Albatros. It was only the skill of the pilots and the agility of the Albatros which limited their losses but two more fell to earth. I descended to join the rest of the squadron.  56 Squadron pursued the Germans east while I led my Bristols to ground attack behind the German lines.

This was a rare opportunity.  We knew that there would be no German fighters and we were safely behind their anti aircraft guns. The main road west was thronged with German troops marching towards Vimy. As soon as I dived down the lines of grey fled the road and headed for the hedgerows and ditches. It availed them little for we just had to move our guns a little to the left and right. There were vehicles on the road.  I could not bring myself to fire at the horses and I deliberately stopped firing when they came into my sights. It meant I was able to fire for longer and we travelled four or five miles down the road disrupting the German’s attempt to reinforce their men attacking the Canadians.

When I ran out of ammunition I climbed. The others would continue to attack until they had run out of ammunition too. I took the opportunity of studying the land. I could see that the ridge over which the Canadians and Germans were fighting was a vital one.  Whoever held it could control the land hereabouts. I knew that the Canadians had taken many casualties but if they could hold it then the sacrifice would not have been in vain. As the squadron joined me and we headed west I reflected that we had managed to achieve something like success.  Although we had only destroyed one German aeroplane we had killed many soldiers heading to the front. It would also demoralise them for this was the first time since Bloody April that we had managed to penetrate their front line. It was a good measure of our success.

As soon as we had landed I went to the sick bay. I had not seen Freddie since he had been pulled from his bus.  The doctor had wanted him to rest. When I went in to his room he was sat up in bed with a bandage around his head.

“How do you feel then?”

“A bit of a headache sir and I am a little dizzy but otherwise fine.”

“The doctor said you might suffer for a few days.  I am flying your Pup anyway so you might as well recover completely.  Until we get the new Camels there will be no bus for you to fly.”

“How is she?”

“A nifty little number. Alldardyce bagged an Albatros today.  He is improving.”

“Good.  I now see what you mean about nurturing young pilots.” He hesitated, “Sir, did we lose any today?”

“No Freddie.  We flew with 56 Squadron.  They have a really fast new fighter, the SE 5.  They saw off the Albatros fighters the Germans sent after us.  Hopefully it is a sign of things to come. Anyway you need your rest.  I just wanted to stop by and make sure that you were all right.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Randolph was in good spirits too.  The rest of the squadron had made their reports. “Good show today, eh Bill?”

“Yes Randolph I have just said to Freddie that we might have turned the corner. Are we scheduled for the same run tomorrow too?”

He shook his head.  “We have been ordered south close to Lagnicourt.  We are trying to take Bullecourt and the Germans are resisting.  They want us to escort some bombers who are going to disrupt the supply lines.”

“What kind of bombers?”

“The Sopwith 1
1/2
Strutter.  They have been withdrawn as fighters as they were getting knocked about a bit too much by the Germans. There will be eight of them.” He handed me a piece of paper with the map coordinates.  “You rendezvous at 6 a.m.”

I nodded.  The Pup had been developed from the older, two seater Strutter. “Very well. Any sign of replacements?”

He shook his head, “Our losses have been so light that they are filling up the other squadrons who have suffered far more casualties.”

As I headed back to my quarters I wondered about that.  We had lost two of the latest batch of pilots and had three more wounded. If they were light casualties then I dreaded to think of the losses from other squadrons.

Bates’ face told me that I had letters from home. He positively bobbed up and down. “Here is your brandy, sir and I have drawn a bath for you.  He gestured towards the dresser.  “And there are letters from home. Your mother, Miss Porter and, I believe, your sister Sarah.” He tapped his tunic pocket.  “I have one from your mother too.”

I left the letters until I had had my bath.  I needed to feel clean when I read them.  I would also enjoy the brandy far more. How Bates managed to get the water to the perfect temperature I would never know. The tin bath was not the best in the world but it was a luxury I have become used to. As I washed myself I felt as though I was washing away the war.

Mother’s letter and Sarah’s were difficult to read for they were filled with sadness. Alice had received my letter and both letters told of the effect on Alice. They were from different perspectives.  Mum couldn’t understand how Alice had become so close to Charlie in such a short time while Sarah told me of how Alice had opened her heart and told my sister of their plans.  I had known about them and I understood my sister’s loss. The only good news in the letter was that Lady Burscough had become a working woman and was helping Alice with the design of the dresses. That would be good for Alice; Lady Mary had suffered a loss herself and would be the one person who would truly understand.  Both women would have a life without the men they loved. What would become of Beattie if I fell? Would she find another love in her life?