1917 Eagles Fall (31 page)

I saw burning aeroplanes as we began our descent.  It was hard to tell if they were ours or theirs.  There were three of them. Even worse, when we came in to land I saw a crowd of people around Johnny’s aeroplane. It was quite obvious that he had suffered damage.  One of the wheels had broken and it lay at an untidy angle. It took longer to reach him for we had to park our aeroplanes where they could be camouflaged. By the time we had run across the field he was being carried on a stretcher. I saw that his face, although covered in dressings was a bloody mess.

I caught up with Doc Brennan.  “How is he?”

He reassuringly smiled, “He will live.  It looks far worse than it is but it is a serious wound.” He stopped smiling. “He has lost his right eye and his face will be scarred for life. But he will live.”

“What happened, how…?”

He opened his blood stained hand.  There was small piece of silver metal the size of a farthing. “A bullet must have struck the engine and this piece ricocheted, with others and hit his face. He was lucky it did not penetrate his skull.  If it had he would be dead.  As it is he will be up and about in a week or so.”

“But he lost an eye!”

“His body will adjust.”

“Can he still fly?”

“No reason why not. Whether he wants to or not is another matter.” I opened my mouth and he said, “You can see him tomorrow.  The body is in shock and he will need rest.” He put his arm around my shoulder.  “And that will be good medicine for you too.”

Archie and Randolph looked at me.  I could see the concern on their faces. “A rough one?”

I nodded, “We lost Harry and Ben Sanderson.  Johnny has lost an eye.”

Ted and Gordy walked in. “Well that was a bit of a bugger.”

“Did you lose any pilots or buses?” I could hear the concern in Archie’s voice.

“No but we can only manage one flight between us tomorrow.  They meant business today.”

Cecil Alldardyce came to the tent and peered in. “Sir, do you want the report of A Flight?”

I could hear the catch in his voice. “Of course, come in and thank you for having the presence of mind to ask.”

He nodded and gathered himself. “The Lieutenant led us to protect the spotters but they outnumbered us by two to one. They got Ben and they hit Joe Duffy.” He looked at me and shrugged, “It is why I am reporting. I am the only one left, sir.”

“You are doing well, carry on.”

“We would both have been shot down but Major Harsker here came to our rescue.  If he hadn’t….”

“I am sorry that I took so long. What about the spotters?”

He shook his head, “They didn’t get them.  Well, they did hit one but it landed and I saw them carry the camera off.  They did their job.”

“And so did you.  Off you go and, well done.  Tell David he did well too.”

He smiled, “He now has more kills than Lumpy! He is pleased with himself.”

“As he should be, Lumpy was a legend.”

Ted said, “If they come again tomorrow, what do we do?  Throw paper aeroplanes at them?”

Archie leaned back as he puffed on his pipe. He took it out to point to the east. “If the photographs are what the brass hats want, then we will just have to stop the Hun coming over our lines. That may be our only salvation.”

Randolph asked, “Bill you have Freddie left, then there is Alldardyce.” I nodded as I filled my pipe. “Ted?”

“There is me and Gordy, Dave Ferry, Tony Hanson and Brian Hargreaves.”

Randolph looked up from the list he was compiling.  “That makes eight aeroplanes.”

Archie nodded, “There are just three days until Zero Hour. We will just have to see what wonders Mr Lowery can perform.”

Bates had the nervous look he had first adopted when he arrived at the squadron. He shook his head, “Dear me sir, so many young men.  And poor Mr Dodds. He had a young lady at home, did you know?”

“No, I didn’t John.  How do you know so much about them all?”

“They see me as someone they can confide in. No offence meant to the reverend gentleman but the padre is not the sympathetic type. I must just be a good listener.”

“Perhaps I should make you the morale officer eh John?”

“I don’t think so.” He peered at me, “Will the squadron be up again tomorrow?”

“What there is left of it, yes.”

“Then I had better get your uniform ready.”

That evening was sombre.  There were too many empty places and all of us knew that the ones who remained might not be there much longer.  The tent walls and dirt floor did not help but were surrounded by ghosts. Moving from Arras had been an unmitigated disaster.

As we climbed, before dawn this time, I tried to be positive about the patrol.  We had hit them harder than they had hit us.  Their hastily assembled aeroplanes were testament to that. We also knew that other RFC squadrons had been knocked about worse than us. That did not make me feel any better. We were just two flights and we patrolled a north south route over Ypres and the front line. The Tommies cheerily waved at us and we waved back whilst keeping a weather eye to the east and the Hun in the sun.

It was almost an anti climax when no German fighters appeared.  Of course we had not ventured over their lines but I felt that they had declined to engage us. Perhaps we had hurt them more than they had hurt us.

When I landed I did not report to Randolph.  I went to see Johnny. His head looked enormous.  It was as though he had a turban on. He smiled when I entered, “How did it go today sir?”

“The Huns did not come.  You scared them off!”

He laughed and winced, “I forget that there are muscles on my face.” He pointed to his cheek.  “I have many scars apparently.”

I remembered talking to Beattie about such wounds.  “You would be amazed how quickly they heal. Within a month or so you will hardly notice them.”

“What about my eye though, sir?  Will that heal?”

“Now Lieutenant Holt, you know that it will not.  What do you want?  Sympathy?  If I give you sympathy will that give you back your eye?”

“No, sir.”

“The doc says you can fly with one eye.  In fact it will hardly impair you.  Think about poor Lumpy with one arm.  He did not let it get him down.  And we both know that Charlie Sharp would trade places with you in a heartbeat.  So if you want sympathy ask for the padre.”

“I am sorry sir.  You are right. Is it true?  Can I fly again?”

“As far as I am concerned you can.  The question is do you think you can? If the answer is yes then you need to get better as soon as you can.”

“Thank you, sir, and good luck tomorrow.”

“You just get well and leave the flying to us for the time being.”

I did not sleep well that night.  I dreamt of my dead comrades in the cavalry, Lord Burscough, Charlie and poor Lumpy. I just saw them being killed or wounded over and over and I could do nothing about it. I was not refreshed when Bates woke me for the dawn patrol.

None of the damaged aeroplanes were ready nor were their crews and the eight of us took off on that fateful day in late July. We followed the same pattern as the day before. We were not worried that the Germans would be waiting for us.  We had left too early for that. We reached the front shortly after dawn and peered east. The clouds were a little lower than we might have liked but they were acceptable conditions.

It would have been a pleasant patrol but for one thing; the Germans.  Ten specks appeared on the horizon and then ventured west.  The ground troops popped away ineffectually for they were too high. They were flying just below the cloud cover. Six of them were the new Albatros D.IIs  but four of them were the Albatros C.III and they carried bombs. They were after our field.  I led the squadron to meet them.

The odds were slightly in our favour.  The C.III was much slower than any of us and our two Camels could out fly them all. C Flight was ahead and our newly combined Flight led by Ted followed us. As we neared them they began to dive towards us and we adjusted our climb. I had just fired at a D.II when I saw six Albatros D.IIIs pounce from the clouds.  It was a trap and it was too late for us to escape. We had not walked we had galloped into it. As we climbed I realised that we could not escape.  We could turn and out run the enemy but if we did so then the Germans would bomb our airfield and our friends would die. If we died now, we could save our friends. There was no argument. I clutched the watch containing Beattie’s hair and said, “I love you Beattie!” She would never hear it but it was there floating around in the air and I was content.

I knew that Freddie and I would have to destroy the bombers.  We had the best chance.  I turned and shouted, “The bombers!”

I repeated it and he nodded. There were two Albatros D.IIs in our way.  I dipped my nose and raised it before giving the first one both Vickers. The pilot panicked and he jerked his stick to loop.  I ignored him and pressed on. I could not watch anyone else now.  I was on my own.  I knew that the other Albatros D.IIs would do all in their power to stop me. I had to be as efficient as I could with my ammunition. The brave bomber pilots kept heading west. I made my trajectory low and I fired at the first bomber.  I was below his nose and his rear gunner could not depress his gun. Two Vickers’ machine guns can do serious damage and I hit both the engine and pilot. They were dead and I aimed my Camel at the second bomber.  I ignored the bullets hitting my wings; the Camel was a tough aeroplane. I repeated my shot and had the same result.  The remaining four bombers, for Freddie had hit one too, took evasive action.  I think that saved my life for we were able to get closer to them and the fighters could not fire at us for fear of hitting their own bombers. 

I seemed to bear a charmed life.  I heard bullets zipping around and hitting my fuselage but none did any serious damage. I determined to stay below them.  That way their gunners had no target. I banked to port to follow the bomber which tried to climb away.  I was almost thirty miles an hour faster and had a much faster rate of climb.  Had he dived he would have had more chance. I had no fear for I knew that I would be shot down eventually.  Every bullet I fired was a bonus. My twin Vickers tore into his engine and he began to leak smoke.  He banked and turned to the east.

Ahead of me was open sky. Behind me I saw an Albatros D.II. I looped.  I knew that I could out climb him.  I watched as he disappeared from my mirror.  I came around and I saw his tail less than thirty feet from my propeller.  I just fired.  The bullets shredded his tail and he was forced to descend. There was nothing left in my mirror but ahead I could see one bomber which had evaded Freddie and me. It was heading for the field.  All that I could think of was poor Johnny lying in the hospital.  Suppose the bomb hit there. I headed for him.  I was fast enough to be able to reel him in despite the fact that he was almost half a mile ahead.

I saw the field; it was three miles or so away.  There were no guns and no balloons to stop him.  In my mirror behind me I saw the furious fights in the sky. I put them from my mind.  I had one target and he was drawing closer. My problem was ammunition.  How much had I used? I would have one shot and one shot only. I dipped my nose to approach from below.  His gunner might get lucky and hit me. The field was a mile away and he was less than a third of a mile away.  I could fire and hit him but I had to make sure.

I saw the gunner reach out and hold his first bomb.  I was now two hundred yards away. I took a sudden decision.  I pulled my Luger and fired nine shots in his direction. He ducked. It bought me enough time to get a little closer. At one hundred yards I had no choice. He was over the field and the gunner had the bomb ready.  I pulled the triggers until they clicked empty. Someone was watching over me that day for I managed to hit the bomb. The brave pilot and gunner exploded over the airfield.  My friends were safe.

I banked and looked east.  The survivors from the squadron were landing. I suspect the loss of their bombers had discouraged the Germans. I turned again and landed.

None of the landings were good.  I watched from my Camel. Freddie’s had been badly shot up. Tony Hanson was missing and the wings of the rest of the buses looked like Swiss cheese.

I climbed out and made my weary way over to them. When I saw Doc Brennan running to Freddie I found new energy and ran myself. I saw blood and that Freddie was not conscious. Doc Brennan waved me away as he followed his stretcher bearers to the hospital. Freddie’s Camel was badly damaged. Ted’s Bristol was the next to land and its left front wheel suddenly collapsed and it stopped at a bizarre angle. Gordy’s was on fire as he landed. He and his gunner leapt from his bus and ran before the whole aeroplane caught fire.

The rest of the flight all landed and shell shocked crews walked from them. Dave Ferry looked in a daze, “He just blew up! He just bloody blew up!”

“Who, Dave?”

“Tony Hanson.”

The crews staggered off and I walked around their buses.  None of them would fly the next day. We had stalemate.  We had stopped the Germans but we could not go up again. The offensive would begin the day after tomorrow and we were like a newborn baby.

Senior Flight Sergeant Lowery confirmed the bad news. “We have one bus for tomorrow, Major Harsker. Yours! That’s all. I can have three Bristols ready for the 31
st
and that is it!”

Doc Brennan also gave us bad news. “Freddie Carrick has a bad wound to the leg. He will be out for months.”

“But he will live?”

“Oh aye. The bullet went through muscle.”

Archie leaned back.  “That makes this nice and easy, we can’t fly tomorrow.”

Everyone, remarkably, seemed to relax. The telephone when it went made us all start. Randolph answered it.  “Yes sir?” He nodded and wrote some information down.  “But sir we only have one aeroplane fit to fly.” There was another silence.  “Major Harsker…. Very well sir.  I will tell him.”

Everyone looked at me.  I poured another whisky.  “I take it I am flying tomorrow?”

The others looked incredulously at Randolph.  “That is ridiculous! The laddie canna do it alone.”

Randolph downed his whisky in one, “I am sorry Major but they want every bus which can fly in the air tomorrow.  The attack begins the day after and they don’t want the Hun to know our dispositions.”

Ted stood, “I’ll go and have a word with Lowery.  He might be able to work a miracle.”

“I’ll join you, Ted.”

After Gordy and Ted had left I asked.  “So how will it work?  I pop up on my own?”

“No, Bill. There will be two squadrons up there; a mixed squadron of DH 2s and Gunbuses and a BE 2 squadron.”

My mouth opened and closed at the lunacy of that. “Those poor buggers won’t stand a chance.”

Randolph nodded, “Hence the seriousness of the situation.”

“Right sir.  I had better go and get ready.”

The riggers and mechanics had finished with my bus. I saw a huddle of mechanics busy with Cecil’s bus. I wandered over and Senior Flight Sergeant Lowery said, “This is the only one we have a chance of fixing sir.” He spread his arms apologetically.  “Most of our spares are down in the south of the line at the field. “

“I know Raymond, just do your best.”

I found an excited Cecil and Speight.  “Is it true sir, are we coming up with you tomorrow?”

“If the lads can repair your bus then yes.”

Speight punched the air, “Then I have a great chance of increasing my lead against the other gunners!”

I shook my head.  “We will be going up against overwhelming odds.”

Cecil nodded seriously, “Yes sir, but we will be with you.  How can we fail?”

Bates fussed over me as soon as I reached my tent. “You will be careful won’t you Major Harsker?  Don’t be too heroic.”

“I never try to be heroic, Bates.  I just do my duty.”

He gave me a sceptical look. “Well I will be glad when the squadron is stood down.  We have lost too many fine young men lately and I can’t see that we have gained much.”

Bates was right.  Although we had shot down more than our fair share of German aeroplanes in terms of the ground gained it was negligible. We could see, from the air, how little we had advanced. I hoped that the offensive of 31
st
of July would make all the difference. However, a little voice inside my head told me that it would not.

It was dark when the three of us ate our breakfasts.  They say a condemned man is given a hearty meal before the last walk.  It felt like that to me. Archie, Randolph, Gordy and Ted all joined me and Cecil as we boarded our buses. Randolph handed me the map.  “I have marked the rendezvous there.  You and Cecil will be between the other two squadrons.  The BE 2s will be to starboard.”

“Thank you. Ready Cecil?”

“Rather!”

The noise of the engines seemed inordinately loud on that chilly July morning. We rose into the sky and I circled to gain altitude.  Today, of all days, we would need it.  As I was levelling out I heard the Bristol’s engine begin to cough and splutter. Cecil tried to bring it back to life but there was no power.  He waved in the direction of the field and I nodded. As he left I know that he thought I would return with him but I didn’t.  Those pilots and gunners in the BE 2s might not be in my squadron but they were British and I owed it to them to do all that I could.

In one way it was a relief.  I would not have to worry about Cecil and he and Speight would survive. He might live to survive the war! I reached the rendezvous early and I circled as I waited for the other two squadrons to arrive. I had time to reflect that if we had not been sent from Arras then the Germans would have had free rein and there would probably be no British aeroplanes left to oppose them.  We had paid a high price but we had done what was asked of us. The brass could ask no more.

Dawn was breaking when I heard the drone of the BE 2s as they arrived.  Their squadron leader waved to me.  I could not see his face but I was betting that it would be a mixture of amazement and shock that there was but one aeroplane from 41 Squadron. They set off in a loop south and then north. I followed.  When we reached the start point the DH 2s and the Gunbuses had arrived. The new squadron looked strange with their pusher engines.  The Gunbuses, which had seemed so familiar to me once, long ago, now looked like enormous prehistoric creatures.  However I knew that they were sturdy and would hold their own.  They might not shoot down many Germans but they would be hard to kill.