1918 We will remember them (7 page)

Archie flew his Bristol and led the stronger half of the squadron.  Freddie and I led the eight Camels who had survived. Jack Fall looked to be more confident and assured.  Part of that was the fact that he did not have to worry about Roger Jenkin who was still in sick bay.

We did not want to go but we were ordered into the sector where the Red Baron had hunted the previous day. I had advised Archie to take us as high as he could.  The Bristols were a large inviting target. What worried me was that we were supposed to be clearing the air of Germans but, so far it was us who were outnumbered. Randolph had told us that other squadrons were outnumbering the Germans but the High Command felt that we were close enough to the French to operate as a single squadron.  They were wrong.

For the first time since we had returned south we saw troop movements in the distance. The lines of grey were moving towards the trenches.  Although it did not necessarily mean an offensive it was worth investigating. Archie led the Bristols lower to ascertain numbers and to engage in some strafing. As fighter cover we maintained our altitude and I was the one who first saw the twenty odd aeroplanes as they appeared like an angry swarm of hornets.

They were too far to identify but I felt my heart sink into my boots at the thought of locking horns with the Flying Circus once more. I had a handful of Camels under my command and the Bristols were totally outmatched by the Fokker Triplane. I led my flights east. I heard the machine guns of the Bristols as they swooped along the columns of grey.  Archie and the others would have no idea that they were about to be jumped by overwhelming numbers and we had no means of communication. I had no choice.  I could not remain high; I needed to intercept them before they cut Archie and the others to ribbons.

As I began to descend I saw that it was not the Flying Circus and they had no Fokker Triplanes.  They were the Fokker Biplane and the Albatros.  Both were sturdy aeroplanes but they could neither out turn nor out manoeuvre a Camel.  However they outnumbered my Camels by over two to one. I cocked my Vickers.  I had been profligate with my ammunition the previous day and I was determined to be more careful.

Freddie and I had decided that he and his flight would fly above me and to my left.  It meant I would turn to starboard when I had finished my attack. I saw that the twenty three aeroplanes were in lines of five stacked above each other. I watched as the first five dived to attack Archie and the others. We swooped towards the rest of them.  I hoped the rear gunners of the Bristols could handle the five Albatros who screamed towards them.

One of the Fokker pilots caught sight of us and he began to turn to face us.  The others were a little slower and their tardiness meant that a gap appeared between the two end aeroplanes. The margins between success and failure are minute at eight thousand feet when you are travelling in excess of a hundred and ten miles an hour. I was slightly quicker on my guns and I opened fire at four hundred feet.  My first short burst ripped into his engine and he peeled off to the north.  When you were outnumbered then kills were not so important.  You needed to rid the skies of the enemy aeroplanes. Roger gave him a second burst and I saw flames licking around his engine.  The Germans had issued some parachutes to its pilots and I caught a glimpse of the pilot as he hurled himself over the side.

I adjusted my nose and fired a short burst at no more than a hundred yards from the second Fokker. I caught him side on and I fired a second burst. I was close enough to see him die and I had to jerk my nose up to prevent me crashing into his bus which flew straight in his dead hands. Another burst missed the third Fokker but my sudden appearance was like a fox in a hen house. The neat lines of the Germans were broken while our line astern ploughed through them. Each Camel gave the Germans a burst of .303. As I zoomed over the last Fokker I began to bank to starboard.

We could fly inside the larger Fokkers.  The German pilots turned to port to match our turn but I was able to give a long burst to the second German line.  I hit the wings and fuselage of one German who barely missed hitting me as he pulled his aeroplane up and over me.  I felt the wind from Lieutenant Clayson’s bullets as he gave a long burst into the surprised German.  With smoke pouring from a wrecked engine he began to spiral to earth.

Freddie and his flight had had even more success.  He had more aeroplanes and twice our fire power. I watched the last of the Fokkers heading east. I was tempted to follow them when I remembered Archie and the Bristols.  I saw the four remaining Albatros as they nipped inside the less manoeuvrable Bristol. I saw two Bristols on the ground; their crews had their hands up as irate Germans captured and then prodded them towards the east with the butts of their rifles.

We screamed down like avenging eagles. I waved my arm to indicate to Jack and Roger that they should choose their own target. We needed maximum firepower. I gave one Albatros a long burst and Ted’s gunner finished him off.  The remaining three Albatros broke left and I heard the chatter of Jack’s guns as he destroyed one. Roger was following a second and I turned my attention to the captured Bristol crews.

I dropped to the lowest altitude I could.  There was a German vehicle and the guards were pushing the four airmen towards it. I took a risk and gave a long burst at the lorry.  The Germans dived to the ground.  As the lorry exploded I caught a glimpse of my four comrades as they grabbed guns and began to run to the British lines some half a mile away. I banked to starboard and swept over the four.  As soon as I was over them I fired my two guns until they were empty. It was like firing a shotgun at close range.  The grey uniformed Germans were stopped in their tracks.  As my gun clicked empty I pulled hard on the stick to climb away from the angry Germans’ ground fire.

My detour meant that I was the last to land and the other flight leaders were waiting for me. Ted ran over, “Did you see Thomson and Lowe?” His voice betrayed his anxiety.

“They were captured but I fired at their captors and the last I saw they were heading for our lines.” I shrugged, “Sorry Ted I didn’t have time to hang around.  I was out of ammunition.”

He nodded, “Thanks anyway.”

Jack Fall was so excited I thought he was in danger of bursting with joy.  “I have a kill, sir, and I damaged two others! It is a marvellous feeling.”

I smiled, “You did well.  You both did well but, Lieutenant Clayson, it is Bates who gives me a haircut. You were just a tad close with the Vickers!”

“Sorry sir.  I just reacted.  He came into my sights and I fired.”

I laughed, “Don’t worry Roger you just gave me a scare. Well done.”

Senior Flight Sergeant Lowery was less impressed at the damage to my bus. “You are grounded tomorrow, sir.”

“But she flew well enough and she landed well.”

He nodded and pointed to the bullet holes next to the engine.  “It just shows what a tough little bus these are.  We will have to strip the engine and see what damage has been done inside.” He pointed to the darkening skies.  “Besides it looks like a weather front is moving in. I reckon we will have rain tomorrow, sir.”

Bates confirmed the weather forecast when he gave me my whisky.  “Yes sir, we have rain forecast for the next three days and it looks like a nasty storm.  It will be good to give you a little rest.”

As I lay in my bath I reflected that I did not want a rest.  I wanted the war over so that I could go home and see my girl.

There was, however, a party atmosphere that night in the mess.  Only Ted looked to be unhappy.  We had shot down six Germans and only lost two.  Our replacement Camels had arrived which showed us that we had a better rate of production than the Germans.

We were on the pudding course when Lieutenants Thomson and Lowe burst in. The old colonel would have reprimanded them for not changing out of their flying gear but Archie just shook his head. They came straight over to me and both saluted and then shook my hand.  “Sir, we can’t thank you enough.  We both thought that we were in the cage for the duration and then you came screaming down. We both knew that you were too good a shot to hit us and when the lorry exploded we grabbed the bally guns, shot our guards and legged it and then when you came back you were so low I thought you were trying to pick us up! You saved us, sir.  Thank you again.”

“You are welcome Lieutenant Lowe but I was worried that I might hit you.”

He shook his head, “Not even close sir! Marvellous flying and shooting!”

Archie nodded, “And now, gentlemen, go and get changed. The sergeants will have your meal ready when you return.”

Ted was grinning, “Thanks Bill but I can see my little talk last night did no good.  It has made you even crazier!”

The rain and inclement weather was a mercy on many levels. Our bodies and our buses were healed. The good feelings after our success continued for many days. Most importantly, Flight Sergeant Lowery discovered how to get a little more speed from the Camels.  Since the saboteur he and his mechanics had examined every piece of the engines.  They had taken them apart and put them together so many times that they could do it blindfolded. They began to tune and adjust the engine to a sophisticated level.  On the second day of our enforced holiday I took shelter with him in the workshop.

“I think we can get a few more miles an hour out of the engine sir.  You might get even more at higher altitude.”

“That is good news.  I hate not being able to catch the new Fokkers.”

“Well when this awful weather lets up, sir, you can try it out.” He nodded to the rain which was sheeting down.  “Mind you I am happy.  It means we don’t have to patch up broken machines.  I much prefer working on making a good machine even better expected rather than mending damage.”

As I left him I reflected that, whilst they shared none of the glory or the medals, the ground crew were equally responsible for our success.

The second week of September was still as overcast. Archie and Randolph were summoned to Headquarters. I was left in charge.  Doc Brennan released my injured pilots and I saw them in the mess.  Lieutenant Jenkin sought me out for a quiet word.

“I have just spoken with Jack Fall, sir.  He has his first kill.  And he followed your orders to the letter.” I nodded.  I could not see where this was going.  “The thing is, sir, I have been a bit of an idiot.  I arrived here thinking I could win the war on my own and I resented being stuck where I thought I was out of the action.  I was wrong and I have a lot to learn.”

I smiled, “If every pilot arrived here as the finished article I would be surprised.  We all have to learn.  I am still learning. When we first encountered the Fokker Triplane I was flummoxed.  I didn’t know how to defeat it.  I had to learn.  The day that you stop learning is the day you should be worried.”

“Why is that sir?”

“Because that is the day you will die! This is a war fought by young men.  Young men learn quickly.  In this war you are either the quick or the dead. Be quick, George, and learn all that you can.”

When Randolph and Archie returned they were followed by a lorry which was carrying a great deal of new equipment. The packing cases were taken to a workshop and Archie sent for me and Ted. We sat down and Archie poured us a whisky each. He said nothing for a while then he smiled.

“That was a strange meeting. The general began by praising us for our skill in handling the Flying Circus.”

“But they hammered us!”

“Apparently we got off lightly compared with the other squadrons.  I had thought that the meeting was just a pat on the back session.  You know the sort of thing:
‘you are all doing very well.  Carry on with the good work’
that sort of thing. Then he told us that we are to be one of the first squadrons to try out the new radios. It is an experiment.  There doesn’t appear to be an ulterior motive behind it.”

“Radios?  In an aeroplane?”

“I know.  It surprised me too.  The lorry that followed us has the radios and the crews.  There are three for the aeroplanes.  Ted and I will have one each and you will have the third one, Bill.  I am afraid that you will have the harder job.  We can use our gunner to speak to the airfield but you will have to fly, fire your guns and talk on the radio.”

“When do they fit my extra arms?” They laughed and I sipped the whisky.  “What about the weight?”

“The weight?”

“Yes Flight has just managed to get more speed out of the old bus and the last thing I want is to carry a bunch of unnecessary radio equipment which will slow me down.”

“There is no way out of this, Bill.  The General wants it trialling. If it works then we could fit it to all the aeroplanes and, some day, you could talk to your pilots in the air.”

I could see the advantage of that but I was still not convinced.

Randolph gave us the solution.  “Look Bill, we try it out without the stress of combat.  If it adversely affects the performance of the Camel or the Bristol then we take it out and tell the general that we gave it a trial.”

Ted nodded, “It seems to me it is worth a try.  I mean it would allow us to reinforce our buses if we had a problem or warn the field that we had damaged aeroplanes coming in.  I can see the potential.”

I laughed, “The world is upside down.  Ted is the optimist and Bill the pessimist. Very well sir.  We give it a try when the weather clears.”

“And that will be tomorrow.  When we were at Headquarters the meteorologist told us the front was clearing from the west. We can try the radios in the morning and, if they work, have a sortie in the afternoon.”