1916 Angels over the Somme

by Griff Hosker

  The new officer looked a little petulant as he said, “What happens if you are shot down?”

  Gordy coloured bright red, “Then you had better pray that I am dead or else I will come and kick your backside all the way from here to Blighty! You keep me safe!”

  The others chuckled but I knew that it was a fair question. “In that event you follow Lieutenant Holt and my flight.” I could see the new gunners looking at each other nervously. “If things get a little hot there we have a defensive formation we use. It all depends on us flying in a circle so ‘follow my leader’ is a good practice. Make sure you have plenty of ammunition and that you have checked your guns before you fly. It is a little hard at five thousand feet with a bunch of Huns attacking you. One last thing, avoid following them over their lines. All we need to do is to keep them from our side of the front. Any questions?”

  They all shook their heads. I pointed to Lumpy and Sergeant Laithwaite. “These two sergeants are the most experienced in the squadron; you new lads have a chat to them.” I was pleased when the two new gunners almost ran to speak to the old hands.

  I began to fill my pipe as the others wandered off. Gordy joined me. “I see what you mean about Carstairs. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be another Garrington-Jones.”

  “We will have to make sure he doesn’t then. Perhaps a taste of combat will change him a little.”

  “Perhaps.”

  We stood by our Gunbuses waiting for the return of the rest of the squadron. The big guns had stopped and we could just hear the ripple of distant machine gun fire. It was many miles away and seemed, remote somehow. I knew that it would become much closer and soon. The sight of five aeroplanes heading for the field was a welcome one. They had all survived but we saw much damage on many of the aeroplanes. The Gunbus had an enormous wingspan and was a big target for the German gunners.

  When they had all landed we went over to speak with Major Leach and Ted. “It is a little hot over there, Bill. The advance looks to be going well. They have taken the first set of German trenches.” The Major shook his head, “The trouble is that brings us closer to the Hun. In the last half hour this morning they sent more flights against us. Luckily we were on our way back and they were reluctant to follow us.” He gave me a meaningful look. “They will be ready this afternoon so take care.”

  “Yes, sir.” I turned to Gordy. “Fly just above me, say two hundred feet and astern of Johnny.”

  “You have something in mind?”

  “They had a few books in the hospital and one of them was about Trafalgar and how Nelson would sail across the line of the enemy. It meant the first ship took the most damage but then the whole of the fleet could bring their guns to bear. If I get the chance we shall do that. I will try to turn and take us across their front. They have a fixed machine gun. It would mean we could use both sets of our guns.”

  “I am not sure what you mean exactly but I can follow.” He jerked his thumb at Carstairs. “I just hope he can.”

  We took off and headed east. The flashes in the sky ahead told us that the battle was still raging. I was pleased that the troops on the ground had made progress; perhaps the generals had got it right for once. I took us quite high to avoid any ground fire although I hoped that they would be too busy with our infantry to worry about us.

  I heard Hutton’s voice in my ears. It was not his usual one. It sounded sad and distant. “Sir, just look down there.”

  I glanced over the sides. We were just passing our trenches. I could see pairs of stretcher bearers north and south with wounded men. Worse than that was the sight of so many men lying huddled together; they were dead or dying. They were not near our trenches but a hundred and fifty paces from the German lines. There were bodies draped over barbed wire and huddles of bodies in craters. They might have made great gains but the cost had been horrendously high.

  I heard Hutton again, this time talking to himself. “Poor buggers.”

  “Keep your eyes peeled, Lumpy. We’ll be over their lines soon enough.”

  Even from this height we could see the flash of machine guns. A brown smudge of men was marching resolutely forward. It brought back memories of the Marne and Le Cateau. It took real courage to do what they were doing. I knew that their sergeants would keep their lines straight and exhort them to keep moving. Although it was the right command it must have been all too tempting to turn and run back to safety.

  “Sir, biplanes!”

  “Arm your Lewis.” I cocked the one in front of me. The rear facing one was in reserve. I saw that they had been waiting for us and there was a squadron of them. They looked like the Fokker the colonel had told me about. They were slightly faster at lower altitude. I would keep the trump of higher altitude for emergencies. They were coming at us in a staggered V formation. The lead aeroplane was the lowest. I had to assume that these had the interrupter gear of the Eindecker and could fire through their propellers.

  “Right Sergeant, I intend to turn north as soon as we come into contact. You keep firing at their line and I will fire over your head. I will gradually climb.”

  “Righto, sir.”

  One of the reasons we made such a good team was that I kept him informed about my movements. I had been a gunner and there was nothing worse than for a pilot to suddenly move without warning. You wasted ammunition and lost sight of your enemy. I did not have to tell Lumpy when to fire. He could judge that as well as I could. The leading German must have been eager for he fired too soon. A couple of holes appeared in the wings but no damage was done. Lumpy fired when we were a hundred feet from the first aeroplane. I added a burst from my gun and between us we hit the engine which began pouring smoke. Even as I turned I saw the leader of the Jasta plunging to his death.

  Lumpy turned his fire on to the second aeroplane. As I turned a third Fokker came into view and I gave a short burst. My target had open sky before him and my bullets rattled against his engine. Smoke appeared and he peeled off to the east. He would make it back to his field but he was out of the fray.

  There were no enemies before me and I glanced to the east. Lumpy was still firing short bursts. Our speed and the lack of a solid fuselage made it hard for them to cause much damage. I saw that the rest of the flight was also performing the same manoeuvre. I increased the rate of climb. It was risky as it slowed all five of us down but it gave a more stable firing platform and it would enable us to give them a shock when I turned.

  “Sergeant, are we in line astern?”

  “Just about sir.”

  “Good, I intend to swing to the east and dive on them. We will make a north south pass.”

  I heard a chuckle, “That’ll come as a shock to them.”

  I waved my right arm out of the side of the cockpit. It was mainly for Gordy who was slightly above us. I knew that Freddie and Johnny would soon follow. I glanced to the side and saw that the German biplanes were trying to reorganise themselves. I think they expected us to head west as the Major had done.

  “Righty, Lumpy, here we go.”

  I had noticed he had changed to a fresh magazine. The other one was not empty but a fresh one would enable him to fire for longer. I banked and began to dive towards the ragged line of Fokkers. The increased speed would protect us but we would not have long to make a hit. As the first one came into view I fired a short burst. He was not expecting that and he banked to avoid a collision. Sergeant Hutton was able to rake his undercarriage as he flew close by and the aeroplane plummeted to the earth.

  The Fokker Jasta had lost its formation whilst my manoeuvre had given us a solid defence. The German pilots tried to attack us but every time they came close there would be a machine gun firing at them. We had not used our rear gun but I suspected that Carstairs and Holt had.

  A pilot with a red painted propeller launched his biplane at us. Lumpy emptied his magazine and then began to change it. I had only fired half of my magazine. When the pilot saw Lumpy changing the drum he must have thought we were a sitting duck. I
pulled the trigger when he was a hundred yards away and held it down. I saw his body judder as the .303 rounds pumped into him. He spiralled lazily down to No-Man’s land where a pile of smoke marked his demise.

  I checked the fuel gauge, we were running low. “Sergeant get on the rear gun, it’s time to go home!”

  “And I was just getting warmed up.”

  “Unless you have a can of go go juice with you I think we will head back.”

  “Righto.” I turned and we headed west towards the airfield. I glanced below and saw the Tommies waving and, I assumed, cheering. They were too far away to hear. I gave them a cheery wave in return as did Lumpy. Had he not been on the rear gun then I would have given the wings a little waggle.

  Sergeant Hutton put his face close to mine. He shouted, “You won’t believe it sir but that new lad has carried on east.”

  “What!”

  “Don’t worry sir; Lieutenant Hewitt has gone after him.”

  I cursed the fool for disobeying orders. I would let Gordy chew him out. He was in his flight after all. I knew that I had been more than lucky with Holt and Carrick. I could have been given a Carstairs or a Garrington-Jones.

  We were almost flying on fumes when we landed. I was the first one to climb out, Lumpy always found it a struggle. As usual I began to check the propeller and engine for damage. There appeared to be none. When Lumpy clambered down he checked the undercarriage and wings.

  “We did all right there sir. Just a couple of holes in the wings. The lads’ll soon have them fixed.”

  I nodded, “We are not due off until tomorrow afternoon anyway.”

  “Well sir that is another two aeroplanes for you and one and a half for me. By my reckoning you have eighteen hits now. That puts you up there with that Captain Ball and Major Hawker.”

  “Do you keep count for me then Lumpy?”

  He said, seriously, “Of course I do. When this war is over and I get to the missus and the kids I want to be able to tell them how I flew with the leading British ace.”

  “Then you will have to change your pilot.”

  “I don’t think so sir. You have an instinct. That shot today when the Hun came into your sights. He was there for a heartbeat and you nailed him. You can’t teach that sir and I should know I’m a gunner.” Realisation seemed to dawn and he grinned from ear to ear, “And so were you. Perhaps I should become a pilot like you and Sharpie eh, sir?”

  “There’s nothing to stop you, Sergeant.”

  “Oh yes there is, sir. I’d be bloody useless.” He looked over my shoulder. “I’ll get these magazines exchanged, sir.”

  I looked around and saw why he had left so diplomatically. Gordy was marching Lieutenant Carstairs over to me. I could see that they were both red faced and words had already been exchanged.

  They stopped in front of me. “Captain Harsker, you know what this idiot said to me in mitigation of his action in disobeying orders? ‘If everyone else was too afraid to go after the Germans he wasn’t. He was an Englishman!’” I could see how annoyed Gordy was. “I have a mind to give him a damned good thrashing.”

  I knew that when we were sergeants that we had both dealt with inferiors who did something wrong, but it didn’t work that way with officers. I held up my hand to calm Gordy down. When I spoke I did so quietly. “Lieutenant Carstairs that comment is a slur on every pilot in this squadron and Lieutenant Hewitt in particular. I think he is owed an apology.”

  I was giving him a chance. He nearly refused the opportunity. I saw his eyes widen and then he must have seen the look of determination on my face; I meant it.

  His look did not match his words. “Sorry Lieutenant Hewitt, I was upset.”

  Gordy shook his head. “See if you can talk some sense into him, sir. A pathetic apology like that just makes me want to smack him one.” He stormed off leaving a white faced Carstairs watching his back.

  “He means it too you know. Lieutenant Hewitt is not only one of the best pilots in the squadron and a very good friend of mine he is also as tough as they come. If he knocked you down you would stay down.”

  “I am not afraid of him sir.”

  “Well you should be because he saved your life today and every time you go up your life will be in his hands.”

  “I can look after myself. I saw your aeroplane shoot down four Germans and I know I could do as well.”

  “I could not have done that on my own. I was relying on the other four Gunbuses behind me. You would have lasted five minutes and you would have killed not only yourself but a new gunner.”

  I could see that the thought had not occurred to him. “How do you know I would have been shot down sir?”

  “If I went to your aeroplane now I would find enough fuel to fill a gill glass. We came back not because we were afraid but because we were running out of fuel. Did you keep an eye on the fuel?”

  “Well sir, no sir I mean there is so much to do and…”

  “And you are new so we make allowances for you. Lieutenant Hewitt and I do not give orders on a whim. They are based on combat in the air for the last year. Trust me, Jamie, we know what we are doing.”

  He nodded, “Sorry about yesterday sir. I behaved badly and I know it. I should have recognised you. I saw the picture in the Times.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Now if you have checked your bus get some food.”

  I saw his jaw drop. He must have suddenly realised he had just walked away from his bus. He looked over his shoulder where the mechanics and his gunner were going over the wings to check for damage. He began to run. It was only a glimmer but there might be hope for the young man yet.

  Chapter 3

  I was heading to my quarters when Randolph waved me over. “Sorry about this Bill but the Colonel wants a little debrief to see how the day went.”

  I was tired and ready for a drink but I knew it made sense. “Righto. Be right there.”

  It was just three of us in the office, the Colonel, the Major and me. Major Leach pushed a glass of whisky over to me. “You’ll like this it’s a Laphroigh. Lovely little number from Islay itself. It’s very peaty, mind. Here’s mud in your eye!”

  “Cheers!”

  I sipped it and he was right. It was fiery and tasted very smoky. It was a lovely drink and went well with the tobacco I was smoking.

  “How many did you get today, Bill?”

  “Two Fokkers, colonel. Sergeant Hutton got a couple too.”

  Archie shook his head and laughed. “No wonder he couldna wait to get to your front cockpit! He only got one when he was flying with Jonny Holt and none with me! How do you do it?”

  I shrugged, “I don’t know.”

  The colonel leaned forward. “No Bill, we need to know how do you do it? It is obvious to us that you fly and lead a different way to us. You are unique. You came from the cavalry by the way of a front cockpit. Archie and I learned to fly back in Blighty. You do things your own way. Could you come up with some ideas?”

  “I’ll give it a go Colonel but I just do what seems right at the time. I don’t think about it.”

  “Well while you are sipping Major Leach’s malt give it some thought.” He shouted, “Captain, come in here a moment please.”

  Randolph came in, “Yes sir?”

  “Bill here is going to make a list of what he does. Write it down and we’ll put it in some sort of order. Is that all right with you, Bill?”

  “If you think it is any use then I will.” That is how we came up with the rules we flew by. The Colonel called the list Captain Harsker’s checklist but, thanks to Ted and Gordy, they became better known as Billy Boy’s Bullshit! They meant well and they liked them but it didn’t do to let anyone’s ego get too big. The rules were simple and they were displayed in the Officers’ Mess. Lumpy Hutton also procured one for the Sergeants’ Mess too. He was proud of his pilot.

  Try to get the upper hand by being decisive.

  When possible keep the sun behind you.

  Use altitude to
help you.

  Fire at the closest range you can and only when the enemy is in your sights.

  When possible try to attack from the rear.

  When an enemy dives on you fly to meet it.

  When you are over enemy lines never forget your way home.

  It took an hour but they all seemed pleased. “God Bill but they are so simple and yet they make sense.” Archie downed his whisky and poured us all another one. I knew there had to be something else. “So, today, what did you do?”

  “We went in line astern with Gordy at a slightly higher altitude. We went straight for the leader and then I flew across their line so that we could all bring our guns to bear. Then we climbed and used our height to dive on them. By that time we were low on fuel.”

  “Simple enough. Archie turned to the colonel, “Bill is right, Colonel, fuel is the issue. It takes forty five minutes to get over their lines and we only have three hours endurance. We only achieve that if we conserve fuel by flying straight and level. Every time we climb we are burning it at too great a rate. We can manage a bare thirty minutes of combat.”

  “I am afraid we can do little about that. The replacement pilots will be arriving by the end of the week and I have asked for spare pilots and aeroplanes. Perhaps that might make a difference.”

  I didn’t think that it would, we would still only have the same time over the German lines, but we had little choice in the matter. We had seen the slaughter on the Somme. If our flights could alleviate the deaths and the suffering then we had to keep going. At least we had lost neither craft nor pilot and that had to be good.

  That evening Lieutenant Carstairs was sitting alone. I wandered over to Johnny and Freddy. “Try and make the new chap welcome eh lads?”

  “We did, sir, but he is a little stand offish.”

  “Try again. I think he just feels alone here. Be full of good humour and jolly him along. If it doesn’t work after tonight then let him stew in his own juices.”

  They both grinned. They were fine fellows. “Of course sir.” I saw them take their plates and sit on either side of him. I joined Ted and Gordy and by the time the mess orderly had brought my food I saw the three of them chatting away. When Charlie Sharp joined them I felt much happier. Charlie had become a pilot as I had through the front cockpit. He knew what was what.