I have told no one yet, save Mary. They have rules about that sort of thing and I will have to leave the hospital. I am not showing yet and so I can carry on working. I would like to carry on for as long as I can.
Mary has said that I can stay with her in the short term but that is not an answer. What do you think?
I pray that God watches over you. You have even more reason now to survive this war.
I love you and go to bed at night thinking of you and yearning for your arms around me.
Your loving wife,
Beattie
xxx
I read the letter a dozen times to make sure I had understood it. I was to be a father. I would not be the last of the Harskers! I read the other letters from Alice, Sarah and mum but the only one I went back to was Beattie’s. Then I thought of the ramifications. Where would she live? She was quite right she could not stay indefinitely at Mary’s. It was not a large house and, besides, it was my responsibility. I saw a solution almost immediately. Burscough; she could stay with mum and dad. When the baby was born then I could look for a house although I had no idea how to either rent or buy.
I put pen to paper and wrote to mum, Sarah and Alice. I told them the news and then asked mum if Beattie could stay with them. I knew what the answer would be but I knew that they would expect to be asked. I then wrote a very long letter to Beattie. I think I managed to convey my joy and I told her of my plan. I almost ran to the office to have them sent. I knew that Randolph would have to censor them and so I told him my news. He was delighted for me and said, “I will do these in a jiffy! We celebrate in the mess tonight!”
Bates was even more pleased than even Randolph. He approved of my ideas and my plans. You would have thought he had a vested interest in the birth. It was as though the new baby would, in some way, be related to him! Needless to say I had a distinctly bad head the next morning, as did the rest of the squadron. The fact that it was all the older pilots was reassuring. We had so much in common.
Archie had been particularly garrulous. He had three children of his own. He regaled us with stories of their childhood and his dreams and hopes for their future. It made all of us think, for the first time, of life after the war. Gordy was adamant that he, like Archie would leave the service. “I shall open a garage. Trust me there will be a fortune to be made and I am still a handy mechanic.”
“I will go back to the family farm. There’s little on it now but I have saved a wee bit of money and I shall buy some sheep and highland cattle. I will be a laird.”
The rest of us were all keen to stay in the new RAF although my impending responsibilities put some doubts in my mind. I would wait until the baby was born and then decide. There was little chance of the war being over by autumn. I would have plenty of time to make up my mind.
The young pilots returned from leave at about the same time that we heard the news that the Red Baron had been shot down. Surprisingly enough there was neither elation nor celebration. We all knew that he was a good pilot and when we heard he had been killed by ground fire it made us more aware than ever of our own mortality. Ground fire was like luck; it struck indiscriminately. Even the best pilot could die at the hands of a lucky machine gunner.
May brought renewed attention from the German Jastas. They began to probe and attack the area just to the east of our field. Headquarters sent some heavier artillery pieces to deter the Hun. No one wanted us to decamp to a tented village again. At first the Germans were cautious. Their numbers were too small for them to risk a combat with our twenty aeroplanes but their daily presence was a sure sign that they were up to something.
After one such patrol I found Freddie talking to one of his young pilots, Jamie Fox. He was a likeable young pilot and he came not far from my home in Ormskirk. I waited until he had finished and then approached Freddie. “Problem?”
“Possibly. Before he went on leave he was reliable and very popular. Since he has returned he has become withdrawn and he has had a couple of fights and arguments with the other pilots. I caught him and Owen squaring up to each other this morning after the patrol.”
“Can’t have that.”
“Quite. You know the Welshman, he is just serious. He isn’t belligerent.”
“Do you want me to have a word?”
He smiled, “No sir. It is my flight and my problem.”
“Yes Freddie but we can’t have one bad apple at fifteen thousand feet. Pilots could die.”
“I know. I will deal with it.”
It was strange for the young pilots normally got on well with each other. We didn’t have to deal with petty squabbles which I knew happened in other squadrons. I would let Freddie work things out but if it continued then I would do something about it.
It was in the second week of May that the Germans began to increase their aerial activity. Perhaps they had been stunned by the Red Baron’s death and forced to reorganise but when they came they came in numbers. We were over La Fere. It was now well behind the German lines but it had been the front line a month earlier. We were looking for targets to strafe but Fritz had become warier and we saw no targets as we patrolled the skies. Freddie waggled his wings to signal that the enemy had been seen. I peered east and saw twenty odd German fighters. Half of them were the triplane but the other half looked different. They were not the older fighters we were used to. They were a new bus.
Archie led us higher to match their altitude. The Germans climbed higher. That was a worrying development. The new fighter looked to have a greater ceiling. I wondered if they had oxygen or heat in their cockpits for once you were above twenty thousand it was hard to breathe and almost impossible to keep warm. Archie wisely kept us circling rather than risking the higher altitude and its attendant dangers.
The Germans swooped down. I saw that the new bus had twin Spandau like the triplane. It appeared to be out diving the Fokker; that set alarm bells ringing in my head. Then we were amongst them and all such thoughts were driven from my mind as we just tried to survive.
The new bus was a bigger target. My first shots hit his wings but then he was past me and firing at Wally. I banked to come round and get on his tail. My smaller size and turning circle meant I was able to do so quite quickly; he was not a triplane. I fired a second burst and hit him. I felt bullets cracking into my own tail and saw, in my mirror, that I had two triplanes close behind. I pulled up my nose to loop. The first Fokker was slow to take his fingers off his guns and I saw him hit the new German fighter. As I reached the top of the loop I flicked my Camel around and then side slipped to port. The move threw off the aim of the Fokker which was behind me. I banked to starboard and saw the second of my pursuers ahead of me, side on. I gave a long burst. I hit his stays, his wires, his wing and finally the cockpit. The triplane seemed to disintegrate in the air. I kept the turn going and the first Fokker started to dive. I had more speed and I brought my Camel around to line up on his rear. He headed east. His fuel was running out. I fired again and hit his fuselage. Although twisting and turning I was hitting him.
Suddenly I felt my Camel judder. I looked in my mirror and saw the new fighter on my tail. He had a superior dive to me and I pulled back on the stick. I let the triplane go and I looped to get behind the new fighter. He could not out turn me and he descended and headed east. It was over. We had met the new Fokker D.VII. The earlier ones we had fought in April had been improved. They were a formidable fighter. The Germans had regained their advantage.
I followed smoking Camels back to Doyle Airfield. I stayed well back as I was not certain that all of them would make it. I saw that Pearson and Herris, two of the new pilots had not made it but as I passed over the German lines I saw one pilot being marched east with his hands in the air. At least one of the new boys might survive the war.
I left the casualties being dealt with by Doc Brennan and his staff and a rueful Sergeant Lowery looking at the damage he would have to repair. Archie had the whisky open as I entered the office. “They are a nasty fig
hter!”
“And they have a better rate of descent than we do.”
“Was it tough?”
“And then some, Randolph. They have a higher ceiling than we do.”
“They must have oxygen and something to keep them warm.”
“I don’t know, Bill. Perhaps they are tougher than we are!”
Gordy and Ted came in. “Freddie is out of action for a couple of days and the miserable Welshman too. Both copped a bullet.”
Gordy nodded his agreement. “I have three buses that will need serious repair before we can go up again.”
“Right. Bill how about your lads?”
“I haven’t checked yet but I think they were all down safely.”
“Then tomorrow you take up Freddie’s flight and I will go with Gordy and Ted.” He held up a piece of paper. “We have to patrol two sectors tomorrow. They are sending down another squadron, SE 5s this time.” He pointed to the west of us. “They are building them a field there. I think that was why they put the bigger guns here. I have a feeling we are going to be at the sharp end soon.”
Chapter 25
It was worse than we had feared. Freddie would be grounded for a week and Owen for ten days, at least. Two of my Camels were out of action as they both needed new engines. It would be a depleted flight I led the next day. Poor Freddie was mortified. “I am sorry about this, sir.” He held his bandaged arm up. “I am sure I could fly with one hand. You did.”
“That was a Gunbus and I was stupid. You get better Freddie I will look after your boys. It is just Johnny and Jamie anyway.”
He frowned, “I hope Jamie sorts himself out. We need him more than ever now.”
“I’ll have Jack chat to him. He has this ability to get on with anybody. It was him who turned George Jenkin around.” George was now one of the most reliable pilots in the squadron.
My flight was given the task of flying over Noyon. It had been under our control some months earlier but now the Germans were doing something there and we were given the job of finding out what. The BE 2s who had been given the task of photographing it had been shot down. We would not have to take photographs but we would need to see what was going on. As we headed east I thought I could work out what was going on. Noyon was close to the section where the French and British lines met. Although there was close cooperation between both forces the language issue always caused a problem.
As we flew over I kept my eye to the east; I was wary of German fighters. I had the luxury of Johnny at the rear and he was the most dependable pilot in the flight. Jack flew behind Lieutenant Fox. I had not told him why but I asked him to keep an eye on him. As we neared Noyon I saw German tanks. They looked very similar to the ones that Bert had driven. The main difference was that they had sloping armour at the front. I saw many German vehicles and they appeared to be disgorging storm troopers. We now recognised these for what they were; the prelude to an attack.
There were no fighters in the sky and I led my flight down to strafe the troops on the ground. As we swooped towards them they took cover behind the tanks. It was too late to pull out, we were committed to the attack and we all fired. Surprisingly the fact that our bullets struck the sloping sides of the German tanks worked in our favour. The bullets pinged and ricocheted and flew in all sorts of directions. One lucky ricochet managed to hit an ammunition truck and it exploded in a fiery ball. We had annoyed them enough and we headed home.
I left the pilots to examine the Camels for damage while I reported to Randolph. Archie still had the rest of the squadron out on patrol. “Something is up, Randolph. I saw tanks and storm troopers. They have an attack planned and if I was a gambling man I would say it would be between us and the Frogs.”
“I think you might be right. I’ll get on to John.”
I headed back to my quarters. As I was passing Jack’s room I heard a commotion and Lieutenant Fox came hurtling out, nearly hitting me. He looked at me in horror and then ran outside.
I looked in Jack’s room and my pilot was rubbing a red jaw. “What happened, Jack?”
“I am not certain, sir. I asked him into my room, like you said, for a chat and he chinned me when I started to ask him about home! I was just trying to get to know him.”
“I’ll have charges brought.”
Jack shook his head, “No sir. Please. I was talking to his mates and they reckon this is girl trouble. Something went on at home. He seems a nice lad. I wouldn’t want to get him in bother.”
“He is in bother, Jack. No one hits one of my officers! But I will get to the bottom of this before I decide what to do.”
I left the quarters and saw one of the mechanics. “Smith, did you see Lieutenant Fox leave here?”
He grinned, “Aye sir, he ran out as though he was a rabbit with dogs after him. He ran into yonder field.” He pointed to the east.
“Thanks.” I took out my pipe and began to fill it as I followed him. I was angry and annoyed. The pipe and the tobacco would take the edge off my tongue. Both Freddie and Jack had asked me to go easy on the young man. I would try.
I saw a tendril of smoke coming from behind the hedgerow. I left the field by the gate, walked along the lane and entered the next field. I saw the lieutenant with his head down, smoking next to the alder tree.
I walked towards him. He saw me and threw away the cigarette. In my mind I had decided to have him arrested if he ran. He looked as though he was contemplating running but thought better of it and stood dejectedly waiting for me to reach him. The pipe had calmed me a little. I stood and looked at him. His head was down. I thought back to my childhood and I used the disappointed voice my father had used when he was talking to one of his sons who had done something wrong.
“It’s Jamie isn’t it?” He nodded. “Then look at me and give me a sir unless you are some sort of donkey!”
His head snapped up and he came to attention, “Yes sir, Jamie.”
“That’s better. Now before I really lose my temper, as you just did, and before I think of all the charges I could lay on you would you like to tell me what is going on? What happened on your leave to change you?”
He looked terrified. I remembered driving with Lord Burscough and almost hitting a deer which stared in terror at the headlights of his Singer. Fox had just such a look. The look was replaced by resignation, “It doesn’t matter anyway sir. My life is already a mess. It can’t get any worse.”
I nodded and puffed on my pipe. “I can’t see the wound Fox.”
“Wound sir?”
“Yes I am thinking this must be a terrible wound you are concealing to make you sound so depressed. I mean is it worse than Mr Holt’s eye? You didn’t know him but is it worse than the loss of the hand that Lumpy Hutton suffered?”
“No sir. No wound.”
“And unless I am talking to a ghost then you are still alive so for the life of me I cannot see what is wrong.”
He raised his voice, “Sir, you don’t understand!”
I used my sergeant’s voice as I barked, “Then damned well tell me and do it in a polite tone or so help me God I will forget myself and give you a good hiding myself!” He suddenly began to weep. It took me aback and I changed my tone to a more conciliatory one. “There’s a girl I believe.”
“I am sorry, sir. I shouldn’t have shouted at you. There is no one I respect more than you. You are the reason I joined the Corps. My dad knows you. He drinks in your village pub and I wanted to be like you.” I nodded. He was talking now and I didn’t want to stop him. “There is a girl. She is lovely but her mum and dad are posh and think that a lad whose dad works on the land isn’t good enough for her. Caroline, that’s her name, loves me but she is only nineteen, like me. I wanted to marry her but her parents wouldn’t let her.”
“You just have to wait two years and then you can marry her.”
“I can’t wait. I mean too many lads die so young and I wanted… well we couldn’t wait.” I waited. There was more to come. “We ran off to Gretn
a and we were married. That was the first day of my leave. We stayed in Carlisle as Mr and Mrs Fox.” He looked embarrassed. “I didn’t want the marriage annulled so…”
“I understand. Then what is the problem. You are married. It is what you wanted.”
“I know, sir but when we got back to Ormskirk and told them they went off it. Her dad is the local magistrate you see. They wouldn’t let her leave the house and the magistrate sent for the police.”
“You didn’t hit them did you?”
“No sir, I’m not that daft. I went home and told me dad.”
“What did he say?”
“Just what you did, sir. That I should have waited.”
“Well you are going to have to wait now.” He nodded. My pipe had gone out and I tapped the ash against the bole of the alder. “Right this is what you are going to do. First you are going to go and apologise to Jack Fall. Then you are going to start doing your job. You are a pilot and a damned good one according to Mr Carrick.” He started to open his mouth. “Now shut up and listen for once! You and I have a lot in common. I know how you were brought up and I think that this magistrate is wrong but your wife will be safe at home. They will not mistreat her will they?” He shook his head. “Good. Now Lady Burscough is a friend of mine. I will write her a letter and ask her to see this magistrate. What is his name by the way?”
“Jeremiah Ramsden, sir.”
“Well she will have a word. I am not saying it will do any good but she is a well known lady and has influence. If that does not work then I shall go with you on your next leave and we will try to sort it out. How’s that?”
His face brightened, “That is good of you, sir.”
“I am not certain it will do any good and I suspect that you will have to wait two years but it is a plan and is better than you going around trying to take on every pilot in the squadron.”
He grinned, “Sir.”
“Now go and apologise to Lieutenant Fall.”
1918 We will remember them Page 22