by Griff Hosker
I smiled at Charlie. He would make a good brother in law. I had liked him as a gunner. As a friend and a pilot, there was none better.
We were given a sector further south and east for our next reconnaissance flight. Although we had further to fly into enemy territory the flight there and back would be shorter. Sadly we only had nine aeroplanes to use for the photographs. Archie was getting more time in the air than he wanted.
That was the day we worked out that the Germans must have used forward observers with a telephone link to the airfields for we were jumped before we even reached the German area we were to photograph. It was a mixed squadron of Albatros D.III and D.II. I had discussed this eventuality with Freddie and Johnny; we would have to mix it up with the deadly D.III and hope that the Gunbuses could handle the D.II.
The one advantage we had that day was that we had the advantage of height. The Gunbuses had not descended to a lower altitude and the German airfield was close to the front and they were still climbing. This was when I missed Lumpy’s bugle. When he sounded the cavalry charge it stirred my blood.
Our three Pups plunged down like hunting birds. As we neared the Albatros fighters I raised my nose a little. It was a risk. I was inviting a shot at a bigger target but the nippy little Sopwith was so responsive that I knew I could react quicker than the German. When we were in firing range I dipped my nose and fired at the same time. The tracer arced towards the target as I adjusted my descent. The German bullets whizzed into the air above my head striking the space I had just occupied while mine struck the German. The pilot was protected by both his radiator and his guns. I hit both and he peeled away. He was not downed but he was out of the dogfight.
I saw bullet holes appear in my wings. Glancing in my mirror I saw that there was no one behind me. I banked blindly left and then right to throw off the aim of my attacker. I saw him. He was below me. I went into a steep climb. I almost crashed into Carrick as he dived after his target. Had we not been flying such small craft then we would both have perished. I heard the twin Spandaus from behind me but no holes appeared. I could feel the force of the turn as I completed my loop and began my descent. My opponent had tried to match my loop but he had only reached three o’clock. I brought the nose of the Pup up and pulled the trigger. I hit his tail and his controls. The Albatros side-slipped out of my sights and headed towards the ground. I suspected he would be able to land and, as we were behind German lines, his aeroplane would live to fight us another day.
As I sought another foe I saw the pilot, somehow, regain control and he hedge hopped east. Johnny was on the tail of an Albatros but another, with the Austrian Edelweiss painted on the side, was descending to hit him in his blind spot. I checked that I had no one behind me and then I climbed. I had only fired a third of my ammunition and I risked a long shot. I hit him and watched as he looked around for his attacker. He saw me and turned to fly directly at me. He had the advantage of height and speed. He had two guns. I braced myself for the strike of his rounds.
I dipped my nose slightly; inviting the shot and then I dipped my wings to port. They were small adjustments but I knew that he would not have the killing shot he wanted. He would wait until he was closer. As I straightened up I fired. The bullets sparked from the side of his radiator and I dipped my wings to starboard while lifting the nose slightly. The German disappeared from view. I heard the twin guns as I dipped the nose. I fired as the German’s engine appeared just ninety feet in front of me. I pushed the stick forward as I gave him a last burst. I shot his undercarriage to pieces. It was fortunate that I did do. I was so close to him that I would have struck it with my top wing.
I started to pull another loop to come up on his other side but he headed east. Instead of completing the loop I banked to starboard to level out. I checked my mirror and it was empty. I saw the other two Pups. They were heading west. There was no sign of the Gunbuses. I climbed and headed west. I watched the ground as I did so. It appeared that neither side had lost an aeroplane but I knew at least three which would need repairs. There were three D.IIIs which would not attack our reconnaissance aeroplanes the next day. Our mission had not been a total failure.
The stretchers on the field told their own story as I landed on the green sward. Lieutenants Swan and Walker’s aeroplanes looked to have suffered damage. Johnny walked over to me his flying helmet in his hand. “They both lost a gunner sir and Jack Swan took a round in the leg.”
“That means two more buses down. Things are getting tight.”
“Thanks for coming to my aid, sir, although I thought you were going to crash into him.”
“Yes the Pup is nippy but you live on your nerves. We didn’t destroy any of them then?”
He shook his head. “We damaged a couple and you hit three of them but no kills.”
Randolph was on the telephone to Headquarters when I entered. He continued talking and pushed the whisky bottle towards me. “No sir, we didn’t manage to get any photographs today. The squadron was attacked by superior numbers before we could reach the German lines but we did damage a number of aeroplanes. Whichever squadron goes up tomorrow will have an easier time.” There was a pause and I saw the captain’s eyes look up at the ceiling. “But sir we have only ten aeroplanes… yes sir. I understand.” He slammed the telephone down. “We go up again tomorrow.” He nodded towards the telephone. “Apparently our losses were the lowest on the whole front today.”
Everyone’s heads were down. Charlie said brightly, “How about taking off in the dark? If we fly high then the observers on the ground won’t be able to get a fix on our course.”
Ted shook his head, “Flying in the dark…”
I thought it was a good idea, “Think about it, Ted, all of our pilots are experienced. Tomorrow the five senior pilots will all be flying. We have to do it so let us give ourselves a chance. I think it is worth the risk. If we get the mechanics to line the airfield with torches then we should be able to take off and we will be landing in the daylight anyway.”
Archie nodded, “We’ll do it and if it fails… well we had a good run for our money eh lads?”
In theory there was no difference taking off in the dark as opposed to daylight but we weren’t used to it. The three Pups took off first. I wanted us in position before the Gunbuses arrived. Even if we only took a few photographs it would be worth it. As we lifted off and began to climb I saw that the land below was completely black. I would have to use all my navigational skills to get us to our target. Ironically it was the Germans themselves who helped me to fix our position. As we crossed their lines some of their machine guns opened fire. As we were over four thousand feet above them they were wasted bullets but they marked the German trenches for us.
I used our air speed to determine roughly where our new sector was. Once there we flew lazy spiralling loops to gain altitude while we watched the sun rise in the east. Once the first rays lit the ground I was able to see that we were too far to the north and I led us south. The Gunbuses would take their position from us. We flew in line astern to maximise our chances of seeing any German fighters. I alternated looking east to glancing west. I saw the Gunbuses as they lumbered towards me. I hadn’t realised how big they were. It was fortunate they had no fuselage to speak of or they would be easy to knock from the skies.
As soon as they saw us Archie led the long line to a lower altitude. There were few guns and our only danger was the Hun. Each Gunbus was fifty feet from the wing tip of its neighbour. Archie was making sure we took some photographs, in detail, of a large area. If we took enough photographs then they wouldn’t need to send us out again.
We watched to the east. As we banked at the end of each circuit I breathed a sigh of relief. This could not last. The Germans must know what we were up to and, sure enough, ten minutes after the Gunbuses arrived I saw the black dots in the distance. I waggled my wings as a signal for Archie. Someone must have seen me for the Gunbuses began to bank and climb west. I took my three Pups even higher before we
headed west. I saw the slower Gunbuses ahead of us. They were at five thousand feet and just a mile or so ahead. We were still spiralling gently up so that, while we headed west, we could still keep an eye on the ten fighters desperately climbing to reach the Gunbuses.
The German front line was fully awake and ready. The guns began to pop at the Gunbuses. Suddenly I saw Ted’s bus take a hit and smoke poured from his engine. The German gunners renewed their efforts. The fighters would struggle to catch our aeroplanes and I levelled out and took us west. To my horror I saw a line of six fighters approaching the Gunbuses from the north. As I banked to starboard I pushed the stick forward. I would attack this new threat obliquely from the side and hoped that the first Jasta would give up.
The bark of the machine guns told me that they were the new fighters. Smoke poured from Harry Dodds’ aeroplane; that meant two wounded birds. There was little point in saving ammunition and I wanted to distract the fighters. I fired at a thousand yards. The tracer rounds told me that I was close. The rear Fokkers veered to starboard and away from the Gunbuses. I saw that these fighters had a green tail. I stored that information for my report and then banked to port to attack the leader of this Jasta.
At five hundred yards I gave a long burst. I struck the fuselage and tail. As I edged to port I fired a second burst and struck the engine. Johnny and Freddie added their fire and the second fighter was also hit. The ground fire from the British lines was the final straw and the Jasta headed east.
As we crossed the British lines I saw the Tommies cheering. I waved back. I had been in the trenches and knew how they appreciated such gestures. Just beyond the trenches I saw Ted’s bus. He was dragging a wounded gunner from the cockpit as flames began to take hold of the wings. I looped around to watch. To my relief he managed to pull him to safety just before the whole thing exploded. He waved to show he was safe and I waggled my wings. He was close enough to the field for medical help to reach him within the hour.
As usual we were the last to land. As we approached the field I saw a lorry heading east. I assumed it was for Ted. Harry’s gunner looked to be in a bad way and Harry looked shaken up.
Gordy ran to me, “What about Ted?”
“He walked away from this one but I am not certain about his gunner. His camera would be ruined.”
“We got plenty. I think you were right to call this one. But I would not want to do it too many times.”
I reported the markings on the Jasta we had seen. It was not the Flying Circus. Randolph filed the information and then put a large circle on the map to the north of where they had been seen. He wrote on the map, ‘Green tailed new Fokker Jasta’. It built up a picture of whom we faced. So far we had been able to avoid the Red Baron. We wondered how long it would last.
Ted and his gunner arrived back. His gunner was badly wounded and we were now desperately short of both aeroplanes and gunners. That was the day, March 12th, that we received two pieces of good news. Our replacements would be here within a couple of days and we had two new Bristol two seater fighters delivered.
Just as with the Pups there was a great deal of excitement as every pilot swarmed over them. We knew that one would go to Ted but we were not certain who would get the second. Senior Flight Sergeant Lowery made that decision. “It will have to be Mr Dodds, sir. His bus is a right off. It is only fit for spares.”
The two pilots both looked happy about that but they had no gunners and the new buses needed checking. We discovered that they had the same speed as the Pup and the same synchronised machine gun. The rear Lewis was the one we were used to. However it was much longer and wider than the Pup. We were still far more manoeuvrable. Our joy was complete when we discovered that a weather front prevented us from flying for the next three days. Other squadrons would have to risk death alley and photograph the German lines.
Chapter 13
That turned out to be our last reconnaissance flight for the Battle of Arras began on March 20th with a creeping bombardment. It went on until April 8th which was supposed to be Zero Hour. We had more than enough to do making sure the new pilots knew how to fly the Gunbus and working with the gunners, especially the replacements. Ted and Harry also had to become familiar with the Bristol.
Maddeningly we had three days where we could not fly. When we could get aloft Major Leach watched from the ground to identify weaknesses in the four new pilots. Of course we had to reorganise the flights. Harry and his Bristol joined Ted while three new pilots and David Garrick joined Charlie. It did not make for neat flights but it was efficient. The Bristols could go as fast as we could in the Pups. We were all much happier with the five newer machines. General Trenchard had been as good as his word. If we could survive this offensive then we would be given another ten Bristols. That would make all the difference.
After three days of the creeping barrage we did not even notice it any more. It went on during the night and I dreaded to think of the effect on the trenches. I heard later that they expended almost three million shells. The Somme Offensive had not achieved all that it could when they ran out of shells. That would not happen this time.
The letters from home arrived in the last week of March. Inevitably there was some overlap. My mother’s letter told me of the death of Lord Burscough and the worry over the death duties. However John’s letter had lifted her spirits and, once again, she urged me to look after him!
Sarah’s letter was grim reading. She and Cedric were now the only servants left in the Big House. Chunks of fine farmland had had to be sold off to pay the death duties and the children had had to come home from boarding school. She could not afford the fees. The one bright spot in the whole thing was that Lady Burscough had said the last thing to be sold would be the cottages.
I was pleased that I had saved Beattie’s letter until last. I was about to start to read it when Charlie knocked on my door. “Er, Bill, I have a letter for you.”
“For me?”
He gave me a shy smile. “Yes sir, Alice wrote to me and enclosed a note for you. I haven’t read it.”
“Thank you, Charlie.”
He hesitated at the door and then said, “I’ll leave you to read it then.”
As he left I said, “If it relates to you I will tell you.”
I saw the relief on his face. “Thank you, Bill.”
He could have read it. It was just a brief note. It explained that the premises where they made their dresses had been damaged in a Zeppelin bombing raid and that they had had the idea of relocating to Lady Burscough’s estate until the war was over and it was safe to return to the city. I was relieved. It solved many problems which I had envisaged. Alice would be back at home and mum and dad would not be evicted. It would be good for lady Burscough too. Her home would not be taken from her. There would be hard times ahead but there was hope. I looked forward to reading Beattie’s letter even more. There was a black cloud but I had glimpsed a silver lining.
February 1917
Dearest Bill,
I saw your gunner today! I liked him when I met him the first time; he gives me hope for the future for even with one hand he is positive about his life. I am not certain I could be so cheerful. He idolises you. That makes two of us. He left hospital today, which is why I am writing this letter now. He is going north, back to Durham. He says he will visit with Jack Laithwaite’s widow so that he can give her Jack’s possessions. The men had a collection for his widow and Lumpy is going to give it to her. It will help her. He is kind. I have his address and I promised that I will write. I know that you might want to but you don’t have the time. I do.
Life is a little more hazardous here in the capital at the moment. We have bombs being dropped on us. It isn’t every night but they appear so random. The Zeppelins are silent. None has been close to us yet but we are close enough to the palace for us to worry.
I know I am rambling on and you have far more to worry about but I didn’t want you hearing about the dangers from someone else. I will always tell you t
he truth. I am telling you not to worry, no matter what you hear or read about in the newspapers. Your life is far more precarious. Talking to Lumpy has shown me that.
Take care, my love. You are ever in my prayers and thoughts. We will survive this war and we will be together. We just need to have faith and believe.
Your love
Beattie xxx
I was glad that she and Lumpy got on. The first brief meeting when I was in the hospital was over before it began. I was happy that he had a future. I had no idea what it would entail but he was resilient and he would make the best of it. In a way I was pleased that he had lost his hand for it meant he would survive the war. Over fifty pilots and gunners from our squadron would never have a future.
As April drew closer we received our orders. We were to patrol the lines south of the creeping barrage and discourage Germans from either bombing or spotting. We knew that we would soon be spotting for our artillery. It was a necessary but unpopular job. However we knew that the new German fighters would not be wasted spotting. They would be the hunters preying on our slow moving reconnaissance aeroplanes and outdated fighters. At the same time we heard horror stories about the new Jastas wiping out six and seven aeroplanes at a time. We had been lucky but I knew that our luck would run out soon. It had to.
On the last day of March we prepared to patrol the lines. Archie had given us our orders. The five buses of B and C flight would be the high cover while the ten remaining Gunbuses would fly at a lower altitude. Anyone spotting for German guns would need to be low but any German hunters would be high. Ted and Harry were keen to use the new Vickers. We had extolled its virtues for the past month. It was an overcast day when we took off and it was hardly the best conditions in which to fly for the cloud cover was low.
I decided to take us up and keep just inside the lower clouds. It might hide us and we could emerge to check the skies. The barrage to the north was deafening for we were much closer to it. If there were any Germans left on Vimy Ridge then they would be in no condition to defend their lines. I wondered if the brass hats had got it right for once. The German technique of hiding whilst being bombarded and emerging once it stopped would not work in this Arras Offensive.