1917 Eagles Fall

by Griff Hosker

  “You might have told us what you were going to do.” My old friend had an angry, almost petulant look on his face.

  I smiled at Gordy, “I thought Bates was my mother?” he laughed. “Any losses or damage?”

  Freddie shook his head, “No. It was a bit of an anticlimax really. We watched you stop their attack and then followed the Bristols home.”

  “That suits me. Every hour in the air for the new pilots means they have a better chance of surviving. Did Ellis get back?”

  “Yes, although his bus might not be ready for tomorrow.”

  “Ted and Harry come to the office while I give you tomorrow’s orders.”

  Randolph was already compiling his report. “The Australians were grateful to us for this morning and they want us to spot for their artillery tomorrow so that they can consolidate the ground.”

  I turned to Ted and Harry. “Then that is your mission. You will need to work with your new gunners to tell them what to do. I think you might find the Germans try to discourage you tomorrow.”

  “Aye, I reckon you are right. What will you and Gordy be doing?”

  “We will patrol the field in case the Albatros Jasta returns and then we will take over from you in the afternoon.”

  Ted nodded to Harry, “Right then Lieutenant Dodds, we have our work cut out. Let’s go.”

  After they left Randolph held up a sheet of paper. I ordered more Vickers and Lewis machine guns. I also requested more soldiers to defend the field.”

  “Until then draft in the cooks, orderlies and anyone else who can hold a gun. If we dig slit trenches close to the sandbags then they can shelter from the bombers and fire at them with their rifles.”

  “Will they hit anything?”

  “I doubt it but it makes nervous pilots even more nervous and nervous pilots make mistakes.”

  In the event we had no visitors to the field. I led the two flights to Lagnicourt in the afternoon and we covered D flight as they directed the artillery to clear the Germans from their newly acquired gains. I had time to observe the Australians making new defences. They were not bothered by the Huns.

  We had had two days without damage or losses and the squadron was in high spirits. I had time to complete all the overdue paperwork. “Randolph, just find out what the Germans are up to. If they aren’t bothering us then someone must be getting it.”

  I worked through the late afternoon while Randolph telephoned to Intelligence.

  “It seems there is a battle going on at Vimy Ridge and the Canadians are getting a hammering. The Albatros D.III squadrons have been decimating the fellows up there.”

  “Do they need us?”

  “No, they want us to help the Australians to consolidate the ground they recaptured. And they are sending us three more Bristols and crews tomorrow.”

  “Good. Give two to Gordy and one to Ted. I want those two flights to be the strongest. Harry and Freddie need to grow into their jobs.” I leaned back and filled my pipe. “Any news of Archie?”

  “The doc said he heard they sent him to your young lady’s hospital.”

  “Then he is in safe hands. They have good people there and I don’t just mean Beattie!”

  He laughed, “I assumed she wasn’t running the place single handed.”

  The next few days were the most peaceful days of war we had experienced. The Germans did not bother us and, by the end of the week, the Australians no longer needed us to spot and we were asked to help out further north. The time had been well spent and the three new crews assimilated into the squadron. On the 26th of April we were given new orders. We were to fly north and support the British and Canadian attack at Arleux. Our holiday was over. This was the area where the Red Baron ruled. We would finally meet this vaunted Jasta of elite pilots.

  We left as dawn was breaking. The new machine guns had arrived and we had sandbagged trenches should the German bombers return. Quartermaster Doyle was trying to acquire some barrage balloons which could be raised over the field in the case of an attack. I had no doubt that the resourceful Scouser would manage that. He had more contacts in France than anyone I knew.

  I flew with C Flight above the other three flights. Our job would be to deter any fighters while Gordy would attack any ground targets which presented themselves. It was a day of high cloud and I made sure that we were at ten thousand feet. It was a comfortable height and would enable us to avoid any ground fire. The Hun arrived within fifteen minutes of us. They must have had good intelligence from the front alerting them to our presence. There were twelve of them and their colourful livery told me that it was Baron Manfred Von Richthofen and his Flying Circus. I saw that they were climbing to reach us and I led C Flight higher. They flew in three formations of four. They were echeloned so that there was one extra aeroplane on the starboard side. I was using a line astern. It meant that while I would be the target for two Spandau machine guns we would have four chances to down the leader and Speight, at the rear, would be able to cause some damage.

  One of the flights detached itself to attack us. I hoped that our smaller profile might make us harder to hit. Once we had passed through them then it would be every man for himself. I fired at four hundred feet. I had not worked out yet the size of the German’s magazines but I wanted to make him fire and waste his bullets.

  He was good and the twin machine guns rattled into my wings. The recent repairs were undone as the Albatros closed with me. I had managed to strike his radiator before I had to bank to starboard. His wing man fired and I felt the Pup judder as his bullets hit my undercarriage. I used the Pup’s agility to turn to port and I saw Freddie’s bullets strike the Albatros leader causing smoke to come from his engine. I pulled hard and saw the fourth Albatros come into my sights. Flying at a strange angle I snap fired and my bullets traced a line from his tail to his cockpit. He pulled up to avoid me and, behind me in Alldardyce’s Bristol, Speight poured bullets into his belly. I continued my bank and fired at the second Albatros. I managed to hit his undercarriage and I raised my nose a little to continue firing into his wings, stays and struts. I began to climb so that I could swoop down again. As I did so I saw that the Germans were fleeing east. In the distance I could see the rest of the Jasta and the Bristols engaged in dogfights.

  Freddie and Alldardyce were diving to join the fray but, to my horror, Johnny Holt was heading east following a smoking Albatros. He was half a mile away and they were both going at full power. I had to follow. He kept firing at the Albatros whenever the German pilot’s concentration lapsed and they gradually went lower. I knew what the German’s plan was; he was luring Johnny towards the guns on the ground. Sure enough when they were at five hundred feet Johnny’s Pup was hit by shells from the ground. It might have been a lucky shot but it did for Johnny. A huge hole appeared in both his upper and lower starboard wings. He began to plummet to Earth. The Pup is a tough little aeroplane but the strain was beginning to tell. I saw wires snapping as his Pup started to fall apart. He was saved by his low altitude. He managed to crash land a mile or so from the nearest Germans. I dived down and machine gunned the eager Huns who began to run towards the burning Pup. I flew over Johnny and saw him stagger from his Pup. He was alive. I banked and flew back towards the Germans. I fired once more and then turned. I would try to land.

  In any other aeroplane I would have been doomed to failure but the Pup could almost land in a living room. It was not the best landing and it was only when I heard a creak from below that I remembered that I had suffered damage to it. There was little I could do about it. I turned into the wind and shouted, “Johnny! Get over here!”

  He staggered towards me. I saw that his face was covered in blood.

  “Grab my hand and climb up behind!”

  In the distance I could see Germans as they ran towards us. Holt’s Pup was now an inferno and the smoke from it drifted in front of us disguising our position.

  “Lie down on the fuselage. Spread your legs as though you are riding a horse and hang on
to my seat belt and cockpit.”

  “I am sorry sir. You should leave me.”

  “You just hang on.” I was not certain if the Pup would get off the ground but one thing was certain if I did not then it would be a quick death for both of us. I gunned the engine and we screamed through the smoke. The hedge, the end of the field and the Germans were all approaching rapidly. I pulled back on the stick and we started to rise. I heard the chatter of bullets and then there was a huge crack. As the undercarriage hit the top of the branches part of it fell off and we rose over the hedgerow. We were in the air.

  I dared not risk any tricky manoeuvres. Holt was clinging on for dear life. I kept us as low as I could and we zoomed over the front at a height of fifty feet. We were travelling so fast that we were gone before anyone else could fire at us. I saw the fuel gauge as it drifted towards empty. We would be landing on fumes. At least that would mean there was less chance of a fiery death.

  “How are you doing, Johnny?” I had to shout because of the noise of the creaking bus and the wind in the wires.

  “Still hanging on, sir. Just don’t climb though, sir. I’ll slide off if you do.”

  “Don’t worry, we are going back as level as I can manage.” I reached down for the Very pistol. When we crossed our lines I knew that we had barely ten miles before the field would be in sight. As soon as I saw the derelict barn a mile from the end of the runway I fired the pistol and watched the flare arc.

  “We have no wheels, Johnny, so this will be a little bumpy.” That would be an understatement for I had no idea how much of the undercarriage remained. The last thing I needed was for a spar to dig in the ground and cartwheel Johnny to his death. Thankfully the runway was empty. The engine began to cough and splutter, “Come on old girl, just a few more yards!”

  The ground seemed to race towards us. “Stand by Johnny!” I lifted the nose slightly and heard the intake of breath from Holt as his arms took the strain. The propeller stopped and we were gliding. We hit the ground hard but there was no cartwheel. The lack of any undercarriage meant that we slid just thirty yards or so and then slewed around. As we did so Johnny rolled off the Pup and hit the ground.

  I was out in an instant and ran back to him. I put my hand on his neck and he was still alive. Doc Brennan was there almost as soon as I stood up. He shook his head, “I don’t think much of your taxi service.” He then rolled Johnny over as his orderlies joined him.

  Freddie and Gordy arrived. “How on earth did you get him back and land it?” Gordy pointed to the Pup. It was a wreck.

  “I have no idea but I guess someone was watching out for us.”

  Flight Sergeant Lowery wandered over. “I think this is a right off, sir. It will need a complete rebuild.”

  I nodded. “Do the best you can Flight. Did we lose anyone today?”

  “Two of the new boys, Grant and Wright. Freddie managed to get one of the Albatros fighters.”

  “Well done Freddie.”

  He shook his head, “I have failed you sir. I thought I had made it clear to Johnny that we didn’t follow wounded birds east.”

  “You have nothing to reproach yourself about. You have vindicated my choice of Flight Commander. You could just as easily say that it was my fault. You cannot fly for another pilot. But I think that he has learned a lesson today.”

  “Will he be alright sir?”

  “He is shaken up, that is all. The bump on his head looks worse than it is. He was talking to me on the way back. Of course I am no doctor but…”

  We had reached the office. Gordy said, “We might have been bloodied by this Red Baron but we weren’t battered. Our young lads did fine. They were fighting the best they had. I counted at least five damaged birds. We will do better next time.”

  Randolph looked concerned. “You had us worried there, Bill.”

  “I had me worried.”

  “General Trenchard heard about the show today and he sends his congratulations.” I gave him a puzzled look. “It is the first time anyone has managed to bring down one of Jasta 11. He said your Camels will be here in the next fortnight.”

  “Well we will need them!”

  Chapter 24

  We were stood down the next day as a storm closed in our field. It was a late spring soaking for all of us but it allowed the mechanics to repair the damage to the Bristols and for Johnny to recover a little.

  I had him in my office as soon as he left the sick bay. I did not want this hanging over him. He knew what was coming and he had a hang dog expression on his face. I lit my pipe and watched him. He had a bandage on his head but Doc Brennan had said that he could fly by the end of the week. Of course we had no bus for him to fly anyway but no matter what I said the loss of his Pup would be the greatest punishment. I needed to know if he had learned his lesson.

  “I know that you are a good pilot, Johnny. I have told you before that you and Freddie are the best in the squadron but the difference is that Freddie has self control and you do not.”

  “I know sir and I…”

  “Let me finish. You were lucky the other day. If I hadn’t followed you then you would be behind German bars by now and we would have lost a damned good pilot.”

  “It won’t happen again, sir.” There was an earnest tone in his voice.

  I nodded, “I know because if you ever do anything like this again then I will ground you and give you a desk job.”

  He looked up; horror written all over his face. “I promise sir. I have learned my lesson. Get me back in the air and I will show you.”

  “I am afraid, Johnny, that, like me, you will have to wait until the new aeroplanes arrive before we can test your resolve.”

  “I know sir. But thank you for the chance.”

  The next morning Johnny and I watched the squadron as they left without us. The field seemed empty somehow. Bates was delighted that I was grounded. He whistled cheerfully as he tidied my room. I went to the office to catch up on some overdue paperwork.

  Randolph was in a chatty mood. “Did you hear about the Yanks coming in to the war?”

  “Yes General Trenchard mentioned them.”

  “That will make a difference. They will have fresh troops and machines.”

  “Hopefully they will use them in different way.”

  He leaned back, “How do you mean, Bill?”

  “If they come in and try to fight the war the way that we have then things will not change. We need a whole new approach. I hope the Yanks can bring it.”

  I fiddled around until it was nearly noon and then I watched for the return of the squadron. I knew that I would rather be up there than waiting like the father of a girl out with her young man and worrying what was happening. The uneven sound of engines told me that the squadron had hit trouble. Two smoking and sickly Bristols returned first. They were the new pilots and it was to be expected. I breathed a sigh of relief when Gordy, Ted and Harry returned. I noticed that there were at least two Bristols missing. When Lieutenant Alldardyce landed, somewhat shakily then I knew that there was just one missing and I realised that it was Freddie.

  I heard the Pup which seemed to be approaching the field like a crab, sideways. I turned to the fire crews. “Get out there; Mr Carrick is in trouble. You had better fetch the doctor too.”

  I ran to the field. Freddie was in trouble, I could see that. When the Pup rolled to a halt I ran to the cockpit. Freddie was out for the count. I did not know how he had managed to land the Pup. Miraculously the Pup appeared to be undamaged and I wondered what injury he had suffered. I saw that there was blood close to his helmet. I took off his goggles and his helmet. A bullet had scored a line along the side of his cheek and his head.

  “Let me see him, Bill.”

  Doc Brennan leapt up to the cockpit and I stepped down. Gordy and Ted ran from their Bristols. “He and Alldardyce covered us when we were jumped. I didn’t see any damage to his bus and I assumed he was fine.”

  Doc Brennan stepped down as his orderlies manhand
led Freddie from the cockpit. “His head has been creased by a bullet and he has concussion. He won’t be able to fly for a few days.”

  “That’s not a problem. I can replace an aeroplane but not a fine pilot.”

  When Ted and Gordy had finished their report I could see that the Germans had determined to get revenge for their loss the previous day. Once again we had lost a couple of pilots but we were suffering fewer casualties than the other squadrons. Somehow that seemed like cold comfort. Our young pilots were still bleeding for Britain. I knew that the human body had eight pints of blood coursing through it. How many pints of pilots did Britain have?

  I looked up at Randolph. “How long until those Camels get here?”

  “I told you, Bill, it could be a fortnight.”

  “Well until then we have one Pup and just four experienced pilots. We need a miracle.”

  Although we were suffering casualties others had to endure wholesale losses. Pilots in training from England were rushed too early to the front with the direst of consequences. “We are ordered up to Vimy again. We are supporting 56 Squadron. They have a new bus, the SE5, which can fly at a hundred and thirty five miles an hour. Perhaps their presence will be of some help.”

  “If it can fly at that speed it might be but it really needs two guns. We shall see.”

  Inside I was quite hopeful. The Bristol had been an improvement and if the SE 5 was as good then perhaps we could turn the tide.

  I led the squadron up the next day. The stubborn little Pup had stood up to the rigours of war well but it was the last of the three. They had all done remarkably well for such a small aeroplane. I had Alldardyce behind me and I felt slightly lonely five hundred feet above the rest of the squadron. Below me I could see the new roads which the engineers had built to supply the newly dug trenches. We must have outstripped the underground bunkers and roads which Bert had been building. I wondered where he and his moles had been sent now. There could not be a bigger contrast between our worlds. He was in the dark and with not enough room to swing. I had the skies above me and fresh air too.