by Griff Hosker
Lumpy rubbed his hands together, “I’m right glad I volunteered!”
Chapter 12
When the armourer returned we had eaten and were eagerly awaiting him. He had managed to salvage the whole engine. They also had the body of the German flier. It was treated with due reverence. He would be buried in our small cemetery with our own dead and Captain Marshall would keep detailed records for later.
Headquarters had been informed and we knew that it was only a matter of time before our find disappeared. Percy and his men worked wonders. They disassembled the mechanism before the day was out. We had no need for one as yet but there would come a time when we would and it was as well to be prepared.
It was when they were working on it that I had my idea. I grabbed Lumpy. “Airman Hutton, while the armourers are working on the German engine, come with me.” Intrigued he followed me. We wasted nothing and all of the engines, spare parts and weapons were stored in an old tent at the back of the main armoury tent. “I want the best Lewis gun we can find.”
He rubbed his hands, “A bit of legal larceny too! Good oh!”
He was incorrigible. “No, we are merely conducting an experiment. I will inform Flight Sergeant Richardson of our loan later.”
He rummaged around and after a short while he said, “Here sir, this one looks in good nick!”
“Right I want it fitting on the cockpit of our aeroplane.” As we walked back I could see him puzzling.
When we reached it he put the gun on the grass. “Sir, there is a machine gun there already.”
“No Airman, that is the rear facing one. This one will be fixed to fire forward. I will be firing over your head.”
That thought did not seem to put him out. “Oh I get you and that means you don’t have to stand while you fire. Righto sir, I’ll get on it right away.”
“This might not have worked as well with Sergeant Sharp as he is a bigger man but I noticed, when we flew, that you sit lower in the seat and the gun had a clear line of fire. This also means that the rear Lewis will always be loaded for you.”
“I think it is a good idea. But I can fit it so that it will fire over Sergeant Sharp’s head when he returns. It will make it more stable too. There is never a dull moment here is there sir?”
I liked Lumpy. He was resourceful and imaginative. He and Charlie had much in common.
We had respite for the next two days. A horrendous storm came from the north and made flying impossible. I dreaded to think what it would be like for the men in the trenches. I wondered how Bert would fare in his tunnels. I would ask Lumpy what they did exactly. The Fokker engine and mechanism was taken away and we managed to finish fitting the Lewis. I was desperate to try it out. I did not know how it would affect the balance of the aeroplane.
While the storm raged I was summoned to a meeting with Captain Marshall, the Colonel and Major Leach. There was a bottle of whisky on the table and four glasses. “Take a seat, Bill.” The Colonel waved a hand, “It is raining cats and dogs out there. We thought we would use this lull to talk about the next few weeks and as Archie here had a fine bottle of malt we thought we would do so in comfort.”
“Aye, it’s an Islay, it might be a bit peaty for you Englishmen but it’s my favourite.” He held up his glass, “The Corps!”
“The Corps.”
I had learned to sip spirits and was glad that I had. It burned a little but it was a pleasant taste. I lit my pipe and found that the taste of the tobacco and the whisky went well together.
“Now Captain Marshall has mentioned your bombing idea and we think it has merit. We just need to plan it well. This weather affords us that opportunity. You talk us through it and we will throw in questions. Four minds might be better than one eh? Off you go. By the way, Archie, this is a damned fine Islay.”
“Aye well go easy Colonel there’s just one more for each of us and then we will be on the blended stuff.”
I drew on my pipe and then began. “Six aeroplanes would take off as normal and patrol the front. My six would take off an hour later. We would climb high. By the time we reach the front the Fokkers should be ready to head for home. We would follow them.”
“What if they have not taken the bait?”
“Then we will lose no aeroplanes that day and we would try again on another occasion. Fuel is cheaper than aeroplanes and pilots sir.”
“Quite right.”
“And why at high altitude?”
“Well, Major, the aerial combats normally end up at very low level. It would make us hard to see and they would not have enough fuel to climb and engage us. And we would be able to travel faster at higher altitude.”
“Good but when you make your attack….”
I smiled, “I was just coming to that. Once we had crossed their lines we would descend to low level. We would follow the Fokkers in. With luck their ground defences would see what they expected to see, aeroplanes returning home. We would fly in two flights of three with sixty feet between wing tips. That way we would have more chance of damage. I would just use one pass. The gunners could hurl four bombs in that time and we could pepper their field. Then we would climb and return home at high altitude.”
They all nodded and Archie poured our last glass of his precious potion. “The only problem I can see, laddie, is your new gunners. They haven’t dropped bombs yet.”
“I know but my two new ones seem very dependable and have not shown a tendency to flap. If I took Lieutenant Hewitt’s flight too they have bombed before.”
“The aeroplanes at the back would be in danger from the concussion and explosion from the ground. The first two aeroplanes would be beyond any chance of that but the last one…”
Randolph was right. I tapped my pipe out to give me time to think. Then Archie said. “If the last one in the flight comes in at a hundred feet higher then they can still bomb but will not be in any danger and they could watch out for any danger.”
“Thank you sir, that would work.”
The smiles on their faces told me of their approval but I asked the question anyway. “So we go ahead with the plan sir?”
“We go ahead. Brief your pilots and we will have bomb racks fitted while it is raining. We try this out as soon as the weather abates.”
The advantage to the plan was that it cost us nothing to be prepared. We would be on patrol to stop their spotting aeroplanes anyway. Gordy was as pleased that I had suggested him as Ted was disappointed to be left out. “Huh, typical, I get to be bait again!”
We left him chuntering while I took all the pilots and gunners through the raid. “This will have to be planned beforehand. Each pilot must follow his instructions precisely. I will lead the formation. Once I begin to descend then Lieutenant Hewitt will fly alongside me. The last two aeroplanes in each flight will take up a position a hundred feet above us. We will be dropping our bombs from fifty feet to maximise damage. The last aeroplane in each flight will have to judge where best to drop their bombs but we only have one pass to drop four bombs.” I looked at the faces. There were three new gunners. “For three of you this will be the first time you have dropped bombs. You just need quick hands. We will return at high altitude” I paused, “Any questions?”
“What about the weight sir? We have extra magazines and you have your new gun.”
Airman Hutton showed that he was a thinker. “Take off the rear facing Lewis. We will be leading and the other two gunners in flight can cover our tail.”
And with that we were ready. Gordy joined me in the mess where we found Ted still sulking. “Cheer up Ted. Just think, while we are just bombing an airfield, you can be adding to your tally of Germans.”
“Ha bloody ha! Well, when do you try this raid then?”
“The next break in the weather.”
Gordy brought two teas over. “The skies look to be lightening in the west so I would guess tomorrow.”
We sipped our tea in silence. “Have you heard from Mary lately?”
He shook his
head, “No. And I know that she will have written.”
“None of us have had any mail for a couple of weeks. Not that I would know as I never get letters anyway.”
“You never know Ted, there will be some girl out there just waiting for you.”
“Aye,” added Gordy, “she’ll be the one desperate to kiss a frog. So you never know…”
“I don’t know why I talk to you pair. All I get is insults.”
The weather had cleared and we watched as the Major and Ted took off with their flights the next day. The patrol had to be done but I felt guilty knowing that they were taking all the risks. The time ticked by very slowly as we waited for the hour to pass. Captain Marshall waved his arm and we began to taxi. The nose was slightly heavier than normal with the bombs and take off was trickier than usual. We began to climb and, again, it was slower because of the weight. We had filled the aeroplanes with as much fuel as we could. We did not want to run out on the way back.
We had crossed the British lines when we saw the others. They were to the north of us and were heading west. I counted six of them but I could see smoke coming from two of them. Four Fokkers were pursuing them and I could see our gunners standing on the cockpit fending them off. Ahead I could see the other monoplanes heading east.
The four Fokkers turned around once the British trenches began firing at them. They had lost one to the infantry already and I knew that they would be wary of pushing their luck. They soon began to overtake us as I had the air speed as low as I dared. They did not look up and I was pleased I had thought of the higher altitude. This was partly to conserve fuel but also to enable us to arrive undetected. When we lost altitude we would pick up speed closer to the target which is what we wanted.
The four Fokkers would not catch their companions and that suited us. With luck we might be taken for other German aeroplanes. When I saw that we had crossed their German lines I began to descend. We had dropped five hundred feet, I saw Gordy next to me and he waved. He had the job of estimating the distance between us. We were in position. Soon we were just sixty feet above the ground. I glanced back and saw Johnny Holt a hundred feet above us.
If the monoplane had had an observer then they might have seen us. As it was they did not. They blissfully headed home unaware that they had company. Soon we saw their airfield ahead. To my horror I realised that they had another Jasta there. They were the ones lined up neatly along both sides of the runaway. The twelve aeroplanes might be armed, fuelled and ready to fly. I had the chance to abort the mission. I did not. We would have to hope to hit as many as we could.
“Lumpy try to hit those Fokkers that are neatly parked. They haven’t flown yet.”
“Right sir. This is like the coconut shy at the local fair.”
“Well make sure you get the major prize!”
I waited, as we approached, for the sound of their guns firing at us, but they must have seen us as friendlies. I cocked the Lewis. It looked like we might need it and I wondered if we would regret removing the rear Lewis. I hoped not.
When they saw us it was as though we had upset a nest of ants. They swarmed from their wooden huts and raced towards their aeroplanes. Lumpy began hurling the bombs. He threw to the left while Gordy’s gunner threw to the right. The shrapnel would cover the ground between. Lumpy was a very quick thrower and I hoped that he had not thrown too quickly. Then I saw him cock and begin to fire his machine gun. One of the Fokkers which had just landed suddenly burst into flames as his bullets struck it.
Then I pulled back on the stick and began to climb. I banked left while Gordy would bank right. That way we would avoid any unnecessary collisions. It also gave me a chance to assess the damage. I saw Johnny Holt begin his turn. We were all safely through the maelstrom of flying metal.
I counted at least six burning Fokkers. It was obvious that some of the others were damaged. However I saw four of them taxiing. They would follow us, hell bent on revenge. I pointed to them and Gordy nodded. We both began to climb. We would continue to fly in two columns for mutual protection. We climbed as high as we dared. When I levelled out I looked down and behind. There were four Fokkers climbing followed by a fifth. With any other aeroplane I would have taken those odds but not the Fokker. They could approached from below and pick us off one by one. Our rear Lewis would not help us and we could not use our circle, the gay Gordons as we would not have enough fuel.
It was a race now. Would we reach our own lines before they caught us? I saw the German support trenches appear below me and then I heard the stutter of the German machine guns. We had to lose altitude. I put the nose down and began to dive. Immediately we picked up airspeed. I saw Lumpy bring his gun around and watched as he fired at the Fokker attacking the last aeroplane in Gordy’s flight. Although he missed I could see that the German pilot was aware of the danger.
There were four Fokkers attacking Gordy’s flight and the last enemy was still labouring to climb and attack us. “Airman Hutton, I am going to swing around and attack the Germans. I will be firing my Lewis.”
“Righto sir!”
I began to bank to port. The manoeuvre took the Germans by surprise. I headed for the middle two aeroplanes. “Lumpy go for the one on the right.” I aimed my aeroplane at the one on the left. Perhaps the pilot had seen that we had no rear mounted Lewis and assumed he was safe but he soon thought differently. I discovered what it must be like to be a Fokker pilot. As the monoplane loomed across my sights I pulled the trigger. I hit the engine and then the pilot. It was as though I had swatted a fly. It dropped like a stone. Hutton had hit the other aeroplane in the tail.
I saw the last Fokker firing at me but his bullets went through the empty space behind the engine. Then Laithwaite and Flight Sergeant White began to fire at the last Fokker and he turned away, engine smoking.
I brought the flight up on Gordy’s port side. I could see that all three of his aeroplanes were damaged but the last two Fokkers had seen enough. We were over No Man’s Land; they had lost one aeroplane and had two more damaged. They cut their losses.
I let Gordy and his damaged flight land first but we were almost flying on fumes ourselves and we barely made the end of the airfield before the engines cut out. Five more minutes in the air and we would have all had to land in the trenches; not an easy task.
I looked at the Gunbuses. We had all suffered some damage but to the aeroplane and not personnel. We could repair the aeroplanes. Thankfully we did not have bodies for Doc Brennan to fix.
Gordy came over shaking his head. “Another Fokker!” He grabbed my hand. “Thanks Bill, you saved us back there. I owe you one.”
“Don’t be daft. It was my idea. I couldn’t let you lads pay for that could I? Besides we are all in the same squadron and we watch over each other.”
Chapter 13
The other flights had suffered damage when they had played bait but no deaths had resulted. It had been that rare thing in the squadron; a day without wounds or deaths. That evening we all celebrated in the officers’ mess; for the first time we had managed to shoot down a Fokker and not lost an aeroplane. We had been lucky.
I had watched Percy Richardson with his hands on his hips watching me as I had taxied. He pointed to the Lewis and wagged his finger, “Captain Harsker, sir, if you had asked then I would have fitted one for you. You had no need to steal one!”
Lumpy strode up grinning, “We borrowed it, Flight, but you can have it back if you like.”
The armourer sniffed, “Well while it is on… who fitted this?”
“I did Flight, anything wrong?” Lumpy sounded worried.
Percy clambered up and checked it over. He jumped down and wiped his hands on an oily rag. “It’ll do, I suppose.”
I laughed, “That means he thinks it is a good job!”
“I suppose they will all want one now.”
“It does work Flight Sergeant and if we have spares…”
He nodded and wandered off to comply.
I had reported
to the Colonel and the Major who were waiting. They were delighted with our success but when I mentioned two Jastas their faces clouded. “I know we have hurt them but we didn’t hurt their pilots. They can churn out weapons and I would expect them at full strength next week or the week after.”
“Luckily they are short days now and we can expect less action but even so we had better prepare the field for retaliation.”
The party in the officers’ mess was lively but it was as nothing compared with that organised by Quartermaster Doyle for the sergeants and airmen. We were anticipating a quieter time and this was a chance to let off steam. We also celebrated because we had letters from home. There was a backlog. We never discovered why but we were just grateful for the mail.
The day after the party was a drizzle filled day with low cloud. Flying was impossible although the colonel ordered all the airmen on the base to man the machine guns in case the Hun decided to bomb us again. I settled down in my tent to read my three letters. The first, from our Sarah told me the same as the other two letters but I read them anyway, three times each.
September 1915
Dear Bill,
I hope you are well. We read all your letters four or five times each. When we read them it is almost as though you are there.
We were shocked to hear about you being put on trial. I am glad you were found innocent- not that I doubted you. Lord Burscough sent a letter to his wife and she told us that you had been badly treated. There are some awful people around but we are all glad that you are safe.
Bert is in the Engineers and has set off for the front. Mother is beside herself. She bursts into tears all the time. It doesn’t help that our Kath has gone and married that curate, well he is a vicar now. I still don’t like him. Anyway they moved to his new church in Yorkshire, a little place called Masham.
The upshot is that mum only has our Alice at home and she is of an age where she wants a bit of excitement. I think both mum and dad worry that she will do what John and Tom did and run off to Manchester. They worry that she would end up changed like they were. I don’t think so. She’s not like them. She wants to do something different from the rest of us. She is very creative. She makes lovely clothes and dresses. Mum can’t see beyond the estate. Out Alice will have to move away some time.