The continuing service of Albert "Mushroom" Ward:

20 Dec 1917 @ 08h03 Intercept NW of Monchy

At briefing we were told that we would encounter heavy cloud cover from 5000 to 12000 ft. and wind of 8 kn from the west. It was snowing with mixed rain as we mounted our machines.

I lead “B” flight composed of Clowes, Jarvis, Durrant, Walkerdine and Roy. “A” flight was composed of McCudden, Bowman, Johnson, Junor and Mealing. “A: flight was to provide Protective cover. We formed up north of the field as usual at 1900 ft and then set a course for Monchy. I took the flight high to see if we could get above the clouds but “A” flight contented themselves with staying low at 4500 ft. just below the cloud cover.

I couldn’t see the point in staying so low as we would likely not be able to engage incoming two seaters or scouts even if we saw them, unless we were at altitude. My decision proved accurate in that as we crossed the lines at 12500 ft., I spotted 5 DFW C.V. on our starboard side running east. I pushed my SE to the limit with my flight in tow in an effort to outrun them, turn into them and cut them off. I lost them in the clouds a couple of times and then began my turn just as they came our of a bank of clouds towards us. I engage the wing man from head on and slightly below, strafing him as I passed under his bus. We exchanged fire several times with my SE taking hits to the port and starboard upper and lower wings, but I managed to set him smoking and descending. I didn’t stay around to see if he crashed. I turned west to regroup but found none of my mates in the vicinity. I headed to our closest field at Bapaume and found Roy circling to land. I touched down and joined him as we walked to the R.O.’s office.
“Bloody rough show eh Mushroom?” he said holding his left shoulder.
“You’ve been hit! How bad is it?”
“Just a scratch Mushroom! Probably not worth stitching. I was lucky!”
“You can take that to the bank Roy! I took quite a few hits to my planes!”
“ Mine looks pretty bad also!” said Roy.
“What about the rest of the flight? Did you see any of them go down?” I asked.
“No, but I saw Jarvis and Mealing break for home. Walkerdine was right behind me when we left the scene but I lost him in the clouds somewhere. I sent two of those DFW’s down but I doubt we will get credit for them since they were on their side of the lines and well past the observation of our front line troops.”
“Yes, I sent one down smoking as well. We were over the lines by at least 5 miles by my judgement and not far from Riencourt. I’m sure glad the scouts weren’t around. Things were bad enough as it was. Those gunners in the two seaters were damn good shots! I hope I don’t meet the likes of them again!”
Roy looked down field and retorted “ I think I hear one coming in. Maybe it’s Walkerdine! Sure sounds like an SE!”

We watched as the profile came closer until it was clearly evident it was an SE. Sure enough it was Walkerdine landing. We walked over to him as he dismounted and he joined us on our trip to the reporting office. “Glad to see you boys!” he said. “What ever happened to “A” flight he questioned. I replied they likely never knew about the engagement being down so low as they were.

We barged into the R.O.’s office reporting our claims and enquiring if there was any news of the rest of our flight and “A” flight. The reply was not good:

Jarvis and Mealing crashed their SE’s and suffered light wounds due to the engagement. They had set down behind our lines trying to make Bapaume field.

“A” flight must have got into it with some huns, as Bowman had limped in at Courcelles with light damage to his craft; McCudden and Johnson both had a light wounds and destroyed their craft behind our lines. Clowes had suffered light damage to his SE and also landed at Courcelles.

It was a damned expensive outing for three possibles that could not be confirmed. Fortunately none of our flight went west, but we were duly shaken up. It would likely be a few days before we were fit to fly again.

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