Journal Entry: February 16, 1916
Bertincourt

Yesterday, we flew our first full KEK sortie and it was a disaster. I led Manfred, Georg and Edgar on a line patrol in the Bapaume area while Josef flew above us as a lookout for trouble. As we began our patrol I noticed a pair of Nieuports lurking about way off in the distance and decided to ignore them because they were so far from our patrol area. We continued with the patrol and it wasn't long until Edgar spotted a pair of Quirks ambling along towards us. It was obvious that they hadn't seen the danger yet and we were able to successfully attack them out of the sun. In spite of our surprise, they still managed to pepper us thoroughly and even lightly wounded Georg in the process. Eventually, the inevitable happened with me downing one of the Quirks and Georg the other. Afterwards, I fired the flare signalling the return to base and we landed without incident. It was then that I realized my horrible mistake, I had lost track of Josef in the excitement of our engagement. It wasn't until I called the local BalIon zug that I found out what happened to Josef. It seems that while we were engaged with the Quirks the Nieuports snuck in and overwhelmed Josef. Yesterday reminded me that as Kommandeur I am not allowed to make mistakes, my mistakes cost men their lives. I will miss Leutnant Mau, he had a wonderful tenor voice and the mess shall suffer because of his absence.


Member and provider of banjo music for the Illustrious BOC