Lou, another close call! The Eindeckers are showing up with regularity.

i am a day ahead, apologies for any problems.

Lt. Mark Jericho
Auchell Aerodrome
Feb. 26, 1916

Jericho was more than pleased with his money from training. It had been a long time since he had had a little spending money in his pocket. He went straight to James's "ready shack". "I got you something Pard" he said to James as he handed him 25 British pounds.
"Whats that for?" James asked.
"Its for what that binge cost you a few weeks back when I caused the little disturbance" Jericho answered.
"You don't owe me anything for that my friend, the show was worth every penny!" James replied.
Jericho looked at James in the eye for a few seconds and then said "I owe you Pard. Now please take this."
James met Jericho's stare. "Alright then....Pard" he said with a smile as they shook hands.

The bombing mission to Vimy Junction was getting old. Snow and rain, drop your eggs, fight off a few Eindeckers and return home. Upon landing Jericho slapped Christian on the back and said, "You can sure send those Hun's packing Hoss! Awful good shooting."

Yesterdays mission to bomb the front sector southwest of Monchy was anything but normal. Shortly after takeoff, the lead machine turned back with engine trouble. Somehow Jericho, now flight lead, found the escorts in the snow and cloud. Then #3 signaled engine trouble and he too turned back to Auchell. Jericho did not know what to do really. "Well we do have escorts and we are not crossing the lines so what the hell" he thought as he signaled to Christian, his gunner, that they were going ahead. Over the mud it was hard to see the lines through the cloud and snow so Jericho made a guess and let his eggs go. He was to find out he had totally missed his target but he and Christian were back at Auchell safe and sound. That was all that mattered to Jericho.

When Jericho walked out of his hut dressed for today's mission he stopped in his tracks. "That's the most beautiful sunrise this child has seen in a while" he thought. He stood for a moment with eyes closed letting the rays bath his face. He met Christian at their Morane. "Beautiful day isn't it Lt.!" Jericho said.
"Yes indeed!" replied Christian. "Lets hope some Hun does not mess it up!" They both laughed as they climbed to their positions. They were headed to bomb Menen Aerodrome, 10 miles behind the lines. There cheer masked both of the men's apprehension.

They had a new flight leader for the day. A Captain Cudney. He seemed good enough to Jericho. Not too stuffy. Dickens made up the trio. They took off into the clear blue sky and met up with the escorts, 2 Nieuports from Savy. "Got to love those Frenchies. They never back down from a fight" He thought as looked at the sleek scouts with envy. Approaching the target Jericho saw 3 machines a few thousand feet below. The Hun was up on this day too and these 3 were hunters. At that moment the 2 Nieuports dove past Jericho to engage the threat. "Go get'em boys!" Jericho said aloud then went back to concentrating on dropping his eggs.

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Jericho saw his bombs hit a tent hanger dead center. Cudney, Jericho and Dickens turned as one toward the lines. Christian signaled to Jericho that they were under attack and just as Jericho turned he saw Christian open up on a approaching Hun to their left. The Eindecker immediately turned over and tumbled out of sight. The other was on Dickens. Jericho and Christian joined in and together they sent him packing under the combined fire of their gunners.

Back at Auchell Jericho and Christian were elated. "You shot him clean center!" Jericho said to Christian.
"Tumbled like a stone he did!" added Christian.

They turned in a claim for the Hun but were told not to expect much as neither of them saw him crash. "Well we were a bit busy at the time Major" was Jericho's answer


Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from either end.
BOC Member since....I can't remember!