Banjoman, good to see you. I was beginning to worry. Busy! Got it! Thanks for what you’re doing for us, whenever you can.

Banjoman: U do great.

Luthor Linderman
Underofficer
Kriegslazarette # 3 at Aachen
Ward 9, Row 4, Bed 14,


March 15, 1918.

Started in on the physical therapy, Led by Helga our Fitness instructor and Frieda her assistant

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-En9VERNvt...er-Nikki-Fuller-Rare-Photos-Collection-1

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/40/dc/2d/40dc2d2965cf594b37b4a03a710da7e2.jpg

Banjoman, no need to apologize. We all appreciate the stats whenever you get time. I hope you are able to get some stick time in the future. Thanks again Bud!

DC, glad you lived through that one! Crackerjack story.

Jerod Jackson
43 RFC
Auchell
21 missions
5 victories

Nov. 13th, 1917
Morning patrol was a patrol around friendly territory near Berques. B Flight and A flight would be 7 machines combined. Jackson griped all the way to his machine about "wasting good petrol flying around in friendly territory in heavy weather". Near Warham at 12.000' the flight leader spotted 2 machines headed east about 1000' above and ahead. We all climbed to engage. No way they could get away this far behind the lines. Ryan and Jackson attacked 1st. Ryan, just ahead and to the right of Jackson, took the first shots and the observer returned fire. Ryan turned sharply away. Jackson gave two long bursts with pieces flying of the big DWFC. It banked to the right and Jackson saw A flight coming in from above so he turned to avoid a collision. A flight made short work of the Hun and Jackson formed up with them for the home flight as his flight was nowhere to be found. Back at base. A flight claimed both machines and it seems Ryan had caught a bullet in the lungs during his attack and perished.

Nov. 14th.
Myself and Oswald were to escort 2 RE's to survey the lines near Monchy. All went well with no contact.

Nov. 15th.
Patrol friendly territory Fienvillers. At briefing the CO asked Jackson if he had any "questions about patroling friendly territory."

"No Sir" was Jacksons reply.

"Any compaints?" the CO asked.

"No Sir" Jackson said redfaced.

This time there was no contact.

Nov. 16th
Morning patrol was an attack on Athies Junction. Near Monchy Davies dove down and left. Jackson and the rest of the flight followed. Jackson quickly saw a DV which 2 of of his flight pounced on. Turning to circle at 1000' Jackson spotted another just below and dove to engage. He and the Hun circled twice with no advantage either way when Christianson joined in almost colliding with Jackson. The Hun broke away giving Jackson a perfect chance to pounce which he did. Locked on his tail Jackson let loose and the Hun shuddered with black smoke coming from the engine. It rolled over and went in. Jackson noticed the red and black band around the fuselage with a white flower in the center. Returning to base he filed his claim.

Nice to hear that Jackson made it thru his flight. Ive lost a few good pilots near Monchy and a couple of Aces thrown in. Keep and Eye out.

Carrick, for some reason I like that area. All my campaigns seem to patrol around Monchy. It seems to be a busy place.

MONCHY !

https://giphy.com/gifs/screem-it-came-from-outer-space-movies-1950-t7jyTlsyLCHCpetXby/fullscreen



I found Monchy and Roulers areas to be a sink hole for my pilots. However with that said, They are areas where the &%#@ hits the fan and some really good fights go on.

Luthor Linderman
Underofficer
Kriegslazarette # 3 at Aachen
Ward 9, Row 4, Bed 14,


March 16, 1918. Slipped out after lights out to see Gretchen she works down in city at the Bierhalle . I will be re-leased soon so back to the Front.


https://giphy.com/gifs/oct-fest-beer-girls-bcjF5dd3IQZz8PBsJL/fullscreen

Fullofit, somehow I missed Aldi's last story on the 11th. Great stuff and great photos! MFair, I hope Jackson is a genuine Stonewall for you, mate!. Carrick, your man is a rogue, I think. And Banjoman, thank you again for your dedicated work on the stats. Hope to see you in the air soon.

Corderoy hasn't had much luck of late...

Diary of Maj. Geoffrey Corderoy, RFC
Part 40: 10-16 November 1917

10 November 1917 – Poperinghe

Up early this morning and get enough paper out of the way to take up a patrol at nine o’clock – Hobson, Howson, Seth-Smith, and Koch. Wing is pressing to destroy some balloons on the southern part of the Salient. Our patrol is to attack one just northwest of Menin, not far from the Hun aerodromes there. The sky is dull grey, a featureless mass of cloud. We bob in and out of the overcast, dropping down to confirm our bearing every minute or two. Not far from the target we become separated in the cloud and I emerge with Hobson and Howson, but missing the other two. I turn north and search for the target. It emerges a little to the left and about a mile off, still high up – in fact, at the same altitude as us. But before we approach within range, the thing goes up in smoke and flame. Koch and Seth-Smith have seen it first and the former has got his first gasbag.

We begin to regroup, but several Albatri dive on us, unseen until the last few seconds. I get a good crack at one, but the fellow dives over the Hun airfield and I follow until the tracer begins to whip past my Camel. Several rounds smack into the fuselage forward of me, so I climb away westward to regain height. Just in time, too, for without as much as a cough the engine gives up the ghost and I am left gliding over the lines. Luck is with me, for no Huns are about and I put down roughly close by Messines.

Koch has credit for the balloon and Howson for a DV, so it has been a good morning. Sigismund was grazed this morning with B Flight, and will be out a few days, it seems.

Letter from Catherine. It seems the regular nurses like to lord it over the VADs, one in particular whom she calls “the Duchess”. Her response is to become the high priestess of sanitary practices, which has made her a favourite of one of the head doctors. I sense a drama in the offing. The girl seems quite formidable.

Walked into town with Gregg and enjoyed tea at the Maison de Ville. The market square is crowded with wounded being prepared for movement. The heavy fighting to the east seems to have died down, as we have taken the ridge so many fell for.

11 November 1917

Went with B Flight to Loos to bomb some Hun rail cars. The boys did a thorough job and returned without much damage, seeing nothing.

Walked into Pop to attend Sunday service at Talbot House, known affectionately as Toc H. The fine old house on Rue de l”Hôpital is run by two padres, Father “Tubby” Clayton and Father Talbot [1], and serves as an “Everyman’s Club” for all regardless of rank. It has been a going concern since 1915 and offers a reading room and lending library, a billiard table, and lots of decent furniture. The adjoining building, a hop-house, has been added to the original house and has become a concert hall, while the upper room in the place is a chapel. It lacks somewhat in the bar service, but more than makes up for it in comfort. And there is always good tea to be had. It is a little slice of home and human decency. There is a wonderful sign near the entrance that reads “Abandon rank all ye who enter here.” Spend a good two hours in the garden smoking and chatting with some very funny New Zealanders. I would like to see their islands one day.


"The fine old house on Rue de l”Hôpital is run by two padres, Father “Tubby” Clayton and Father Talbot, and serves as an “Everyman’s Club” for all regardless of rank."

12 November 1917

Back to Loos today – more of the same. Mixed with some Albatri. We had our hands full and then some Pfalzes joined the show. We were lucky to get away. The Camels cannot outrun anything, so we had to fight it out. At one point I had three of the buggers on my tail. The ack emmas counted thirty-three holes in my grid. We were delighted to learn that Quigley had bagged one of the Pfalzes.

13 November 1917

Escorted three French Sopwith Strutters to Oppy this morning. Several Pfalzes interfered and I hit one, which immediately began to tumble about and fell apparently out of control. The Hun disappeared into the cloud below, which was too high to say that he could not have recovered. Although I made the claim, it remained a “driven down.”

Letter from Catherine. She enclosed a poem she has written about her sentiments on seeing so many wounded young men. Very well done and very touching. I am tempted to try my hand at poetry. I am afraid I have never felt any talent for it.

14 November 1917

We were to meet up with some RE8s from 42 Squadron and ferry them over east of Vimy. On takeoff, however, we spotted an odd-looking formation off to the south of us, only three thousand feet up. I turned to investigate and several minutes later saw white puffs of ack-ack as the formation neared Bailleul. We opened up and after ten more minutes identified the machine as Albatros scouts! I have not before seen Huns this far over and so low down. Two of the EA turned to engage us while the others scattered eastward. The fight was strange. I hit one as it came at me, skidding just out of its way at the last second. I turned and saw nothing! After several minutes circling and studying the fields below I gave up. Only Howsam was near me, so I fired a flare and climbed to 5000. Gradually the others emerged from the haze and rejoined.

I set course for Neuve-Chapelle, hoping to find the RE8s, and by some miracle flew right past them. We turned about and escorted them to the assigned objective, circling about while they took photographs. No other Huns were about.

15 November 1917

Patrol to Arras sector. Froze at 12000 feet, seeing nothing. Visit from Colonel Holt. One of our corporals came before me on charge for sleeping on guard duty. FP No 1 is the norm, but Sergeant-Major Pococke confided that the thing is viewed very negatively by the men. I fined the fellow £3/10s, which was likely a harsher penalty, as the man is known to enjoy his drink.

16 November 1917

I feel that my old luck has returned. We flew south to Annoelin to attack the Hun balloon lines and I got the gasbag with my LePrieurs. In fact I narrowly avoided going up in flames with the thing! Then we were attacked by a large group of Pfalzes. The first I knew of them was when several Spandau rounds ripped through the upper wing. One smashed my rev counter, another bet the little mixture lever and exited through the floor. Yet another holed my sidcot’s right leg without touching me. I turned and found the Hun heading straight at me. I fired and zoomed, then came about to find him below me. I hit the Hun from close above and saw it break apart. The balloon claim was not approved by wing, reason unknown, and Lieut Gregg informed me that Gorringe was quite adamant that he had been firing on the Pfalz when it broke up. I conceded the kill to him but privately felt very bitter about it.


"I hit the Hun from close above and saw it break apart."

The war is wearing on me. I took a long walk this evening, north towards Proven. After a couple of miles I sat and watched the lowering sun while the guns thundered behind me. I found myself sobbing uncontrollably. This has not happened before. Took twenty minutes to get a grip on myself.

Notes:

[1] TocH still stands and is open to visitors. It even serves as a B&B if you fancy a stay in a period room. The story of the place is worth researching. It is named for Father Neville Talbot's brother, who was killed at the age of 18 in 1915. Clayton and Talbot originally called it Church House, but quickly changed it when they found the soldiers "stayed away in droves"!

Wow What a Pic.

The problem with flying RE8s is that anything that makes for good storytelling is bad for surviving.

---------------------------------------------------------
Artillery Observation., or Art Obs as it was referred to by the pilots, was not something that might be considered exciting by the newspaper reading public back home. 2nd Lt. Stanley would fly in figures of eight over the target area, reporting the relative position of shell bursts to the batteries through a wireless set.

All the while, Stanley was terrified that black crossed machines were diving down on him while he was watching the ground. Day after day the observations were completed without incident, but this could never be the case forever.



On the 16th of November, Stanley was up over Marquilles with Lt Chambers in another machine. There was an escort up above in the shape of three SE5a's from 40 squadron.

Kennicot, pulled on Stanley's shoulder. Looking around, Stanley saw a terrible sight. The sky was peppered with black dots. They were Albatros scouts diving on the RE8s.

Stanley didn't really have time to count. He just knew that the odds were overwhelmingly against him. He pushed the stick forward.

His stomach lurched as the RE8 dived. Stanley wasn't sure how much of a sustained dive the machine could take, so his plan was to go into a side slip. It wasn't necessary as the Albatri ignored him and switched to the other RE8.

The SE5a's responded and began to mix it up with the Albatros scouts, but it was too late for Chambers and his observer Ross. Stanley didn't see exactly what happened. The fight was so far away that all he really saw was a sudden twinkling. The observation machine had broken up in the air and the sun was catching new angles on the debris as it fell.

Stanley and Kennicot were left alone in the sky. The RAF engine was running surprisingly well given how Stanley had pushed it in the dive, but he treated it gingerly as they flew back to Acq.

“Well, would you look at those flying wires!” Flight sergeant Hughes exclaimed as he approached them after landing. “Did you run into trouble, sirs?”
Stanley looked around at the RE8. The wings were in their proper position, supported by the landing wires, but the opposite set of wires hung with a noticeable sag.
“We were dived upon by a full circus,” Lt. Kennicot replied. “This kite got us out of there unharmed. Which was a miracle.”
“And Lieutenant's Charles and Ross?”
“Sadly not, sergeant.”
“I see sir. I will tell the lads.”
“Very good, sergeant. Come on Stanley, let's go and make our report.”

Maeran, you managed to tell an outstanding story AND survive. That's a good day in a Harry Tate.

Raine

I suspect it is time for Geoffrey to take some leave, for his own sanity!
Your reports are always entertaining and looked forward to.

As for the mysterious disappearance of the foe, that is rather common place when flying the Camel I fear.

Carrick, you are slaying me with your Giphys! Are you sure your Luthor isn't actually trying to avoid the war??

MFair, good to see Jarod up and flying. Quite the proper gent I see and keeping on the good side of the CO ("No Sir!" should do it.).

Canuck, a very fine report Sir. I really enjoyed your historical footnotes and the background on Hughes and Claye.

Maeran, That is the ultimate challenge, staying a live in a two seater in 1917!! Nice report Sir!


Albert Earl Godfrey, RFC-60, Ste-Marie-Cappel

13 Nov 1917 @ 07h20 Patrol to the lines NW of Loos

Albert was awakened at 06h00 by his batman knocking at his door announcing “06 hundred Major!” Albert acknowledged the knock and listened to the footsteps fade away as he tried to gain some alertness and focus. He swung his legs over the edge of his creaky cot and slipped his feet into his bed slippers. Rising to a jaunty stretch and twist, he ambled to the basin on the dresser, poured out some standing water from the jug and splashed it in his face. The decidedly chilled water did wonders in opening up his eyes as he sucked back a deep breath in response. “Damned cold” slipped off his lips in response. Reaching out with his right hand, he waved the yellowing window curtain slightly aside, offering him a view of the skyline and the nearby ground. His initial impression ran through his mind “No snow at least, but looking damned cloudy for a good run today”. Godfrey quickly finished his morning wash-up, put on his clothes, sidcot, and fug boots and headed for the mess.

Entering the mess, Albert quickly headed for some tea and toast and then sat down beside Chidlaw-Roberts. “Going to be a cold one this morning Jack.”
Roberts replied “No doubt about it! Hope it’s a clean quick routine patrol.”
“Have some marmy with that toast Al.” “Thanks, don’t mind if I do.”

The small talk continued on for a time and then the mess cleared as everyone headed to the briefing room.

At briefing “B” flight was assigned a patrol to the lines north of Loos to reconnoiter for any Hun activity. It was to be a routine flight. Wind was 8 kn. From the NNW with Heavy cumulous cloud cover from 5000 ft., and mist, with possible rain. Askew, sitting beside Albert mumbled something about “wonderfual day for flying!” in response to the announcement by the CO.

Albert was assigned to lead “B” flight with Askew on wing and Jenkins, Hegarty Rutherford, Chidlaw-Roberts and Young composing the rest of the flight.
The show would be “B” flight alone.

They took off at 07h20 from Ste-Marie-Cappel, headed north of the field and formed up circling until they had attained an altitude of 6900 ft. It was 07h42 when they started towards their next leg that would put them over Foret Imperiale.

At 07h47 they arrived over the Foret at 7600 ft. Well into the cloud cover. It was only by slight breaks in the clouds that they were able to decipher their position.

At 07h51, flying at 8900 ft. with prevailing cloud cover breaking up they crossed over the Lys river.

07h54 found them over the front at 8900 ft and still the cloud cover above them was fairly dense. If there were any Huns about they would be extremenly hard to detect unless they were almost on top of them. The flying conditions were far from acceptable for any reasonable investigative patrol and Albert decided to cut the trip short. He led the flight in a lazy circle over the front and then headed back towards Foret Imperiale, arriving there at 08h20 and having descended to 6700 ft.

At 08h25, they were touching down at Ste-Marie-Cappel. The only positive outcome of the flight was that all members returned with their mounts intact.

As a result of the weather reports handed in further flights to the front were curtailed for the day, pending improvement of conditions.

Rains, let’s hope Jackson does not share Stonewall’s fate. If you remember, he was shot by his own men!

Finally had a chance to catch up with everybody's reports. Great stuff going on.
Dark Canuck and Maeran, RESPECT! Flying a 2-seater with the Circus buzzing around? Big balls!
MFair, looks like the military is teaching Jackson some discipline.
Carrick, I hope you get out of that hospital soon and one word of advice: don't compete with Gretchen in any drinking games. You WILL lose.
Raine, another stellar report, just be sure Cathy stays interested in pilots and not doctors. So, you're having problems with getting away from Pfalzes in a Camel? I'm having the opposite problem, can't seem to catch any Camels in my Pfalz. They just seem to accelerate as if they were SPADs. Something ain't right. Bentley version seems more balanced - it's only slightly faster than a Pfalz.
Robert, haven't watched the video yet, but I'm sure I'll get a kick out of it.

Sad news. Sergent Hercule Zenon, due solely to the excellent JJJ65's ambush feature, was ... ambushed and died. As they were taking off a mix of Dreideckers and Albatrosen swooped down on them and some Boche named Adolf Ritter von Tutschek shot him down in a Fokker. RIP.

Fullofit: Sorry about Ur Pilot What part of the Front was he flying when he got the chop ? I think Gretchen is a true professional. She doesn't even stop to take a breath .

Mr. Wiggins: Luthor does seem to be dragging his feet going back to the front.

Maeran is flying an RE 8 ?

https://giphy.com/gifs/screem-it-came-from-outer-space-t7jyTlsyLCHCpetXby/fullscreen

Luthor Linderman

Headed back to the front

Fullofit;

That's a unique screen capture of the flak from ground level. Never saw a scene like that before from WOFF. Great shot. Sorry to hear about Hercule. A virtual round, for the man who's gone down!