8 August 1916
Achille Coppens
Quatrieme Escadrille (RFC 25), Belgium
Farman Pusher (F.E.2b) - Afternoon Patrol

Another lovely day in August for flying, but not much to report. Our C.O. once again gave us fighter duty, this time an offensive patrol. Our flight leader took us about 3 miles into German territory where we patrolled over the town of Athies. In route I spotted 6 contacts coming across the lines in our direction, but our flight leader was uninterested and didn't investigate. Then on our last circuit of patrol I spotted two contacts directly below us that came into view as Fokkers! But no matter how wildly I dipped my wings no one else in my flight of 6 saw them and I wasn't about to dive after them by myself. So off to home it was.

One of our flight did lose his engine or was hit by AAA on the way home and had to drop out trailing smoke and hopefully made it to a nearby friendly airfield, and upon our return it was announced that a victory was awarded to Sgt. Alfons Vanoutryve who was seriously wounded in yesterday's encounter by A Flight with the Fokkers. Apparently he and his obs/gunner Capt. Batsleer gave the Hun better than they took!


Dogfighting is what you do "after" you drop your bombs and blow something up!
Can you say "JABO!" thumbsup