Monday April 16, 1917. Major Tobias, a fairly new arrival to the squadron, leads B Flight on a patrol.
For a long while there is no enemy seen. I believe this is confirming my suspicion that because the Hun is evil he cannot fly in the sun - not that we have had a lot of sun this time of year!

Or maybe he is being crowded out of the sky. Lots of RFC gadding about.


Suddenly the flight dives toward the trenches. Figuring they must be bored and are going the strafe the Hun trenches I follow along but nope. A lone Hun is flying very low over the lines. He picked a bad day for sightseeing as B Flight goes after him like a marlin after a squid.
That's me right behind him and we are almost going straight down. I manage a couple of hits but the ground is awful close so I break off. He is finally finished off by our new Major apparently who puts in a claim for him.


The flight leader, being a new guy, decides to reform low and over a Hun infantry position. I plan to put up with this noob move until the ground fire starts but, besides a few stray shots, it never does. Are the Hun gunners being suppressed by the artillery fire? That's what I tell myself when after a couple of circles we fly to a more reasonable altitude.


Everyone returns safe and the Major claims one.