Journal Entry: November 16, 1915
Bertincourt

Flying was washed out for today and it looks like for tomorrow as well, so I decided it would be a good time to get caught up on my journal. We received the Eindeckers last week and for the most part we haven't seen any enemy aeroplanes. It is almost as if the enemy knows we have new machines and are avoiding us. I know that is foolish, but how else do you explain the empty skies. Anyway, that changed yesterday when Vizefeldwebel Leffers and I flew a line patrol over near Bapaume. We arrived at the line and as usual the skies were devoid of any aeroplanes and so I began our patrol. We had almost completed our patrol when I spotted two small dots approaching from the west. I signaled Leffers and we turned toward the dots to discover who they might be. I was hoping that they would be a couple of Nieuports since we were flying in their area of operations, but as we drew closer I recognized them as British Moranes. A quick scan of the skies assured me that we were the only aeroplanes in the area and so I signaled the attack. Leffers dove after his opponent and I dove after mine and in no time I found myself on the Morane’s tail. The observer in a Morane has a very large field of fire and it seemed as long as I maintained my position just below his tail I was safe. I fired a burst which didn’t seem to have any apparent effect. I fired another and I knew that I had hit him with that burst, but still no effect. I fired one final burst and this time I knew that I had him because his engine began to burn furiously. I turned away and began to look for Leffers, who I saw was heading for home. I followed and upon landing he reported that he and the Tommy had traded numerous shots with Leffer’s engine getting the worst of the exchange. We piled into the Jasta car and made the short drive to Bapaume to view the wreckage. We were able to salvage the observer’s machine gun and now it is hanging in our mess, the rest of the Morane was completely destroyed.



Member and provider of banjo music for the Illustrious BOC