Nice stories Gents! I"m glad to see all are still alive.
Lou, thank you for the awards to our deserving flyers.

Lt. Mark A. Jericho
May 27, 1916

Todays missions were uneventful. Bomb Athies Junction and a recon of the area west of Cappy. I have yet another observer. 2nd. Lt. Gomm. Why the Major is set on saddling me with new gunners is beyond me. He has experience but is a quiet sort. Yesterday had been a bad day. We were doing a recon west of Fricourt with one Nieuport escort. All was well when I spotted 2 biplanes diving in from above. The Nieuport broke off to attack. I was very confused! What were these machines? Aviatticks do not attack. As they flew past I saw the black crosses on their wings. Rolands! I had heard of these machines but this was my first encounter with one. Advice had been to "avoid at all costs!" A little too late for that I thought. They were fast! I juked all over the sky trying to avoid the one that stayed on us. Our only saving grace was that we were an experienced flight and it was 3 on 1. Soon he was nowhere to be seen and I called off the show and we headed for home. Griffen was no where to be seen. All the way back to the aerodrome I wondered if he had gone west. Arriving over home I saw Griffens machine on the field. My relief was short lived as I could see men pulling his observer out of his compartment. It was Phillips, my last observer. He was dead. He did not die without a fight though. They had brought down one of the Rolands.


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!