Raine - Good to have you back. I see Naval 8 gave the RNAS a good send off. We in the Royal Flying Corps as was also worry about the new RAF uniforms, but maybe not so much as the Senior Service. Ghastly news about MacAlister's belly wounding. Not good. Young George is made of some tough Scottish fabric if he can fly back to home base. That may have saved his life since the MO would be right there. Way too close a call. Check Six, Young Man!

Fullofit - How can Jasta 19 be grounded due to weather when the King's airmen fly?! No matter the foulness of the weather it always seems sunny in Hunland at least near the lines. OTOH, I did hear a rumor that the Met Office are doing some nefarious weather experiments...

TK - Welcome to Helmut and to you as well! Excellent job of caturing the excitement of first flight. Cool pics of the DFW. Oliver's never had much time to admire the lines as he the G/O's are usually trying to ventilate one another. Will Helmut and Jimmy meet over the Marne?

Albert - Jimmy and the boys are really catching the full dose of weather. Do town adventures await or are the roads also churned to mud?

Lou - My my, Freddy is the darling of both France and England at the moment. Congrats on the major drop by the Gong Fairy. Bling Bling! Nurse Ellison will swoon next she sees him. Hope Freddy and 65 aren't stuck on the road all night.

Carrick - Is Walter healing up? I do hope the nurses are treating him kindly...

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À la Recherche du Temps Perdu - Part 68



6 April 1918
84 Squadron RFC
Bertangles, France

4.45 Dawn patrol of enemy lines from the Corbie – Amiens road south to Montdidier. Difficult to make out any dots in the flat crepuscular light. Sailed directly under a flight of blue-tailed Albatri. Neither side saw the other until he last minute.


Caught one under the moon and chased him east.

I landed a short burst before Dingbat cut me off. I pulled high and looked for another target as he sent the Alb down.

Formed with Johnson, Duke and Dingbat, finished the patrol time and headed to Bertangles for breakfast.


1.40 Reports of major German ground preparations north of Arras. Withthe attack stalled before Amioens, this might be their next throw of the dice. B Flight would bomb the Athies Rail junction. Took off in rain and mists. Cloud ceiling at 6000 feet. Formation spread wide for safety in the poor flying conditions. As it often does, the weather cleared as we reached the lines, but our joy was short-lived as the mists and rain returned closer to Athies. No sign of any German aircraft. Maybe the Huns are more sensitive about rainy flying, or more sensible.

Good strikes on the rail yard including a direct hit on the large building.



The Kaiser’s rail sheds appreared miraculously unharmed. I made another pass.


B Flight followed after me but we did no further damage.

Weather deteriorating, we crossed the mud for home. Wing confirmed yesterday’s flaming Hannover. One Hundred Twenty-one.