Albert – Kuhn is off to a magnificent start and is doing the Navy proud.

Lou – great photograph of the Rumpler coming apart. Nice to see that the new edition has reduced the number of times the wings come off in tandem.

Carrick – poor Spatenbrau caused the spades to come out of the warehouse one more time. Good luck with the new man.

EPower – very timely episode with Vera Brittain. I’m reading her “Testament of Youth” at present. Formidable lady. Your near misses are scaring me. Please keep Oliver safe!

Kebab – good luck with your computer and hope to see you back soon.

Not Relevant – Hope Dean is healthy soon and back in action.

Fullofit – how ironic it would be if Rudy survived all the air battles only to get shelled while sitting in his aerodrome. Best wishes
.
With many thanks to Pol for his outstanding support, I have resolved the final glitches with my keys and controllers and have had a chance to fly a couple of missions. The skies are certainly less friendly with BH&H2 and I neglected entirely to take screenshots in my desire to stay alive.


War Journal of Flight Commander George Ewan MacAlister, DSO, DSC
208 Squadron, RAF
Serny, France

Part 35


The Huns have pushed their balloon line forward with their advance and we were ordered to destroy a particularly inquisitive gas bag west of Loos. The clouds were low with scattered rain showers and we picked our way nervously eastward, knowing that at any time bags of air Huns could materialise out of the cloud layer above us. Fortunately we reached our target without incident and I led the attack. A long burst from my Vickers started a stream of smoke from the balloon and I loosed my eight Le Prieur rockets, which ignited the thing. I rolled to the left in celebration and promptly ceased my rejoicing when I noticed tracers flashing past my head. We had been visited by a formation of Pfalz scouts!

I turned one way and then the other, annoyed at how the upper wing obstructed my view. Our old naval Camels, lost in the advance, had lovely great cutouts so that we could follow Huns in battle. My German friend kept disappearing out of view. Then I saw Cooper dive beneath me and the Hun was chased directly in front of my guns. A short burst did damage and I was on his tail in a flash. One more burst sent the German down out of control. I saw it crash west of Loos. Moments later I saw another silver Pfalz on the tail of a Camel. I closed to within fifty feet without being seen and my twin Vickers tore the Hun apart.

We returned to Serny and I filed my three claims. The balloon and the second Pfalz were confirmed. The first Pfalz was recorded as driven down because it was not witnessed.

In the afternoon we were to escort some RE8s over the lines near Bethune. As we flew over our old aerodrome at Mont Saint Eloi, a large group of enemy two seaters escorted by Albatri passed overhead. With our escort job to do and no height advantage I continued eastward, but to my surprise the Huns scouts dived on us. We had a jolly scrap and I succeeded in shooting enough pieces of an Albatros to send it down. It was confirmed later.

My three official victories this day brings my account up to 45. Major Draper proposed a congratulatory toast to me at dinner so my head is rather big at the moment.