À la Recherche du Temps Perdu - Part 73


13 April 1918
84 Squadron RFC
Bertangles, France

5.50 Balloon strafe on the southeastern outskirts of Albert. No. 84 Squadron came up in force with 13 machines from A and B flights.

[Linked Image]

Arrived at the target to find the remains of a large air fight and the funeral pyres of numerous aircraft. No Balloon to be found, though one of the burning wrecks looked suspiciously like the remains of a gasbag. I checked the map for almost a minute as B flight circled. This was definitely the spot. Fortunately, the mission was not a complete washout. Two Triplanes flew below among the columns of black smoke.

[Linked Image]
My attack forced the Triplane to break directly into the guns of Sorsoleil.

He fell thunderously, and the black smoke of his funeral pyre rose from the ruined landscape. The second Hun followed him down to the House of the Death God.

Captain Burke, our able RO, spent the morning on the telephone in a vain effort to determine who if any had destroyed the Kaiser’s gasbag. It would remain a mystery. None claimed it.

Breakfast of Bertangles bangers and mash. Excellent. I’m always starving after these dawn shows. Caught up on some letters then spent an hour on the bag.


12.00 Noon line patrol, Amiens to Villers-Bretonneux, with Southey, Duke, Manzer, Johnson and Clear. Made sure we were at 14000 feet before heading east. 16,000 feet at the lines. Visibility excellent. Fleecy Cumulus up to 10,000 which provided a nice backdrop on which to see any Huns.

After 30 minutes on station a flight of 6 DFWs flew directly below. I led B Flight down and scored solid strikes on the leftmost Hun.

[Linked Image]
My Vickers jammed after 20 rounds, and I peeled away.

Johnson followed in and sent the Boche down out of control. Two more DFWs fell to B Flight.
Everyone returned safely to Bertangles. Johnson, Southey and Manzer were badly shot about but intact.

After a lengthy session in the gun butts with Lt. Northcote, squadron Armaments Officer, I was feeling more confident about the state of C5333’s weaponry. These stoppages must end!

Spent remainder of the day in Amiens. Found some Cognac for Evans and Woodley.

McCann was forced down behind the lines during the late afternoon show. Larson saw him land intact so we hope he is alive and a guest of Kaiser Bill. He was only 8 days with the squadron.



14 April 1918
84 Squadron RFC
Bertangles, France

4.45 B Flight drew the dawn patrol again. Balloon strafe 3 miles southwest of Harbonnieres aerodrome. Heavy mist and rain. Visibility was dreadful under 6000 feet. D*amn goggles kept fogging up. Climbed above the cloud layer and the air cleared slightly. The white lance of a searchlight illuminated a large flight of what appeared to be Hannovers a mile above. We’d not catch them. Our mission was the balloon calling down artillery on the infantry.

Went in on the gasbag with Dingbat flying my left wing. No Archie at all.

[Linked Image]
B Flight flew past as the balloon exploded.

The Kaiser’s Flakmen rolled out of their bunks and announced their displeasure but to no effect

[Linked Image]
Home to breakfast.

By Noon the weather closed in, postponing any further operations. Hammered the bag then spent the afternoon sorting through ammunition.

Wing confirmed the Balloon. One Hundred Twenty-eight.