À la Recherche du Temps Perdu - Part 74



15 April 1918
84 Squadron RFC
Bertangles, France

8.45 Mid-morning attack on Harbonnieres aerodrome. I led Sorsoleil, Duke, Johnson, Manzer and McBride. A Flight flew top cover with all 7 aircraft. Wind kicking up over the lines. I went in lower than usual to put my bombs on target.


Four Cooper bombs onto the Kasino! There will be no revelry in their mess tonight.

B Flight followed in but did little damage. It looked as though many of the bombs failed to explode. Circled over the airfield watching A Flight at least a mile overhead. They didn’t see the flight of Triplanes dropping down to play…

I put 20 rounds into one who dove away then reversed and sprayed his Kamerad from range.


Red cowlings. Were these the Baron’s men?

I came up and over in a Chandelle and onto the red-nosed Hun. Half a drum of Lewis and 50 rounds of Vickers sent him nosing over sharply trailing smoke. He crashed near the field.

Circling above the low ranging fight everything appeared under control. I watched over McBride as he chased a Fokker, spraying lead all over Hunland to no effect whatsoever. How could he miss from that range?! After a solid minute watching McBride’s futile effort, I had to intervene.


The smoke of his ruin soon rose from Harbonnieres.

Damage to the airfield was minimal but the funeral pyres of 5 Triplanes rose in long black columns.

B Flight were flush with excitement after landing. Five victories over the Richthofen Circus, two of which I figured to be mine. Captain Burke confirmed the markings as Jasta 11. Privately, I wondered. If those were the Baron’s men, they didn’t give a very good account of themselves. By contrast, the Machine gunners at the field were in top form and ventilated poor C5333 in a most ungentlemanly manner.

I pulled McBride aside on the way to the Squadron office, querying him on what he saw with the Triplane. I didn't care for his answer. We had an appointment in the gun butts after breakfast. As I suspected his sight were off by a mile! When I pressed him further, he admitted to not having sighted his guns for over a week. Ridiculous! I could only imagine what McCudden might say. After some sharp words I gave him his marching orders.

“You will sight your guns every other day, McBride. If you have a hard landing, or any other mishap that has even the slightest chance of knocking them out of alignment, then you will repair immediately to the gun butts to determine if they are still true. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Carry on then, and when you’re done here, take her up and do some practice shooting. Afternoon show is at 3.15.

"And McBride," I continued.

"Sir?"

"Those were Jasta 11's bench warmers we fought today. When we face their First Team you need to shoot straight. You won’t get a second chance.”

His eyes widened briefly and he nodded.

McBride is a cheerful energetic fellow and quite keen. He is, however, a below average flyer on his very best day. I can’t allow him to be a poor marksman as well.
_____________

Our mail and the Comic Cuts have finally caught up with us. Incredible news. McCudden has the VC!

No. 84 Squadron have 7 new decorations! Johnson, Ed Clear, Hobson, and Proccy have the Military Cross. Of the officers so recently gone to HE, Harry Brown has the MC. Fred Brown and Ken Leask will each add a bar to theirs. The Maj and Captain Burke are planning something for tomorrow evening but won't let on.


3.15 Low attacks continue, this time we would hit the aerodrome at Cappy. I had Jack Sorsoleil lead the patrol. He shows every sign of becoming a first-rate Flight Commander. Falkenburg, Southey, Clear, Johnson. I flew Jack’s wing as deputy leader.

Heavy mist and increasing rain disguised our approach. Again, mine were the only bombs which appeared to explode. Something is not right!


Two hangars kaput but the field was still operational.

Lt. Northcote, 84 Sqn Armaments Officer, immediately began a full inspection of our Cooper Bombs. By dinner he’s discovered and corrected the problem - the recent shipment of fuses were defective.

Evening dispatch rider brought tomorrow's orders - more ground attacks. He brought other news: Wing confirmed one of the two Triplanes. One Hundred Twenty-nine.