Lou - Flying in this rainy, misty soup grows tedious indeed. Having a nice Aerodrome to fly from and return to does take some of the sting out of the lousy conditions. When will this vile April clear up?! And now the Baron himself along with his merry Dreideck flieger. Freddy locked up with a real Alte Hare that time. The line between life and death gets so thin... Freddy triumphs but catches a Mauser bullet from the infantry. Way too close. Hope the wound doesn't turn into a Lionel Mandrake gammy leg situation. Three wound stripes now. Nurse Lizzie isn't going to like this.

NR - Dean's agitation is understandable, especially now that the pretty nurses have less time for sponge baths. Your man is chomping at the bit. Be careful of being 'too keen.' Skies are full of Huns these days. Glad he's soon to be back in harness.

Fullofit - The Elan of Les Francais is turning to madness. Again with the near collisions. I do wish they would stop. It's very taxing to the nerves watching Rudi dodge them on an almost daily basis. Strutters were ambitious...ambition should be made of sterner stuff. Blasted Flakmen. They are a bane to friend and foe alike.
Surpassing Ze Baron. Horrido! Very cool skin. Rudi the red wolf, though from a certain angle it looked like an Armadillo for a second, then I cleaned my glasses. Red wolf it is! Who is the mysterious new Staffelfuhrer, I wonder?

Carrick - Oh la la! Jules has some very interesting connections. Maybe he can expand the family business into more provocative nursing under attire. The bigger the waistband, the deeper the quicksand...

BuckeyeBob - I heard about this Chateau nearby, Castle Anthrax I think it was.

Albert - Great pics and a fine sendoff for Nebgen. Well fought, dropping that Camel and surviving the melee. Nine now and a very well-earned Gong. Best to go carefully for the next few sorties... Congrats!

MFair - Kemp the Younger didn't waste any time. Congrats on Ludwig's first kill. Nothing like throwing the new lad into the deep end but it looks like the veterans will take him under their wings.
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À la Recherche du Temps Perdu - Part 75



16 April 1918
84 Squadron RFC
Bertangles, France


C Flight went out on the dawn patrol this morning and had a proper game of blind man’s bluff. Visibility wasn’t much better for B Flight when we took off at 7.45 to bomb the Athies Rail Junction east of Arras. The Hun push in the Lys valley continues and what news we hear is not encouraging.

Jack Sorsoleil led the patrol with Falkenburg, Manzer, Johnson and McBride. I flew as deputy. No sign of A Flight after we crossed the lines into Hunland.


Kaiser Bill’s Quartermaster will not be pleased.

Formed with Sorsoleil. As B Flight regrouped, Albatri attacked from above. Their leader I’d seen before, he had a large ‘M’ on his top plane and fuselage. I scored some hits on him but he spun away low.

I flew high and covered McBride as he pressed home the attack.


McBride’s newfound attention to shooting detail paid off.

B Flight had the Albatri in hand. I chased one away from McBride.


“He fell, thunderously, and darkness closed over both eyes.”

The mist turned to rain shortly after the patrol returned. Operations were done for the day. Forty minutes on the bag then headed into Abbeville for lunch with Robin, Dingbat and Proccy. Champagne accompanied several dozen oysters and a perfect Sole Meunière. We returned on sloppy mud-churned roads with the squadron Crossley begrimed beyond recognition. Spent the time before dinner catching up on letters. One from Ackers arrived today. He is going not so quietly out of his mind in HE. Bored stiff. He is greatly worried about Madame de Rochefort and the girls with the fighting so near Corbie. I will pay them a visit as soon as I can get away again.

Percy Hobson went off yesterday to spend a week at the Officer’s Rest House in Le Touquet. He’s been out since October of last year and should finish his tour soon. Too bad he will miss the upcoming decorations party but he looked positively done in. We will properly celebrate his MC when he returns.

Albatros confirmed. My 130th Hun.