Rick Rawlings

No. 24 Sqn,

August 1916

Bertangles Aerodrome

We were taking off for a line patrol a few days back when I realized that after our breakfast sausages, I really needed to attend to some operations in the latrine, so I told the fellows I would catch up to them at the lines...

When I got there, they had already ran into some of the new Halberstadt scouts, so I jumped right in! I tried to stay on top of the fight, as that was what the Major recommends: "Altitude is easy to lose and hard to gain, so don't give it up without good reason!" he says. However, he and Garfield were having an easy go with the upper Hun, so I dove down on the one attacking Ashford. Unfortunately, I was too late and saw him wrecked in No Man's Land! Furious, I used the speed of my dive and closed on Ashford's killer, giving him a good burst and sending him down! As I worked my way back up (man, altitude is hard to gain!) I had to flee myself from what appeared to be three Rolands, the wound in my leg from a couple weeks back aching at the mere sight of them!

I went further south along the patrol route and came upon some Eindeckers attacking the remnant of our flight. One came after me but I was able to get around on him and give him a good crack, which must have snapped a control wire as the poor fellow went down four thousand feet in a nasty spin to his death!

Being well-observed, both claims were confirmed, making me a baker's ace! And I was awarded the D.S.O. as well!




The older I get, the more I realize I don't need to be Han, Luke or Leia. I'm just happy to be rebel scum...