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#4276783 - 07/07/16 12:58 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Raine Offline
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Hasse, "Relatively well"??? Certainly you mean "Better than 98.5% of native English-speakers (99.5% on the North American side of the pond")!

I love learning languages but am not fluent in any of them. I have passable German (with a Swiss accent because that's where I studied), but I've lost much of my vocabulary. I have a broad knowledge of French, but my reading and writing are better than my speaking and listening since I've never had to live in the language. My business partner is from Quebec and says that all I need is a French girlfriend for a few months, but my wife isn't interested in my developing more language skills.

My wife's family is Italian, so I have enough spoken Italian that they can't talk about me while I'm in the room. I also slept through a Spanish class or two, so I have enough to order drinks. Oh, and I too learned the Russian alphabet. When I was a kid back in the 60s, I used to cycle down to the harbour in Halifax and trade with the sailors on the Russian grain ships. They were allowed only ten dollars when in port and spent it all the first day, so I did a roaring trade in cash for strong cigarettes, vodka, and Soviet propaganda posters and pins. It helped me stay popular at school.

#4276810 - 07/07/16 02:19 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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Hasse, I had to laugh at your posting. You complain that you don't speak your fifth language well, most Americans can hardly speak one language well, much less a second one. I stand amazed at your linguistic prowess. clapping


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#4276999 - 07/07/16 10:18 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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carrick58 Offline
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Beau Brummel
Sgt,
2 Rfc Sqn.


July 7, 1916.


Another rain soaked flight up to the Lines for Recon. I could hardly see the other a/c let alone the lines in the dark heavy clouds. The winds kicked up on the way back. I say, not a tidy flight at all. Posted my request for Scout machines.

#4277226 - 07/08/16 01:58 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Beau Brummel
Sgt,
2 Rfc Sqn.

July 8,1916.


Off on a Arty Spot. No E/a but did spot some FE,s flying by the lines.


#4277286 - 07/08/16 04:36 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Raine Offline
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Alfred Keers is settling in at No 20 Squadron, but whether he will be required to return to the pilot's pool is up in the air.

10 March 1916
20 Sqn RFC, Clairmarais, France

As I write this, I am sitting in the anteroom of the senior NCOs’ mess, which is in fact one end of a long tent erected over a wooden frame, a space curtained off from our dining area which is itself curtained off from a cooking area (if what they do there can be called cooking). There is a cast-iron stove in the centre of this area, and all the chairs are pulled up around it as it is only a few degrees above frost outside.

Clairmarais aerodrome is a long field with woods wrapping around its southern edge and surround all about with wetlands. It will be a fine place to shoot ducks and geese come spring and if we’re allowed. We are only a few miles from St-Omer, the headquarters of the RFC and the location of the aircraft park and the pilots’ pool, to which I may be transferred any day if Major Wilson proves unable to hold onto me. Lieut Alice, the fellow I flew over from England, has already been approved to remain with the squadron, but then he’s an officer.

There is only one other NCO pilot here, a fellow named Jeffrey Anderlo. He has been over since mid-February. We share a tent but I rarely see him as I am still Duty Sergeant until the end of the month. I get an awful teasing about it. Anderlo keeps to himself. Actually, it’s a bit tough being an NCO pilot. Everyone else in the mess is a mechanic or driver or in some other occupation. The fellows look up to the officers, some of them at least, but I have the impression they look at sergeant-pilots as pretenders. Each pilot has a maintenance crew and the ones attached to sergeant-pilots take it badly. I’ve begun working alongside my fitters and riggers and helping out in the sheds. I ask everything I can about the Beardmore and other things technical. The ack emmas are beginning to come around. The biggest difference is that Sergeant-Major Ellery, the technical sergeant-major, is making time to talk with me. The disciplinary boss, Sergeant-Major Gooding, still looks at me like something he found on the sole of his shoe.

I have been getting used to war flying, and am fortunate to be paired with Captain Dawson, our senior observer. Yesterday morning we did a “close offensive patrol” to the Ypres area and then south, but saw nothing. In the afternoon we were back up, only this time we travelled over the lines towards Menen. Again I met “Archie,” as anti-aircraft fire is called here. But this time I had a new and frankly terrifying experience. We had turned north from Menen towards Staden, then west towards our side of the lines when Capt Dawson suddenly swung his Lewis onto the left mount and I saw Captain Paget Graves, our flight commander, climb hard to the left. I followed him and Captain Dawson began to fire our forward Lewis gun. Then something swept past overhead. I saw a monoplane with black crosses – a Fokker.

There were three in all, I am told, but I saw only that one. The flight commander fired a flare to signal a washout and we dived west through some light clouds. The Germans (or “Huns” as I have learned to call them) did not follow us.

Today I was up twice again. In the morning we were down near Arras. We saw nothing but the engine quit suddenly and we had to put the machine down. Capt Dawson turned about and gave me a broad grin as if to say “over to you.” He then lay on the floor, there being no seat in the observer’s pulpit on a Fee. I didn’t see him again until we bounced to a stop in a frozen field of stubble. We found some nearby soldiers to stand guard. The officer then brought me to a café for coffee and brandy. Decent sort, he seems.


"I didn’t see him again until we bounced to a stop in a frozen field of stubble."

This afternoon we headed over four-strong for a “distant offensive patrol.” This jaunt took us fifteen miles into Hunland. After about an hour we turned for home and the flight commander, Capt Alvin, signalled that EA (enemy aircraft) were in sight. It took me a minute to see them, as I had to loosen my strap and lift myself to look back past the throbbing engine. There were six specks a mile or two east of us and heading directly for us. I couldn’t make them out, but they seemed to be gaining on us and I assumed they were Fokkers. Thankfully the good captain wasn’t out to win glory and he gave us the washout signal. From then on it was like a point-to-point race, every man for himself, throttles full open, vaulting clouds and racing for home. As we approached the lines, the Huns turned back.


"From then on it was like a point-to-point race, every man for himself, throttles full open, vaulting clouds and racing for home."

I returned to letters from home. Father and Mother well. Rosetta has gone off to war work at the old marine engine works in Hartlepool, now a shell factory. Mother wants her to stay with Aunt Florrie, but the factory has a nearby hotel booked as a hostel for the female workers. Now Mother frets that the Germans will come back to shell the city again as they did in 1914. Eliza is done with school and is in service with a good house. Father is holding court in the local, boast about how the family has gone from pitmen to pilots in two generations. The things war does!


"Rosetta has gone off to war work at the old marine engine works in Hartlepool"



#4277598 - 07/09/16 01:44 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Hasse Offline
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A wonderful report!

It's not quite the same as flying an SE.5a in 1918, is it? smile


"Upon my word I've had as much excitement on a car as in the air, especially since the R.F.C. have had women drivers."

James McCudden, Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps
#4277642 - 07/09/16 04:12 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Raine Offline
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In early 1916, it still seems like the great adventure. In 1918 you feel like you have been sitting in the cinema a half hour too long, the ending is obvious, but the bloody director still won't show you the final scene.

#4277646 - 07/09/16 04:23 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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carrick58 Offline
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reading

Not only that ! U R afraid to go for more popcorn or use the Rest room , because U will miss the ending.

#4277648 - 07/09/16 04:28 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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carrick58 Offline
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Beau Brummel
Sgt,
2 Rfc Sqn.

July 9, 1918.



Assigned to Bombardment Flight of a Hun Aerodrome. Bit of a mess, I dropped to early and too high. The bombs fell short maybe 1/2 mile. The flight's bombs fell all over the general area.



Last edited by carrick58; 07/09/16 04:30 PM.
#4277828 - 07/10/16 05:37 AM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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carrick58 Offline
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Beau Brummel
Sgt,
2 Rfc Sqn.

10 July 1916.

Hq requested a Do-Over so the C.O. sent 2 a/c Escorted by 5 Bristol Scouts. Got a few good hits, but did work up a Tizzy by doing the same target over again. After landing, The X.O. handed me my transfer papers. The Mess Truck will be giving me a ride over to 32 Sqn to fly Scouts.




Last edited by carrick58; 07/10/16 05:41 AM.
#4277872 - 07/10/16 01:45 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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Antigua, Guatemala
Here is the latest status report. Carrick58, I didn't have your information so you aren't included in this status report. Remember on Saturdays to enter your info for that week and it will get included in the status reports. You can find the link to the form on the first page of this thread.



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#4277873 - 07/10/16 01:55 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Hasse Offline
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Thanks again for maintaining our records, Banjoman! smile


"Upon my word I've had as much excitement on a car as in the air, especially since the R.F.C. have had women drivers."

James McCudden, Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps
#4277927 - 07/10/16 06:01 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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You're welcome, as crazy as it sounds I enjoy making the report and keeping track of the stats. I guess it's one way I can keep track of everyone's progress.


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#4277931 - 07/10/16 06:14 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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RAF_Louvert Offline
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L'Etoile du Nord
.

Banjoman, thanks for the updated chart Sir. Allard Tremblay has managed a few sorties as of late but I neglected to send in a current form, I will try to remember for next week.

Raine, good to see you over here Sir. Wonderful first entries for Alfred.

loftyc, sorry to learn of the loss of George.

Fullofit, thanks for the continuing News of the World, always interesting.

Banjoman, Stache, Hasse, carrick, Fullofit, and anyone I may have missed, thank you for the continuing reports and screenshots - most enjoyable, Gents.


After Allard's promotion to Capitaine he'd been mulling over an entirely new livery for his kite, something more flamboyant and less camouflaged. He finally landed on the new design and had it applied to his N16 yesterday and tried it out on this morning's mission. Here is a shot showing his new mount parked outside the hanger.



A bit flasher than his old N11.

.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4277932 - 07/10/16 06:28 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Fullofit Offline
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Ajax, ON
Lou, good to see you report in. With all the new aviateurs/fliegeren we can liven up this challenge. 1916 is a great alternative to the 1918 frantic dog eat dog fighting. Great skin, worthy of a Felixtowe.


"Take the cylinder out of my kidneys,
The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain,
From out of my arse take the camshaft,
And assemble the engine again."
#4277950 - 07/10/16 09:02 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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Antigua, Guatemala
Lou, that is a great skin. I really love the whole pig motif. Now that I look closer I don't think that is a pig, either way it looks really good.

Last edited by Banjoman; 07/10/16 09:03 PM.

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#4277952 - 07/10/16 09:36 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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RAF_Louvert Offline
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RAF_Louvert  Offline
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Senior Member

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L'Etoile du Nord
.

Thanks Fullofit and Banjoman, glad you like it. And Banjoman, the personal emblem is actually a cat. To be more precise, it is the cat from the 1908 book, "Les Tribulations d'un chat" by Benjamin Rabier.



.


[Linked Image]

Three RFC Brass Hats were strolling down a street in London. Two walked into a bar, the third one ducked.
_________________________________________________________________________

Former Cold War Warrior, USAF Security Service 1974-1978, E-4, Morse Systems Intercept, England, Europe, and points above.
"pippy-pahpah-pippy pah-pip-pah"

#4277996 - 07/11/16 01:21 AM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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Banjoman  Offline
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Antigua, Guatemala
That's cool and since it's from a real book it makes you skin even more plausible.


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#4278102 - 07/11/16 12:37 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Hasse Offline
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What a nice-looking skin for Allard's Nupe!

It's really quite fortunate that he's not serving in the RFC. Those stuffy British red tabs would never allow a pilot to take such liberties with his airplane's colour scheme! biggrin


"Upon my word I've had as much excitement on a car as in the air, especially since the R.F.C. have had women drivers."

James McCudden, Five Years in the Royal Flying Corps
#4278135 - 07/11/16 02:42 PM Re: DiD Centenary Challenge [Re: CatKnight]  
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Banjoman Offline
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Hasse, it is interesting that the British were so uptight about that sort of thing. I've always wondered why they were so restrictive on the painting of their airplanes.


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