6 February, 1918 09:45
Cuirieux, Marne Sector
Jasta 19, JG II
Offizzierstellvertreter Rudolf Emil Fuchs
26 confirmed kills
Awaiting one claim confirmation

“- What were you thinking?!” Tybelsky’s deep voice carried over the engine noise of the landing machines.
“- We nearly collided! That was stupid! Never go after the same machine someone else has already engaged! Do you understand?! How many times do I have to repeat that?”
“- Sorry Albert, I thought you needed my help. It was a silver Strutter after all.” Fuchs was taking his flight cap off.
“- Just be more careful next time. Let’s go get a drink. We both need it.”

YouTube Link



The two men were now sitting in the Kasino resting after the mission.
“- I saw you go after that SPAD. What happened? I lost sight of you after you began chasing it.” Tybelsky asked his young friend.
“- He was attacking Scheller so I went to help. I nearly had him, but he slowed down and I almost crashed into him.”
Tybelsky winced.
“- I lost momentum and he just climbed away and was going to escape. I followed for a while and was about to turn back. There were more SPADs still looking for trouble over the airfield, but then the Franzose I was chasing slowed down and his engine went kaputt. I was on him in seconds and sent him down to hell. I hoped he's fall into the lake below, but he missed it by this much. Meanwhile, while I watched him go down I spotted another one of those devils harassing Rienau. I dove after them and it took me no time at all to get on his tail. One long burst and he was diving to get away. I then took a long range shot and the snail eater went down.”

YouTube Link



“- It looked like it was all over, so I decided to bring my Albatros back home. I was on approach when I saw another SPAD chase after an Albatros in the distance. I went after the bandit and realized there were two of them chasing that poor Albatros. First, I went after the one in the back. He went down fast. I watched him crash and then I swooped down on the remaining sod and took care of him as well.” Rudi dusted off his hands in his usual manner. Albert picked up his glass to raise a toast. The two men enjoyed many more before retiring for the day.

YouTube Link

Raine, sounds like a great concert!
Fullofit, Rudy is machine!

Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
41 RFC
Feb. 7, 1918

Jeremiah was getting the feel of the squadron and air combat. His flight had mostly been engaged in ground attacks against depot’s and airfields. He enjoyed the adrenaline of the low flying against stationary targets. They had left two rail depots in shambles. Major Powell had been replaced by Major Bowman. Jeremiah liked him a lot. A no nonsense pilot in the air. His 23 victories spoke for itself. He had been in the fight that brought down the German ace Werner Voss. On the ground however, he was a jovial person. Johnson’s interactions with him were good. In his brief time with 41 he had knocked down 2 enemy planes but as it was over the lines with no witnesses, he was not credited with a victory.

The one night which stood out to Johnson was while eating with the other Sergeants, he had been asked about his adventures out west in the states. It seems a rumor had been started that he was some cowboy that fought Indians! Sgt. Thorpe was dumbfounded to learn that Johnson was from Goshen Springs Mississippi, a small farming town in the middle of no place. Johnson had salvaged his rumored reputation somewhat when it was learned he was in the US Cavalry but had fought Mexicans instead of Indians! Lastly, Johnson sealed his reputation by producing the Colt Single Action Army Pistol with stag handle that everyone had heard about.

MFair, I’m glad Jeremiah straightened them out. The Mexicans are the ones with the large hats, right?

7 February, 1918
Cuirieux, Marne Sector
Jasta 19, JG II

Liebe Berta,
It is snowing here again and I’m taking this opportunity to write to you another letter. I hope you are doing well, or at least better than we are here.
Remember when I wrote last time we were graced with a presence of a new Staffelführer? Well, the man is insufferable. I don’t want to complain but everyone on the base detests him. The other day, when someone invited him to drink with us, he responded that he would never drink this “horse-piss” with the likes of us. Well, yesterday someone left the real stuff in his decanter. This would explain why we were ordered to shine our own shoes for the entire week. I hope the man chokes on a shoe brush.
Tomorrow Albert and I are planning to go to town if the weather holds. Wish us luck!
Currently it is quiet in our new sector. We only fly one mission per day and it is rare to see enemy machines this far in. I’m afraid it’s not going to hold for long and we’ll either get more visits from the enemy soon, or they’ll transfer us to a more active region. You know how it is with our Jagdgeschwader these days.
I miss you very much and hope to see you soon.

Love,
Rudi

J.K. Thorpe
Sgt, Rfc. M.C.
41 Sqn
Lealvillers, Flanders.
4 Victory
5 Unconfirmed

Feb 9. 1918.

Myself and another Chap went up for and Engine Test ( lol ) flew up to the edge of the lines and found a single e/a which gave as good as we dished out, Finally, the Hun rolled and we lost him just blended in ?

J.K. Thorpe
Sgt, Rfc. M.C.
41 Sqn
Lealvillers, Flanders.
4 Victory
5 Unconfirmed
Mess. I am beginning to like that New Guy with the Boots and Six shooter. With a Fast shooting Pistol Artist we should ace the next dog fights

9 February, 1918 10:45
Cuirieux, Marne Sector
Jasta 19, JG II
Offizzierstellvertreter Rudolf Emil Fuchs
29 confirmed kills

The silver Strutter and two SPADs from two days ago have been confirmed.
After the the weather improved the Schwarm was sent to patrol friendly front lines north of Rosnay. There was no activity over the front, but they found a flight of SPADs south of Marchais on their way back. Schwarm Eins was already engaged when Rudi latched on to one of the enemy planes. He had to switch his targets soon, when he realized another one of the Franzosen was on his tail. They circled each other for a while until they flew into the middle of a bigger dogfight. There was always someone in front and behind. Fuchs fired blindly at the enemy in front. More to spook him than to hit. He knew there was another one at his back. One more burst into the clouds and a turn. The two adversaries continued to circle each other. It went on until they were alone again. Rudi sent a long volley into his target. The SPAD dove, but the German machine had no problems following. Another long burst into the French biplane and it was all over. The SPAD began its long oscillating dive towards the ground. It crashed soon after.

YouTube Link

Carrick and MFair – I didn't realise until recently that I had signed you both to the same squadron. Perhaps we can get some good connected stories going… Best wishes!

Fullofit – Rudi is racking up the kills so quickly that he will be over the hills and gone before the return of the gong fairy.

Meanwhile, McAlister is running hot and cold. Either he is knocking them out of the sky or getting pumped full of lead. I never know which version of him is taking to the air each evening.

War Journal of Flight Commander George Ewan MacAlister, DSC

8 Squadron, RNAS
Mont-St-Eloi, France

Part 20

I excused myself from the wardroom shortly before midnight. It had been a wonderful evening. Sneath, Jones, Johnston, and I had gone into the village for a bite to eat and met up with a crowd of Canadian officers. The Canadians have moved into this area and are dug into the ridge below the Abbey and along the roadway. They are dug outs reminded me of the fox lairs along the railway cut near Dumbarton. In any event, the crowd we ran into recognise Johns from his harangue the night of the concert party and began pulling his leg mercilessly. Johns being Johns gave as good or better than he got. We all ended up back in the Squadron wardroom and the Canadians gave our mess chits a good thrashing.

The morning was cold and overcast and we were bound for the lines near Ypres. We rendezvoused over Arras and climbed to 5000 feet before turning north. Five minutes later we could see Bethune looming up in front. That’s what I heard the Spandaus and the whip crack of tracer rounds flashing inches from my ears. I threw the Camel into a flick role and recovered, not quite sure in what direction I was pointed. A strange machine came into view ahead of me – a Pfalz! I was behind it and the flash and my second burst killed the pilot. Now I could take stock of the situation. The fight looked even. There were six of us and seven or eight of them, but mine was falling out of control and at least one of the Huns was heading for home. I saw a Pfalz on Johnston’s tale and locked onto it. I fired two bursts from a hundred yards away and saw a flicker of flame emerged from the left wing root. I watched it all the way until it crashed outside Bethune.

Our ammunition was low and I returned to Mont-St-Eloi. Both hands were confirmed. I learned that yesterday’s Albatros was given to the Archie team. I was sure this was wrong but I had been so far away I was in no position to protest. This brought the count to thirty-two.

The next morning, 6 February 1918, saw me caught out yet again. Once again we were headed north and once again we were jumped. This time the Hun that surprised me did some damage to my ailerons on his first pass. I went into a spin and took several thousand feet to get out. I held the machine level and prayed while I nursed it into the field at Hesdigneul. I curse my own stupidity.

No problem. MFair is cool and we always have room for one more unless they want Badges, We dont have no stinking Badges.

J.K. Thorpe
Sgt, Rfc. M.C.
41 Sqn
Lealvillers, Flanders.
4 Victory
5 Unconfirmed

I Took a pass to go into the Village to catch the new song Bird performing.



https://giphy.com/gifs/jessica-rabbit-s-gibson-why-dont-ya-do-right-Mrp9sujZLVw1sCupUz/fullscreen

Raine, there is no need to bother the Gong Fairy. What do you think happened to all those medals Ziggy left behind after his untimely death?
Now, George is definitely running the full range of luck. It feels like he needs to install one of those rear view mirrors on his top plane to catch all those Huns getting on his rear without being spotted (or for himself to check how good he looks when he himself is shooting the Huns down).

Carrick, remember: she’s not bad, she’s just drawn that way.

10 February, 1918 08:45
Cuirieux, Marne Sector
Jasta 19, JG II
Offizzierstellvertreter Rudolf Emil Fuchs
29 confirmed kills

The SPAD from yesterday has been denied due to lack of witnesses.
Rudi and the rest of his Schwarm were sent to patrol over friendly aerodrome at Vivaise. It was a walk in the park. No enemy planes were encountered.

.

I felt a strange disturbance in the Force, as if a great aviator had fallen. I also received an e-mail from our Grand Poobah that gongs were needed. So here I am. Apologies for my tardiness on both accounts but there appears to be a discrepancy in the space-time continuum out here in the sub-zero hinterlands, which makes me wonder if extreme cold can actually slow time itself. Must ponder more on that later, but for now ...

.

.

Achtung!



It is the Kaiser's Royal and Imperial command that the following individual be recognized for his valor:



***********************************



Citation to the HHO reads as follows:

Offizierstellvertreter Rudolf Emil Fuchs stands among the forefront of combat pilots, having destroyed more than twenty enemy machines in desperate fighting in the air, often against superior numbers. His example and determination lead daily to new German feats of arms. He is hereby awarded the Hohenzollern House Order with Swords, this eleventh day of February, 1918.

You make the Vaterland most proud.

.

.

Attention!



His Majesty King George V hereby confers the following honour:



A grateful people thank you for your service and loyalty.

.

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Carrick and Fullofit, congratulations on the well deserved bling for your brave pilots! You two, along with Raine, have been keeping the war going nicely in my absence I see. I was sorry to learn of Ziggy's demise, but Rudy has certainly stepped in to take up the cause. And MFair has made his return to boot - outstanding! I am going to be spending the next few days catching up with my man's flying and will get an update on Freddy posted later on this coming weekend if all goes as planned. Fingers crossed!

.

Congratulations to the gongees! It's nice to see an NCO medal like the MM. Well done, GF!

Lou, I’m afraid your clock froze over, hence the feeling of time standing still, or in your case slowing down. Many thanks for the lovely gongs. Looking forward to reading Freddy’s latest adventures.

Carrick, congrats on a manly medal. Finally some recognition.

11 February, 1918 10:45
Cuirieux, Marne Sector
Jasta 19, JG II
Offizzierstellvertreter Rudolf Emil Fuchs EK1, HHO
29 confirmed kills

It was another patrol over friendly aerodrome at Autremencourt-Marle. It was another uneventful affair.

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Fullofit - A frozen clock you say? Could be, it was -19F this morning when I got up.


.

8 February 1918
65 Squadron R.F.C.
Bailleul, France

The first six weeks of the new year had been both frustrating and delightful for Captain Frederick H.B. Abbott. Delightful, because he and Nurse Ellison had been slipping away together every few days to their little café on the Rue d’Occident, and afterwards to a private room in a discreet hotel further along the same street. Frustrating, because out of the six claims filed for air Huns he’d shot down in January only one had been awarded him. He’d no idea if this trend would continue for February as he’d not had a single Boche in his sights since the month started. But he wasn’t waiting on chance entirely to find out.

To the matter of those denied claims he’d taken action on 30 January, (his 19th birthday as a matter of fact), and wired Mr. Pearson, his family’s butler back at Birchley House, asking that he send along immediately a case of scotch. Nothing too expensive mind you but better than the barbed wire whiskey available at the front. To the matter of Lizzie, and in anticipation of St. Valentine’s Day, Freddy further asked that his trusted man secure for him a bracelet that he could present to her on the upcoming holiday - something nice, not showy, but nice, in gold perhaps, with a few small pearls or diamonds or rubies or some such. He trusted Mr. Pearson’s judgement entirely on the choice.

Nine days later the requested items arrived. Captain Abbott first inspected the gift for Nurse Ellison, opening the small oval case wrapped in dark red leatherette, to find a delicate gold link bracelet adorned with petite, alternating rubies and pearls. The satin lining inside the lid bore the mark of “Boodle and Dunthorne - Liverpool”. He was sure Lizzie would love it; well done Mr. Pearson! Next, he took three bottles of the scotch, an adequate 8-year-old Bowmore, and headed to the CO’s hut where he gave one to Major Cunningham and requested the use of a car so he could run the other two over to St. Omer. It was shortly after lunch when he arrived at the complex and made his way to the office of Wing HQ where he introduced himself and presented his gift, in appreciation for all their hard work, and asked that they might think kindly on him next time his name appeared in an AAR. While the Brass Hats in the office may have found it all highly irregular at first, (and bluntly stated as much), by the time Freddy bid adieu his likable nature, along with the scotch, had all those concerned shaking his hand and wishing him God’s speed and best of luck. Only time would tell if any of it would have any effect on his claims approval rating.

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(POINT OF INTEREST: For whatever reason, in the middle of January RFC HQ decided that combat units in France should adopt a standardized system of marking planes with a series of white vertical bars on either side of the fuselage roundels. 65 Squadron was ordered to paint over the single horizontal white stripes that ran down each side of their Camels and replace said stripes with one white vertical bar on each side of the roundels. Why? Who knows. Apparently those in command had nothing better to do that day.)



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Welcome back for a bit Lou. Glad you found some personal time. Hope mom is doing better.

Sooo, Capt. Abbott has acquired a CASE of scotch and three bottles have been judiciously gifted. Me thinks the rest are in reserve pending the outcome of furure AAR's. Can't wait to see how that progresses!

Best Regards

Lou's Back



Help us Gong Ferry, U R our only Hope.

J.K. Thorpe
Sgt, Rfc. M.C. MM.
41 Sqn
Lealvillers, Flanders.
4 Victory
5 Unconfirmed

Feb 10, 1918. Went up with B flight as a Tail End Charlie on a Line Patrol. The flight spotted and attacked 3 e/a 2 seat machines As a tail ender I knew that I would not have a shot so circled wide and watched as all 3 e/a went down . Sadly, 1 of A Flights 3 chasers flamed. As we resumed the Patrol in the darkening skies I spotted near the deck a lone 3 wing e/a. Dove done for some fun with the chap, Much turning ( like on a dime ) and high passes on my part after 15 mins in the dark night skies and enemy area I quit and full throttle headed home