Early Doors Mission 9: Last Gasp of the Somme, 15 September, 1916
The Last Gasp of the Somme, the battle at Flers Courcelette, 15 Sept. 1916
On July 1st 1916 a massive bombardment signalled the beginning of the Battle of the Somme. The planned breakthrough did not happen. After a disastrous 1st day, plans were quickly changed. (60,000 British casualties, 20,000 dead and 40,000 missing and wounded) Numerous smaller attacks followed from July to September, but little ground was gained.
Thinking that a breakthrough was possible before the autumn rains set in General Douglas Haig, Commander of the British Expeditionary Force, ordered an attack using the Entente’s secret weapon, tanks. Only 49 were available. His staff and the French wanted to wait until the spring when hundreds would be available to overwhelm the Germans. Haig’s persistence won out and tanks would be used in the year’s last effort to breakthrough.
The 15th of September began the last phase of the Battle of the Somme.
On the Germans side:
Early morning, 15 September, 1916. The aerodrome is abuzz. Frantic messages of lumbering giants attacking from the west. All available planes are to take to the air. Other squadrons are assigned to occupy the British flyers, your squadron is to do anything and everything possible to disrupt the attack of the giants. What are they we don’t know but they are pushing back our front line infantry.
The Germans have a surprise of their own, a new model scout. A twin machine gun Albatros DI.
The Eagles had just received a batch of the new scouts, the Albatros DI.
Within days of receiving them the Officers of the Eagle Squadron were called to a briefing.
Oberleutnant Biettrutoffen called the men to attention. “Gentlemen I have just received an urgent message from GHQ. I will read it out to you; The Eagle will proceed with all haste and engage enemy ground forces in the area of Flers Courcelette. Information has been received that the British have deployed a moving, metal box that has overrun our forward line of trenches. Your priority is to engage, stop or destroy this new threat and any accompanying infantry support. You must also provide your own top cover as our squadrons are still depleted and overstretched after a prolonged and up to now successful British offensive in the Somme area. There you have it. I don’t know what these metal boxes are but we must stop them. So, Bergebeiter, Maas, Strom, Toffeleiter and Zweibelsuppe you will provide top cover. Fettlemeier, Kneissundupzadaisy, Richter, Berwachter and Myself will attack the ground targets. There will be no questions and yes, before you interrupt Richter, you are flying the Fokker D1. Now let’s go and win the war for the Kaiser, eh.”
With that the pilots hurried out to their respective aircraft. Some 15 minutes later and the squadron was in attack formation, top cover flying high
and the ground attack, skimming the trees to save time and hopefully catch the British unawares.
Newly confirmed ace, Captain Roderick Sampson Willoughby-Kyte, who liked to be called Rod, was leading his flight of 3 Nieuport 17’s covering the British breakthrough. He could not believe his eyes as below the new, secret weapon, the tank with supporting infantry, were smashing their way through the German lines and nothing could stop them.
Having spotted the enemy closing in fast he gave the hand signal for his wing-men to follow him. Only to look right and to his dismay young Thomas Keeble had banked right and was streaking off on a solo mission. Thankfully Curphey had stayed with him.
There was little room for maneuvering as the formations streaked towards each other.
Sidweg and Keeble opened the score. Keeble cursing his luck as his lewis jammed.
Ludwig meanwhile blasted some infantry that surrounded one of the lumbering metal boxes crossing the gap into the 2nd line trenches,
Rod lined up on the brown Hlb DIII and let rip. He never felt the bullets penetrate his fuel tank as Adolf flying the outdated Fkr DI blasted a huge chunk out of Rod’s N17. Hans and Curphey did not escape, they were too close not to miss the blast and the expanding ball of shrapnel heading their way.
Rod lost consciousness as his stricken N17 fuselage, what was left of it, spiralled into the ground from 50 feet.
Ludwig had quickly reversed direction and dealt a death blow to a metal box and the infantry cowering for cover behind it. He must have hit something vital because it just lumbered to a stop with smoke pouring out of a myriad of hatches.
Keeble and Hans had both reversed and fired blasts into each other. Keeble’s was the telling shot. A bullet slammed into Hans leg and he jerked the joystick as he fired, his bullets went well wide of the intended target. Smoke and flame started to billow out from his engine.
Ludwig had been caught reversing his direction by the keen eye of Curphey. Adolf lined himself up for a shot then remembered his guns had jammed!
Ludwigs DI was pouring smoke which was beginning to blind him.
Curphey turned the wrong way and ran into Adolf, who had un-jamed his guns and Konrad who had reversed direction.
Konrads plane came off nearly as badly as Curphey’s.
Hans, still on fire, managed to get a shot off at Keeble. Keeble took a bullet into his upper shoulder which put off his aim and he missed Sidweg.
Konrad set fire to another metal box as Adolf scored another telling blow on Curphey’s plane.
Butchers Bill:
2Lt Maurice Curphey (red n17): RTB/9 Dam/WIA
2lt Thomas Keeble (yellow N17): RTB/8 Dam/WIA
Capt Kyte: EXP/ET
3 tanks destroyed/4 infantry destroyed.
Hans Kneissundupzadaisy (brown DIII): RTB/2 Dam/WIA
Adolf Richter(Fkr DI): RTB/o Dam/1 kill
Konrad Berwachter (Cam DIII): RTB/6 dam
Sidweg Fettlemeier (Alb DI): 2 Dam/RTB
Ludwig von Bietruttoffen (Alb DI): RTB/4 dam
Apologies but camera went down and I thought I’d taken the last butchers bills pics but alas no.
Summary:
1. Another cracker to fly.
2. Never had so many fires, jammed guns or WIA in one game.
3. Got some bits of the tanks wrong, like using an XD not an XA deck.
4. Decided to add an English ace to the team as it seems unfair that all I meet is ordinaries. (Didn't last long though).
5. Random pick of ace skill gave him lucky git 1: no good v the dreaded boom card and what followed. (please rol high for him Dave)
6. Curphey rolled high on his moral and broke off the fight. Keeble was chased off.
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What a Furball that was Neil.
Great 
Originally Posted by tikkifriend
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