The Austro-Hungarian High Command were in a slight dilemma. It was unheard of for such haste to be made in the corridors of Power.
The bureaucracy of the Hapsburg Empire was a byword throughout Europe.
The memo that had come into the department that morning was a bare two days old, and yet it should have taken months to find its way through the various departments, and offices within those departments, before it arrived on the desk of Franz von Hoetzendorf the Emperor's Chief of Staff.
Yet here it was along with a memo from The Emperor's Private secretary asking what was to be done about the seemingly mass German withdrawal from Belgium and France now underway.
After a vast amount of soul searching and discussion amongst his Generals, it was decided to send Leopold Count Bertchold von und zu Ungarsh1tz to negotiate a separate Peace Treaty with the Entente, on behalf of the Emperor.
To avoid any information leaking back to Germany, he was to travel incognito to Italy, and then onward, carried by an Italian Caproni Bomber. This would be escorted to the French Border by a Spad and thence onward to Paris with a British escort.
That is where the "Bulldogs came in as outlined to their CO. by Major Raymond of British Intelligence.
All went well with the mission until bad weather forced the Aircraft and its Italian Spad escorts North of the Alps, where they were pounced upon by German scouts.
Only one escort and the Bomber survived the attack, and together sought out the British escorts. No sooner were they united than another Flock of Albatrii pounced upon the hapless Minister and his new escort.
As soon as the enemy were spotted Lt Kyte shepherded his guest off away from the direction of attack whilst 2nd Lt. Jock McKendrick and Tenente Alfredo Gambaccini turned their Spads upon the rapidly closing Hun aircraft.
As the Caproni fled with its precious cargo, Kyte banked his own Spad to cover its tail.
Meanwhile McKendrick and Gambaccini tore into the advancing Germans scattering their formation. Mckendrick managing to damage the leaders controls and start his engine smoking in the first pass.
Meanwhile the Caproni took full advantage of the melee behind it to make off towards the French Lines.
Kyte now took a hand in the proceedings Immelmanning, and catching the German Leader flat footed, set him on fire.
Still on the German's tail he delivered another telling burst from his Browning damaging the engine still further.
The aircraft still burning raced towards the Caproni with Kyte still on its tail.
It dived away to try and extinguish the fire, and Kyte's next burst although now at long range hit the Pilot, whilst Gambaccini pecked away at his wingman.
Sensing that his first victim was now past his range and still diving away, Kyte now took on the wingman at point blank range.
One burst was all it took. The Albatros reared up, stalled and fell off to plough straight into the ground 18000 feet below.
In seconds Kyte had effectively put the two closest dangers to the Caproni out of the fight.
McKendrick, was meanwhile, giving the third Albatros, a welcome with an opening volley.
Frederick now took his first damage when a telling burst from a hitherto unengaged machine dropped down onto him.
. It was a significant hit and also damaged his rudder and ailerons.
Up stepped Alfredo and calmly shot it off Kyte's wing.
McKendrick was having more trouble dispatching the third Albatros, however, The German was obviously no novice and kept jinking out of the line of fire.
Meantime the aircraft which Kyte thought he had finished had over dived in an attempt to put out its fire.
It now tried to turn about and limp back to its own lines but all was in vain as the fire started by Kyte now finally consumed it.
The final Albatros with McKendrick behind it, still managed to avoid his stream of bullets.
In his desire to bring it down McKendrick overflew his quarry.
This was the opportunity that the Experienced German pilot had been waiting for. Seeing no chance of bringing down the Caproni with three Spads on his case, he very cleverly Immelmanned between McKendrick and Gambaccini.
Catching them both wrong footed, he made a run for the German lines.
With fuel running low and their primary concern being the Caproni and it's cargo, Kyte and his wingmen allowed the brave and resourceful German to make his escape.
As Kyte watched the Caproni landing at an airfield near Paris he just hoped that Raymond would pick some other Squadron to oversee the return flight.
The Butchers' Bill.
52 Sq The Bulldogs.
One Caproni bomber and Foreign Minister delivered to Paris. No damage.
Lt. F.O. Kyte. RTB. slight damage. 2 kills.
2nd Lt. Jock McKendrick, RTB. No damage.
Visiting Italian Tenente F Gambaccini. RTB. No damage. 1 kill.
The Kaiser's Eagles.
Three Albatrii SD.
One Albatros RTB. Slight damage.
Kyte.
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