Hptn. Büttner paced his office. Theodore Schwarz had returned at 7:19, Hugo Werner had returned 7:13. Hermann Beck, the flight leader and his most valuable pilot, was still unaccounted for. The deteriorating weather conditions made the time waiting for Beck, or word of Beck, seem to stand still.
Losing Richter last month was still an open wound. Richter was the ‘Old Man’ of the squadron. He’d been here since the beginning. The thought of losing Beck was too heavy right now to dwell on.
“Snap out of it!” he firmly told himself, “there’s work to be done”.
7:32 AM, Büttner couldn’t wait for Beck anymore. He called in Theodore and Hugo for their debriefing.
The British flyers had been up and in numbers along the front, even on this miserable morning. Something must be up. The Canadians had captured Passchendaele a few days ago, their offensive had run out of steam. Did they like marching through the mud?
“2 seaters, camera equipped with escort”, Schwarz sighed. “We got one of the camera planes, but one got away”.
“Sounds like we better keep an eye on those Bulldogs”, Büttner spoke. “This grey, wet, miserable weather makes them feel right at home”.
Büttner sent word for Wilhelm Fischer and Franz Kohler to get ready to fly in 10 minutes”.
“Did either of you”’ looking at Theodore and Hugo, “see where Beck went off to”?
“Last I saw of him....he was on fire”, Teddy quietly responded. “With all that was going on and the weather, I lost sight of him”.
The ground was already getting soft from the drizzle. The dark skies to the west convinced Büttner this would be the day’s last patrol.
Fischer and Kohler would get the Albatros DVas while Herr Büttner would fly the Pfalz DIIIa. They all disliked the DVa but Büttner having rank chose the Pfalz. It was a bit slower but he liked that is was a bit more nimble.
With a hand on the shoulder of each of his pilots Büttner reminded them, “The visiblity isn’t going to be good up there so keep a bit more distance between each other. Keep track of all of us as it will be too easy to lose sight of each other. We want no accidents today”.
Franz and Wilhelm lifted off first and circled around the aerodrome gaining altitude. As Büttner left the earth and flew over the access road he saw a car driving in. Out of a back window was an arm holding a silver flask. The jacketed arm had a prominent red cuff. “Ah Beck”! Büttner breathed a sigh of relief. “Just like him to take his time to return and live it up on the way”.
It was very reassuring for Büttner to know Bech was ok and back where he belongs.
Up the trio went into a cold misty darkening sky.
Crossing the lines was eerily quite. They could see the Canadians getting ready to go over the top. The Germans were busy pumping water and throwing mud out of their newly dug trenches.
Harold Leitch flew escort to the two bombers with a couple of Cooper bombs of his own for good measure. Lancelot Stone piloted the DH4 with Ernest Page gunner while Noel Lewis flew his favorite Strutter with Richard Rice-Owen covering his back.
Eyes were frantically looking over the ground trying to match locations with the map. The devastated countryside bore no resemblance to photos from a month ago. This morning’s photos weren’t a lot of help either as the dark sky muted the landscape’s shell holed highlights. Stone was positive he found a waypoint but found nothing where the map said there should be a German artillery battery.
Stone decided to drop down for a closer look not noticing an EA diving down on him.
Leitch and Büttner spotted each other and the planes to their south. They cautiously approached each other hoping the other would show their hand first.
Wilhelm spots a 2 seater below him. Hoping he hasn’t been seen he quickly makes a plan of attack.
Wilhelm dives down but Lewis slips down under him easily avoiding the German guns.
Franz has similar ideas and dives down on the DH4. Stone yells to Page but he is busy fidgeting with his ammunition to spot the German in time to get off a shot.
Büttner and Leitch pass by eyeing each other. Büttner has altitude and knows what to do.
He immediately pulls a split-s and drops down behind the Camel. (deadly aim ace skill)
Leitch knows he’s in trouble and ditches the Coopers so he can better fight.
Keeping on the nimble Camel’s tail is not that easy and his tracers fly sail past.
Leitch is close to panic as he can’t lose the German on his tail.
Keeping calm and concentrating Büttner deals out some real damage to the Camel. ( Marksman skill)
The Camel’s quick left turn threw Büttner off and he misses what he thought would be a kill shot.
The speed of the DH4 fools Kohler and he turns his clunky Albatros to the right.
The Strutter dives leaving Wilhelm out of position. Wilhelm knows he is much faster and turns left knowing he will have another chance soon.
Lewis and Stone both see a German infantry concentration, the secondary target, and set their sights on it.
Neither sees the other in the mist and nearly collide over the target.
Wilhelm chuckles watching the two British planes come close to flying into each other. Then it hits him, they have just dropped bombs on his infantry! He has to get to them before they can cause any more trouble.
Lewis and Stone have to both alter their corse to avoid a collision but succeed in each scoring a partial hit, scattering the infantry in panic.
Both 2 seaters separate and head north towards where they think the primary target must be.
Wilhelm closes in but can’t decide which to follow.
Kohler and Büttner quickly close in on the Strutter before it reaches the battery.
Stone follows Lewis and Fischer gains on them both.
Richard Rice-Owen fires first into Kohler damaging his rudder while Stone gets a lucky long shot and sets the Albatros on fire.
Kohler’s return fire on the DH4 does little.
Büttner and Lewis exchange trifling shots. Büttner’s height advantage didn’t help him
much against the cagy Lewis but Lewis does cause discomfort to Büttner as his engine begins to smoke.
Kohler, on fire and fighting his controls flies right towards Stone. Kohler hears in his
head Büttner’s words about avoiding collisions.
Luckily Stone pulls away with meters to spare.
Fischer grimaces as he helplessly watches Kohler fly right into a British... whew, just missed. Not being ready when the DH4 emerges, he grimaces again. This time in pain as he is wounded in the right arm.
Leitch returns but is too high to engage. Richard Rice-Owen spots Büttner and poke another hole or two into the Pfalz,
Fischer almost flies into the DH4 as the pain of his wound hampers his flying.
Between the weather, smoke and fire Kohler and Büttner do not see each other. As they try to get on the Strutter they gently bump beneath the Camel.
Lewis, knowing the importance of the mission, drops his second set of bombs amidst the battery while all three Germans take aim on his machine.
Rice-Owen fires first and watches Büttner flinch as his rounds enter the cockpit.
Büttner, distracted buy the wound, misses his shot. Kohler hits the rudder and Fischer smashes a couple of struts.
The Strutter flies on as the bombs hit home. Ammunition caissons explode wrecking guns and killing many crew.
Ernest Page scores some damage on Fischer. Seeing the target aflame, Stone decides to head home.
The explosion rocks the Strutter throwing Rice-Owen off as he misses a sure shot on the Pfalz. Bad enough to miss such an easy target, his Lewis gun also fouls.
With Kohler flying off to deal with his fire Büttner takes aim at the Strutter. Fischer, paying too much attention to the mayhem down below scrapes wingtips with Büttner.
Luckily neither are damaged.
Leitch dives down out of the mist on Fischer but never had a good enough view to line up the shot.
Büttner, in his patience finally gets to tear into the Strutter. (Marksman skill...doesn't help here!)
Leitch, trying to save Lewis and Rice-Owen tried to disrupt Büttner by flying right at him. Büttner slips under the Camel and finishes off the the Strutter, seconds too late for the battery below.
Büttner and Fischer try to give chase on the DH4 but it is gone out of reach.
They turn to deal with the Camel but the weather closes in and they fly past each other, hearing but not seeing each other amidst the rain and cloud.
Butcher’s Bill
2Lt Lancelot Stone RTB 0 kills secondary target partial hit-destroyed
C 8 +3(rtb) =11 OK
Sgt. Ernest Page RTB 0 kills
C 7 +3(rtb)= 10 OK
2Lt Harold Leitch RTB 0 kills
C 4 -1(rudder) +3(rtb) = 6 injured, 4 = miss 2 missions
2Lt Noel Lewis SD ET 0 kills primary target destroyed, secondary target partial hit-destroyed
C 12! landed safely
E 11! -1(bel) = 10, didn’t notice me covered in mud, home free!
2Lt Richard Rice-Owen SD ET 0 kills
C 6 = injured, 4 = miss 2 missions
E 6 -1(wic) -1(bel) = 4 captured and escaped! 4 = miss 2 missions total miss 2 missions.
Ltn Franz Kohler RTB 0 kills
C 4 -1(rudder) +3(rtb) = 6 injured, 1 = miss 1 mission
Ltn Wilhelm Fischer WIA RTB 0 kills
C 8 -1(wia) +3(rtb) = 10 OK
Obtn Peter Büttner WIA RTB 1 kill
C 2!!! -1(wia) +2(ace) +3(rtb) = 6 injured, 1 = miss 1 mission
Entente score
3, Primary target destroyed
2, Secondary target destroyed
Central Powers score
2, one two seater destroyed
As the Strutter plummeted towards the earth Richard shouted, “I would have had him but the $*&!ing gun jammed”.
“Hold on, it could be rough”, shouted Noel to Richard as he guided the remains of the Strutter down into a muddy field.
The wheels touched the soft ground and bounced up once. The second touch wasn’t so kind. The undercarriage smashed and the Strutter tumbled into a shattered pile of canvass, wire and and broken wood.
Noel was thrown out into the soft mud unharmed. Richard tumbled in the Scarff ring with the Lewis gun hitting him violently several times. His left leg was badly hurt and he also sprained an ankle. In a couple of minutes Noel had Richard out of the Strutter debris and into the woods.
In the distance some infantry were slowly making their way through the muddy field towards the downed plane. Richard pleaded with Noel to leave him. Against his loyalties to Richard he listened to better judgment and disappeared quietly through the woods.
Richard could not move on his own without Noel’s help so he sat there waiting for the Germans.
The infantry inspected the wrecked Strutter, a couple taking bits for souvenirs. When they followed the tracks in the mud found him sitting on the edge of the woods. They seemed sympathetic but indifferent. He looked much worse for the wear covered in mud and blood than his actual injuries. They brought him back to their aid station where he waited for hours before being attended to.
His captors returned that afternoon with a couple of German pilots. The infantry got on well with one of them like they were old chums. This one was dressed very sharply with bright red cuffs on his jacket. “Herr Beck”, one of the infantry men spoke, “Why didn’t you shoot this Englander down this morning so Herr Büttner could have had the day off”? The Germans all laughed loudly.
“Herr Beck left this one for me so I wouldn’t get lazy”, chimed Büttner.
To which Beck quickly answered, “I just wanted you get in some landing practice”, pointing at Büttner’s bandaged left arm, “Looks like you need it”! They all laughed again.
Richard was helped into the car and off to the aerodrome they went for an evening of stories, drinking, and more drinking. In the middle of the night Richard found a couple of small tools, which he pocketed. They would be very useful to him in a couple of weeks.
In the morning Richard was sent off to the prison camp that he had no intention of remaining in for long.
Bookmarks