OTT EYM Mission 12 – Last One Home - 27 Mar 1917 – Hu Rhu
2Lt Henry Thomas eased his wounded shoulder as he nursed his RE8 back towards his own lines. Two hours earlier he and his observer AM3 Edward Selby took off in a flight of six tandems to carry out a daylight bombing raid on a concentration area behind enemy lines. Right from the start, things began to go wrong. Their escort should have met them on our side of the lines but they were no where in sight. The flight commander had decided to go ahead anyway. About 2/3 of the way to the target they were bounced by about 6 or 7 German scouts and in the dogfight that followed two of their number were shot down and another forced to return to base with a damaged engine.
Thomas and the other two aircraft made it to the target but were met with a hail of AA fire. Despite this Thomas managed to bomb the target but his aircraft received a direct hit and Thomas himself was wounded. There was no sight of the other aircraft so he turned around and headed back towards base. Looking down he spotted a ruined church which confirmed that he was just over the German lines and was buoyed to think that he would be home shortly. ‘Just about 5 minutes to the lines and then another 10 minutes back to the aerodrome’ he thought. To his dismay in between him and safety was a swirling dogfight. He glanced at his fuel gauge. ‘Not enough to go round’ he thought ‘Bugger it, I’ll just have to go through the middle and trust to luck’ With that thought he gritted his teeth and plunged into the maelstrom.
Ltn Hans Neumann dragged his plane into a tight turn as he looked about him for his wingmen, Ltn Karl-Heinz Fischer and Ltn Johann Kleine, both inexperienced pilots. They had been sent to escort a two-seater on a photographic mission but had run into a flight of Nieuports. He had his hands full with the Tommies and had also to look out for his charges. He was over No Man’s Land but spotted them off to the East but relatively close together and with no Englander planes close to them and neither looked in any danger.
His opposite number 2lt Denis Giles, in his silver N17, was in a similar quandary. He had led his flight across the lines on an offensive patrol, 2Lt Arnold Arnold and a replacement pilot 2Lt D’Urban Blake. No sooner had they crossed the lines when the encountered three Albatros D.III and a dogfight had started. He took a precious moment to look up and spotted his wingmen across the lines. Arnold was furthest eastwards but Blake was the closest. Neither seem threatened by their opposite numbers and both were heading back West. However in between them and the lines was a white-tailed Albatros which seemed to be piloted by a very experienced airman.
Fwbl Jurgen Scholtz and his observer Ltn Klaus Hartmann, were flying a newly delivered Rumpler C.IV on a photographic mission to map the new British trench system. They had just completed their first run when the British had turned up and they got separated from their escort. They were just about to start their second run when an AA shell hit their plane wounding Scholtz in the leg.
Hartmann was uninjured but thumped Scholtz on the shoulder and indicated the dogfight between them and safety. However, Scholtz believed that despite the risk they would be better off with their comrades than taking a detour. So with his heart in his mouth, he set course directly back to the Aerodrome.
Giles turned towards the nearest Albatros and fired a burst at short range, cursing as his gun jammed. Neumann’s return fire was much more effective.
Blake and Arnold turned back westward to try and close up with their flight leader.
Fischer and Kleine turned north to intercept them and support their own flight leader. Concentrating on the Nieuports ahead, Fischer was surprised by a burst of fire from an RE8 that he hadn’t seen. Fortunately the damage was light but he was now caught between two forces.
Thomas continues to fire at the blue Albatros, damaging Fischer’s rudder controls as Kleine and Arnold make straight for each other.
Meanwhile Neumann and Giles take avoiding action as Blake closes in on his flight leader.
Scholtz is just crossing the British lines and spots at least two Nieuport 17s between him and safety and to make matters worse the nearest Albatros is heading away from him back across the lines. ‘Where are the bloody escorts just when you need them’ he asked himself bitterly.
As the Nieuport closes in Scholtz fires but is surprised that there is no return fire.
To the East there is quite a merry-go-round as Fischer immelmans which puts him on the flank of the RE8’s and neither pilot or observer can fire at him. His fire adds to Thomas’ woe. However, Arnold has continued his turn and fires at Fischer but misses. Not so Kleine who has his wingman’s back and scores minor damage on the Nieuport.
Giles and Scholtz narrowly avoid a collision, whilst Blake over turns and has no shot on the Rumpler.
Fischer crosses the rear of the RE8 and is in Selby’s blind spot, but Arnold still has him in his sights and shoots at long range. However, Kleine has also turned and now fires at Arnold at close range, scoring heavily.
AM3 Edward Selby fires at Kleine but just succeeds in jamming his Lewis gun. Fischer again reverses and runs into Arnold’s close range fire, which rakes the Albatros and severely damaging the aircraft. Fischer feels the controls go soft and he cannot stop the plane spinning into the ground below.
Kill to Arnold.
Meanwhile Neumann has reversed to help out the tandem and doesn’t see Fischer’s crash. He winces as the Rumpler and Blake’s Nieuport seem to collide but luckily for both pilots, there seems to be no serious damage. Giles has finally unjammed his gun.
Blake reverses his Nieuport but misses the Rumpler and fortunately flies into Hartmann’s blind spot. Neumann closes fast to help protect the two seater, whilst Thomas is heading homewards. Arnold, Giles and Kleine are all out of position to influence events.
As Blake finishes his Immelmann turn, he takes fire from both Hartmann and Neumann, which damages his rudder. Thomas is closing in on the German lines and almost half way home.
Back over the German side, Kleine has reversed but Arnold is taking a wide turn.
Meanwhile Thomas has crept up behind Neumann but his long range fire misses and jams the front gun. Scholtz puts some fire into the RE8, hitting Selby. With the front gun jammed and Selby incapacitated, the RE8 is defenceless. The inexperienced Blake turns across the front of Neumann’s Albatros, who wastes none of his shots as he pours fire into the Nieuport, which plummets into the ground in No Man’s Land.
Kill to Neumann.
As the two aircraft pass each other, Hartmann fires at long range, hitting Thomas and bringing the RE8 crashing down in No Man’s Land.
Kill to Hartmann.
Giles now swoops behind Neumann, determined to avenge his young compatriot and sees his shots go home. Suddenly the Albatros explodes in a ball of flame and plummets into the ground in No Man’s Land.
Kill to Giles.
Back East Arnold gets the drop on Kleine.
Arnold and Kleine flash past each other as Scholtz makes his way wearily towards his home aerodrome.
Scholtz and Arnold take avoiding action as Kleine circles back.
As the gap between the aircraft widens, Hartmann gets a shot against Arnold. The damage is severe and Arnold feels his aircraft shudder. He manages to regain control but realises that he must return home before his machine fails.
Giles is too far away to intervene and reluctantly breaks off the engagement, leaving Scholtz and Hartmann with the circling Kleine to return to base.
Butcher's Tally
Adlers
Fwbl Jurgen Scholtz: (P2) Rumpler C.IV: FRTB-W / 0 Kills
FRTB Roll 6+2 = Landed safely
(Note: Scenario WIA not taken into account)
Ltn Klaus Hartmann: (O) Rumpler C.IV: FRTB-W / 1 Kill (Thomas) 1 probable (Arnold)
Ltn Hans Neumann: Albatros D.III (White Tail): SD-EXP-NML / 1 Kill (Blake)
C&W Roll 8 -3EXP -1NML = 4 - Injured - skip d6 scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 6
E&E Roll 6 +1NML -1WIC -1EXP = 5 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 1
Ltn Karl-Heinz Fischer: Albatros D.III (Blue): SD-FT / 0 Kills
C&W Roll 8 -1SD = 7 - Injured - Skip D2 scenarios. Rolled 5 = Skip 2
Ltn Johann Kleine: Albatros D.III (Black Tail): RTB / 0 Kills
Bulldogs
2Lt Henry Thomas: (P2) RE8: SD-NML / WIA / 0 Kills
C&W roll 6 -1SD -1NML –1WIA = 3 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = skip 3
E&E roll 6 +1NML -1WIA -1WIC = 5 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = skip 1
AM3 Edward Selby: (O) RE8: SD-NML-WIA / 0 Kills
C&W Roll 5 -1WIA -1NML = 3 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 2 = Skip 2
E&E Roll 6 +1NML -1WIA -1WIC = 5 - In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios. Rolled 3 = skip 1
2Lt Denis Giles: Nieuport 17c: RTB / 1 Kill (Neumann)
2Lt Arnold Arnold: Nieuport 17b: FRTB-D / 1 Kill (Fischer)
FRTB Rolled 4+4 = Crashed
C&W Roll 6 +1RTB -1FRTB = 6 - Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios. Rolled 4 = skip 2 scenarios
2Lt D’Urban Blake: Nieuport 17a: SD-NML / 0 Kills
C&W Roll 5 -1SD -1NML = 3 - Injured - Skip 1D6 Scenarios. Rolled 6 = Skip 6
E&E Roll 7 +1NML -1WIC = 7- Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario
Victory Points
Rumpler returned home – Adler Victory but at a cost.
That was a very enjoyable scenario made more interesting by the random placement of the scouts. The honours were failrly even between the two sides but the C&W rolls were very unforgiving, leaving a few holes in the roster availability as various pilots recover from wounds or make their way back home.
As per the briefing I didn't apply the initial wound on the crashed RE8 pilot (which would have resulted in him dying) but did roll for a FRTB for Scholtz. Luckily he nailed the landing and no further action was needed.
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