Stop the Scurge!
G.H.Q. had been discussing how to overcome the horrendous losses to our recon aircraft since the appearance of the Fokkerstaffels with their Eindekkers with the forward firing Machine gun. It was vital to our programmed offensive on the Somme front that we obtain up to date information on German strengths & supplies. Col. H.J. Hazelton had devised a plan to try to lure some Fokkers into attacking a BE 2 accompanied by a Vickers Gunbus whilst two of the new DH-2 fighters would be shadowing the pair & be ready to attack any Germans that came to attack thus reducing the number of Hun aircraft in the sector & if successful this type of operation would become the standard. The plan relied on the usual cloud cover in the area to supply a means of allowing the DH-2's to attack unobserved.
Volunteers were called for from 23 Sqd. & Ltn. Leslie Peech Aizelwood & 2nd Ltn. Albert Biggs responded. Young Biggs had matured well since his painful buttock wound in his epic clash with Eindekkers & his recovery time in Paris had seen him gain in confidence which had been obvious in his subsequent combat flying. The most experienced Gunbus Pilot Capt Lancelot Steele MC (4 Victories) was co opted to fly the FB5 whilst the experienced BE team of Ltn Charles Gaylion &Observer Ltn Richard Bravington would fly the recon mission to photograph an suspected German Ammunition dump on the Somme River near St Quinten.
L to R Biggs, Aizelton, Steele, Lewis, Gaylion & Bravington.
Early the next morning the 4 British Aircraft set out & were relieved to see there was excellent cloud cover as they approached German Territory. The Gunbus & BE flew on the far left whilst the DH-2's headed for the cloud cover. All Aircraft gaining height as the crossed the lines.
Soon the expected German Aircraft were spotted with a green Fokker making straight for the BE & Gunbus but Steel could also see another two Eindekkers off to Starboard in the vicinity of some large Cumulus clouds.
The Fokker pilot boldly attacked head on to the Gunbus knowing the BE could not assist but was not aware of the ability of the Gunbus's pilot & gunner. Shots were exchanged & both aircraft took damage.
The Fokker continued to close on the Gunbus & Steele had to climb steeply to avoid a collision but as he passed over the Fokker he felt his aircraft shudder. "Crikey he thought , the silly buggers hit my undercart!" Sure enough looking back he saw the Fokker had suffered damage to its warp wires & was handling sluggishly.
While this fight was developing the BE headed for the cover of the nearby clouds & Charles Gaylion thought "Where are those bloody De Havillands who are supposed to be protecting us?"
Almost on que Biggs' DH-2 burst from the clouds & attacked. His first full burst resulted in flames erupting from the engine of the second Fokker which was finished in CDL,
Shortly after the second DH-2 emerged from the clouds between the BE2 & the German Aircraft. A tight turning Dogfight ensued with the British Aircraft gaining the upper hand & they had the advantage of height over at least one of the Hun Aircraft.
Soon after this exchange the green Fokker which had been damaged by both Steele's shots & the collision spun into the Ground after a close range burst from young Biggs.
However another Fokker had attacked the Gunbus at close range from the side as it continued to shepherd the BE towards its target & Steele felt a blow like a red hot poker being thumped into the fleshy part of his right thigh & at the same time flames sprung from the engine area at the rear of the Vickers. Fighting down the initial shock & pain he realised his leg would still work & continued on his mission to protect the BE bravely putting the Gunbus between the BE & the two pursuing Fokkers.. This allowed the BE to photograph its target & swing towards home & the relative safety of another cloud bank.
Shortly after Albert Biggs sent the second Fokker plunging to the ground after both he & Aizelwood had riddled it with bullets from their Lewis Machine guns.
As both the damaged Gunbus & the BE2 now made their way home pursued by the lone remaining Fokker, Steel was relieved to see that the flames had finally died away & the engine appeared to have been unaffected. "Perhaps it was only surplus oil that had ignited & the fuel tank was O.K."
His thigh throbbed badly buy the blood loss did not feel to bad. At least his flying boot did not feel like it was filling up!
Even though the BE 2 had suffered some engine damage from the Fokkers as it approached its target it managed to stay ahead of the extremely brave German pilot who continued to try to catch & destroy it although he was harried by the two British Pushers.
The Gunbus continued to shadow the BE towards home. On reaching the drome Lewis the gunner in the Gunbus fired off a Red Flare to alert the Aerodrome staff of a wounded member on board & Capt Steele was soon on his way to the casuralty station for treatment.
Finally realising his task was hopeless the German Pilot turned for home only to collide with one of the De Havilands & suffer damage which caused it to crash land near the British Aerodrome where he was quickly captured. The British aircraft suffered no significant damage.
H.Q. was ecstatic with the success of the mission which had seen 3 of the dreaded Eindekkers taken out with one crashed near the aerodrome where it could be examined in detail. The photographs had been taken & returned plus the DH-2's had proven superior to the vaunted Eindekkers.
Certainly cause for much celebration in the H.Q. Mess & the Squadron Mess that night. Capt Steele would be out of action for some weks but that was a small price to pay for the success!
The Butchers Bill for the British is below. The bottom line for the Gunbus is the Fire Damage only.
Here are the combatants.
L to R Germans. Chris (Halvo) Green Eindekker, Damile- Grey Eindekker, Glenn-CDL Eindekker.
The DH-2 Pilots: Phill (Albert Biggs) & Dallas (Dal) Aizelwood's kite.
I flew the BE & the Gunbus.
Finally here is the Scenario sheet for Info.
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I do hope the Hun pilot was given a rowdy send off in your 
Neil
Kyte.
Originally Posted by Skafloc
Absolutely Neil! the chaps really appreciated his bravery in continuing to try to down the BE when heaverly outnumbered. He did suffer from a bad hangover the next morning however. 
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