OTT Bitter End Mission 19--"Amiens, Brother..." 7 Aug 1918

[Setarius]

Mutt's Camp

Lt. Forbes: Cpl. Wringer get me 2Lts. Smythe-Browning and Farr and Sgt. Vanderboegh.

Lt. Forbes: Gentlemen, we need some recon photos of positions behind the enemy lines.
Sgt. Vanderboegh take as many as you can.
2Lt. Farr you are the escort for the mission.
I don't expect much trouble out of the opposition because we've been beating them down lately. But, be careful, you never know.
Leave as soon as your ready.

Eagle's Camp

Obltn. Dietlen: Ltns. Muller, Leffers, and Andersen, take the new Fokkers and patrol No Mans Land near Amiens. Do what you can to any Entente kites you see. Do try to work together and bring these kites back home.

Mutt's Camp

Cpl. Wringer: Sir, we just received a report of 3 of the new Fokkers in the Amiens area near NML.

Lt. Forbes: Send Lt. Kilpatrick and 2Lt. Farr to the Amiens area to help cover our guys.

Cpl. Wringer: Yes sir.

2Lt. Farr: I was escorting the HT of 2Lt. Smythe-Browning and Sgt. Vanderboegh on their photo op. I was about 90 meters above them and about 60 meters behind as we approached the target area. There was a line of low clouds in front of us. I thought the mission would be scrubbed, but we broke through to clear skies.
Attachment 241553

Attachment 241554

2Lt. Farr: As we turned left I saw one of the new Fokkers coming at us. As I was out of position to shoot, it took a shot at me which ended abruptly. (0GJ)


Sgt. Vanderboegh: I was able to get a photo.
Picture #1
Attachment 241556

2Lt. Farr: As we came right I had the Red&White Fokker behind me and i saw two in the distance headed our way.
Attachment 241557

2Lt. Farr: As I passed the Fokker I saw him hammering on his guns, so I went after the two Fokkers headed for 2Lt. Smythe-Browning.
Attachment 241558

2Lt. Farr: I didn't make my turn fast enough and the Fokker hit me. Twas merely a flesh wound, no more than a scratch, but it burned like fire.(3P)
Attachment 241559

Sgt. Vanderboegh: The White Fokker flew by us without taking a shot so I got another picture.
Picture #2
Attachment 241560

Sgt. Vanderboegh: The White Fokker turned and came after us.

2Lt. Farr: I finally regained my senses the Blue Fokker was behind me turning towards me.
Attachment 241561

Lt. Kilpatrick: As I broke through the clouds, I saw a Blue Fokker coming at me too far away to shoot. A Red&White one in the distance to my left and a White one chasing our two seater.
Attachment 241562

[Setarius]

It. Kilpatrick: The Blue Fokker turned away from me, so I turned to face the Red&White one that was coming fast.
Attachment 241563

Lt. Kilpatrick: I squared off with the Red&White Fokker (3ENG) and exchanged shots (1).

2Lt. Reeves: I took a wild long shot at the Blue Fokker (EXP) hitting it.
Kill 2Lt. Reeves #1
Attachment 241564

Lt. Kilpatrick: I misjudged the Fokkers sipped and collided with him doing heavy damage to my plane.
Lt. Kilpatrick (6P)
Red Fokker (0)
Attachment 241565

2Lt. Reeves: As I was turning the Red Fokker took a shot at me (2,3) doing heavy damage.
Attachment 241566

2Lt. Farr: The White Fokker took a shot at me missing. (0)
Attachment 241567

Sgt. Vanderboegh: I got another photo as the White Fokker flew past.
Picture #3
Attachment 241568

2Lt. Smythe-Browning: I took a shot at the White Fokker (3,2) as it flew past as Sgt. Vanderboegh got another photo.
Picture #4
Attachment 241569

2Lt. Farr: People were flying around just out of each other's range trying to get off a shot.
Attachment 241570

2Lt. Smythe-Browning: I flew us into the cloud bank to try to throw off the White Fokker that had been dogging us.
Attachment 241571

2Lt. Smythe-Browning: As we came out of the clouds the Fokker was there and hammered us (3,4) hard. I returned fire knocking some holes in his fabric. (1,2).
Attachment 241572

[Setarius]

Sgt. Vanderboegh: As we went past the Fokker I hit him again. (0,3).
Attachment 241573

Lt. Kilpatrick: i took a shot at the Red Fokker (1) doing minimal damage.
Attachment 241574

2Lt. Reeves: I took a long shot behind the Lt. at the Red Fokker (2ENG). I must have hit the engine because it suddenly lost power and fell out of the sky.
Kill 2Lt. Reeves #2
Attachment 241575

2Lt. Farr: I turned to go after the White Fokker.

Sgt. Vanderboegh: I got a fifth photo.
Picture #5
Attachment 241576

Sgt. Vanderboegh: As I got my sixth photo, Lt. Kilpatrick and 2Lt Reeves came charging past us at the White Fokker.
Picture #6
Attachment 241577

2Lt. Reeves: As bullets flew from the Fokker, Sgt. Vanderboegh, and myself, the Fokker rolled over and went spinning to the Earth below.
Fokker from Sgt. Vanderboegh (1P)
From 2Lt. Reeves (5)
Harry Tate (0)
Kill 2Lt. Reeves #3
Attachment 241578

Notes: At this point the Germans had rolled a 4, 2, 1, 1 for reinforcements, the next turn would have been automatic. The mission was close to being over so I did not bring on another plane. The odds would have been 5 to 1 against the Germans, I decided to save a plane and a pilot.

[Setarius]

Butcher's Bill

Entente left to right

2Lt. Smythe-Browning (P) RE8 RTB

Sgt. Vanderboegh (O)
6 pictures taken

2Lt. Farr RTB WIA
C&W Rolled 7+3RTB-1WIA=9 All's well when you land well

Lt. Kilpatrick RTB

2Lt. Reeves RTB 3 Kills
Ltn. Leffers
Ltn. Andersen
Ltn. Muller
Attachment 241585

Central Powers left to right

Ltn. Muller Fokker DVII White SD FT WIA
C&W Rolled 8-1SD-1WIA=6 Skip D3 R-6 SKIP 3

Ltn. Leffers Fokker DVII Blue SD EXP FT
C&W Rolled 12-3EXP=9 All's well when you land in a hay stack.

Ltn. Andersen Fokker DVII Red&White SD 2ENG FT
C&W Rolled 7-1Sd=6 Skip D3 R-3 SKIP 2
Attachment 241586

Map showing location of pictures
Attachment 241587

Cards drawn for good/bad pictures
Picture #5 was bad, it was the near left corner closest to NML.
Attachment 241588

Deck used.
Attachment 241589

[Stumptonian]

Great job by your boys, Dale.
Seems our Eagles had no luck this time out.
Your Bulldogs showed that the mission could be done.

[Teaticket]

Good job Dale at keeping the nasty Hun away from your workhorse RE8. All home safe, a good batch of photos and downing a trio of Bosh to boot, jolly good show.

[flash]

Well done Dale, what action and Reeves was magnificent !
Leffers - All's well when you land in a hay stack made me chuckle

Uncle says:

Very well done chaps, lots of pics to keep the brass hats happy and young Reeves excelled himself by bagging three Huns - time for him to get to the bar and ring the bell to get the party started !

[mikeemagnus]

Congrats to Reeves and the rest of the Bulldog gang. Job well done with lots of useful photos - well done that man

[gully_raker]

Great result for your Doggies Dale & great shooting by Mr Reeves.
Well done mate!