OTT BE Mission 19, 7 August 1918, "Amiens, Brother ..." (Carl Brisgamer)

[Carl_Brisgamer]

PROLOGUE

Jabbeke, Flandern
5 August 1918
1200hrs



Kapitänleutnant Willi Mattheus ran his hand along the leading edge of the parasol wing of the new fighting machine. The naval ace had not flown a monoplane since 1916 when he first trained as a Jagdflieger on the Fokker E.III. Having enjoyed great success in the fast, sturdy and agile D.VII, he still had reservations about the fragile appearance of this new aircraft.

The engineer seemed to sense the officer’s doubts. “The single wing reduces drag,” he explained unnecessarily, “and the rotary engine gives added manoeuvrability.”

Mattheus looked at the civilian, maintaining an impassive expression in the face of the man’s nervous chatter. “I have some flight experience mein Herr, so I know the advantages offered by these features,” he replied, “however we already have Herr Fokker’s excellent D.VII which has been thoroughly battle-tested.”

“I agree Herr Kapitänleutnant, the D.VII is an amazing aircraft,” responded the engineer, “but this machine has several production advantages. The Oberursel UR.II engines are currently not required for any other types, and the airframe can be constructed more quickly and cheaply than the D.VII.”

Mattheus nodded, looking back at the Fokker E.V. “I could care less about Herr Fokker’s bottom line,” he stated bluntly, “but if this aircraft is as good as you say, and you can provide a steady flow of new airframes and replacement parts, then it is a machine we need.”

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Jabbeke, Flandern
7 August 1918
0530hrs



The See Adler Jagdflieger assembled in the duty hut at Jabbeke in the darkness of pre-dawn to receive their orders for the day. The Gruppenkommandeur Kapitänleutnant Willi Mattheus returned the salutes of each of the officers and NCOs as they entered the building. As Mattheus looked at each of his pilots he could see the fatigue etched into their faces. They were no longer the high-spirited young men who just months before were convinced they were on the verge of final victory. Their hopes had been replaced with a grim determination to fight on, to make their enemy pay so high a price they would have no choice but to come to terms.

The last man in was Mattheus second in command Oberleutnant Werner Bastian, recently arrived back at the front. He had returned home to bury his wife and child who had succumbed to the hunger and disease sweeping the Fatherland. Bastian had always been quick with a smile and a joke, but since his return neither had been in evidence.

“All present and correct Herr Kapitänleutnant,” reported Bastian.

Leutnant Lothar Nagel unrolled a large map of the Flanders sector, hanging it on the wall beside the Gruppe victory board, a graphic record of past victories but also by their absence a reminder of those no longer flying on their wing.

“In summary, intelligence believes the English are preparing to attack in the Flanders Sector, likely in the vicinity of the Kemmelberg,” declared Nagel as he completed his briefing some ten minutes later. “This is supported by the enemy’s local attacks conducted in the sector, and the consistent strength of their artillery fire and aerial patrols.”

“Danke Lothar,” said KptLt. Mattheus. “I will lead the first patrol, with Oberleutnant Bastian and Leutnant Meyer. I will take the new Fokker monoplane, Werner will fly his usual D.VII. Hermann, I’m afraid until we can obtain more replacement machines that leaves you with the old Pfalz.”

The young officer nodded, a grave look quickly replaced by a brief smile. “An old Pfalz it might be Herr Kapitänleutnant, but at least it has TWO wings!”

********************

Skies over Kemmelberg, Flandern
7 August 1918
0615hrs



2Lt. Gordon Sides swivels his head side to side, squinting into the morning sun, looking for the Hun before they see him. On his port wing about 300 yards below flies a DH.4 conducting a reconnaissance sortie.



While the Camel pilot searching to the east, a yellow Fokker D.VII drops down behind the English formation. Oberleutnant Werner Bastian opened the throttle to close with his enemy …..



….. as the Camel and DH.4 cross over into German occupied territory.



A few moments later KptLt. Willi Mattheus arrives over the battle front …..



….. joining up with Bastian to target the Tommies. Glancing back over his left shoulder 2Lt. Sides picks out the Hun machines.



Sides pushes the stick to the right, pulling the nose of his Camel around in a tight turn. Mattheus and Bastian ignore the Tommy single-seat fighter to concentrate on the reconnaissance machine.



In the observer's cockpit of the DH.4 Cpl. Elmer Tilton leans over the side of the aircraft taking his first photograph of the German positions 4,000 feet below, all too aware of the looming threat posed by the two Hun scouts approaching from his six o'clock. Gordon Sides continues his turn …..



…. when suddenly another Hun scout emerges from the pre-dawn gloom below and puts a burst into his Camel. "Bloody hell, where did he come from!" screams Sides in surprise as bullets punch through his machine. Behind the twin Maxims of his Pfalz D.IIIa, Hermann Meyer smiles in satisfaction as the stream of 7.92mm rounds connect with his opponent.



As Cpl. Tilton removes the photographic plate from the camera, DH.4 pilot 2Lt. Arthur Peters banks to starboard away from the closing enemy. KptLt. Mattheus gently pulls back on the stick feeling the nose of the very responsive Fokker E.V lift slightly to allow his aircraft to pass over that of Werner Bastian.



2Lt. Gordon Sides continues his turn, attempting to bring his guns to bear on the enemy. He notices for the first time one of the black crossed machines is an unfamiliar type of high wing monoplane. Below and behind the Camel Ltn. Meyer pulls back on the stick to enter an Immelmann and pursue the Englishman.



As 2Lt. Peters turns west Mattheus closes the distance to make a long range high deflection beam attack, away from the defensive fire of either pilot or observer. He fires a burst but sees no effect on his target as it passes in front of the nose of his Fokker.



Mattheus kicks the rudder and pulls the stick over causing the nimble Fokker to perform a wide sideslip to starboard, something he could never have done in the heavier D.VII. At the same time Obltn. Bastian turns inside the Tommy two-seater. Both German aces open fire, with Bastian's guns firing only a few rounds before experiencing a stoppage. Mattheus corrects his aim to take into account the required deflection and fires another burst. This time he shoots well, placing rounds between the DH.4's two cockpits penetrating the 67 gallon fuel tank. A spark ignites the flammable liquid as it spills from the perforated vessel.



Despite the flames that stream down the side of the DH.4 and threaten to envelope his cockpit, observer Corporal Elmer Tilton manning his twin Lewis guns shoots gamely at the yellow Fokker D.VII as it passes left to right behind the two-seater. Werner Bastian feels the impact of the .303 inch bullets as they pass through the rear of his aircraft, jamming his rudder controls for a moment. Bastian's attention however is on his stopped Maxim gun which stubbornly refuses to eject a split case from the chamber. Turning in behind the burning DH.4, Mattheus fires another burst at his opponent, this time peppering the tail and rear fuselage.



By now Tilton can feel the heat as the fire burns through the thin partition separating his seat from the burning fuel tank.



2Lt. Peters pushes the stick over, kicking the rudder at the same time. The big bird lurches to port, almost sending Elmer Tilton out into the blue. He fires now at the German monoplane, but his burst goes wide. As Mattheus shoots back it appears the wild manoeuvring also spoils his aim. A few hundred yards away 2Lt. Sides having reversed course has a crack at the Pfalz. In the cockpit of the D.IIIa, Leutnant Hermann Meyer opens fire at the rapidly closing Camel but hits nothing and jamming his guns. Sides' aim is true however as his twin Vickers send a long burst into the sturdy Hun machine, but his own guns also jam in the process. At that moment a Belgian Camel appears on the scene flying above the action, piloted by Sous Lieutenant Alfred Ivanow.



Bastian can do nothing until his guns are clear and Mattheus accurately judges the Camel is closing to fast to engage his E.V. Tilton can smell the back of his flight suit burning as he continues to pepper the Hun on his tail, this time putting a few rounds through the machine's broad, high wing. KptLt. Mattheus also corrects his aim, putting his sight on the sky in front of the Englishman. A moment after he presses the triggers on his Maxims, Mattheus' burst strikes the nose of the DH.4, damaging the engine.



It is too much for the big machine, immediately loses power and falls away, leaving a trail of fire as it plummets towards the earth below. Mattheus watches his opponent fall for a moment, marking the location of his twentieth victory.



Suddenly the odds now return to favour the See Adlers …..



….. as Mattheus flicks his nimble Fokker E.V around to deliver a devastating long range deflection burst into the cockpit of Sides's Camel. The young Englshman's luck runs out as he catches a bullet in the leg. As a riposte however newly arrived s-Lt. Ivanow makes his presence felt shooting up Hermann Meyer's Pfalz.



At that time more Belgian machines arrive over Kemmelberg. Piloting a Hanriot, s-Lt. Emile Boschmans is escorting a venerable RE.8 crewed by Sous Lieutenant Andre de Petrowski and Sgt. Adolphe Benselin.



The Belgian flight can see the fight swirling in front of them but continue on gamely, determined to complete their assigned photo-reconnaissance mission.



Finally clearing his guns, Obltn. Bastian gets back in the fight, exchanging fire with Ivanow. Neither pilots scores any hits, but the Belgian Camel pilot experiences his own gun stoppage.



Also turning back to the fight, Ltn. Meyer manages to score his on Gordon Sides' Camel even as the badly wounded Englishman makes for home.



Both Bastian and Meyer then engage the Belgian Camel, but neither pilot can score a hit.



Werner Bastian spots the Tommy heading west and opens the throttle to intercept. Hitting his target with a long range burst the German ace watches with satisfaction as the Camel starts to burn.



The German officer watches as the conflagration burns brightly, consuming fabric and wood at a dramatic rate …..



….. until the Tommy machine falls from the sky in flames as his ninth victory.



Just moments later KptLt. Mattheus and s-Lt. Boschmans find themselves nose to nose, both opening fire at close range. It is the German ace's experience and skill that proves decisive as he rakes the blue Hanriot, wounding the Belgian pilot.



Unable to score a hit on the Boche monoplane in the exchange, Boschmans now finds himself with a bullet wound to the shoulder and a jammed Vickers gun.



His wound bleeding freely s-Lt. Boschmans heads for home only to be confronted by the yellow Fokker D.VII of Werner Bastian. The German fires at point blank range finishing off the already badly damaged HD.1.



Boschmans falls to Bastian's guns, making the Marine Jadgflieger a double ace with his second victory for the day.



In the meantime Mattheus and Meyer are closing on the RE.8, with Mattheus making an attack from altitude as the observer Sgt. Benselin is busy taking a photograph of the German positions.



Before Mattheus can put another burst into the RE.8, s-Lt. Ivanow makes an attack on the German. Although the Belgian misses with his burst, the RE.8 observer Sgt. Beselin is able to take another photograph unmolested. Mattheus takes his own snap shot doing little damage to the Camel.



Now it is Meyer's turn to engage the Camel, his guns sending a stream of lead into the Belgian aircraft. Bullets tear at Ivanow's flying suit, one creasing his arm.



Lightly wounded but still in the fight, s-Lt. Alfred Ivanow reverse course with an Immelmann, but Meyer catches him in the turn causing further damage to the Camel. Below s-Lt. de Petrowski and Sgt. Beselin continue their mission, taking another photograph.



Ivanow banks hard to starboard and takes a long range deflection shot at Mattheus to no effect.



Whipping the agile Fokker E.V about Mattheus makes his own attack, his expert marksmanship allowing him to rake the Camel from nose to tail as it passes through a stream of bullets.



Ivanow's machine is unable to stay in the air and falls away to crash behind German lines.



Alone now against three Boche, s-Lt. de Petrowski heads for home, even as his observer continues to push photographic plates through his camera.



Just as Sgt. Beselin takes his last photograph Oberleutnant Bastian fires a burst which passes behind the RE.8's tail.



De Petrowski banks hard to starboard giving his observer a clean shot with his Lewis gun. Beselin hits the yellow Fokker damaging control lines, while Bastian fires again but the Belgian avoids the attack.



Bastian throttles back to drop in behind the RE.8's tail and lands a few hits.



Despite taking further hits from Sgt. Beselin's Lewis gun, Bastian corrects his aim and his next burst shreds the RE.8. Adolphe Beselin is wounded in the exchange and drops his gun.



Sous Lieutenant Andre de Petrowski and the wounded Sergent Adolphe Beselin ride their stricken RE.8 to the deck. Bastian watches in grim satisfaction as his third opponent of the day falls. With all enemy aircraft dispatched the Marine Jagdflieger of the See Adler Gruppe reform and return to Jabbeke, each man satisfied they have denied the enemy vital intelligence.

RESULT

No photos - all Entente shot down = Central Powers Decisive Victory

[Carl_Brisgamer]

CASUALTY REPORT (AKA THE BUTCHER'S BILL)

SEE ADLER JAGDGRUPPE



Kapitänleutnant Willi Mattheus, Gruppenkommandeur, See Adler Jagdgruppe (Jagdflieger – yellow & black striped Fokker E.V)
RTB (4 damage) / 2 kills (Airco DH.4 and Belgian Sopwith Camel, twentieth and twenty-first confirmed victories, Ace skill for 20 victories = Marksman II).

Oberleutnant Werner Bastian, See Adler Jagdstaffel (Jagdflieger – Fokker D.VII with yellow fuselage)
RTB (6 damage) / 3 kills (Sopwith Camel with red hearts. blue Hanriot HD.1 and Belgian RE.8, ninth, tenth and eleventh confirmed victories. qualified for award of Königlicher Hausorden von Hohenzollern mit Schwerten, Ace skill for 10 victories Marksman I).

Leutnant Hermann Meyer, See Adler Jagdstaffel (Jagdflieger – Pfalz D.IIIa with yellow tail)
RTB (8 damage) / 0 kills


ENTENTE FORCES



Second Lieutenant Arthur Peters, No.57 Squadron RAF (pilot, Airco DH.4)
SD FLM NML / 0 kills
C&W rolled 8 - 2 FLM - 1 NML = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 5, skip 3 missions.
E&E rolled 6 - 1 FLM - 1 WIC +1 NML = 5 In hiding! - Skip 1D2 Scenarios, rolled 6, skip 2 missions.

2Lt. Arthur Peters was wounded in the crash of his burning DH.4 but managed to escape the wreckage. The pyre that was his aircraft attracted the attention of German troops withdrawing through the area, but Peters managed to conceal his position. Unable to move quickly due to his injuries, 2Lt. Peters could only drag himself westward towards his own lines. He was eventually found by a British patrol and carried to an aid station, then hospital and finally back to Blighty for treatment. 2Lt. Peters was deemed fit for operational flying duties by mid September 1918 and returned to France. Back with No.57 Squadron his brother officers found Arthur Peters a changed man, much subdued in spirit. For although his body had healed his psyche was still scarred by the image and the smell of his observer's body being burned and twisted by the fire.

Corporal Elmer Tilton, No.57 Squadron RAF (observer, Airco DH.4)
SD FLM NML / 0 kills
C&W rolled 5 - 2 FLM - 1 NML = 2 Dead!

Corporal Elmer Tilton found out the hard way why the Airco DH.4 had earned the nickname "The Flaming Coffin", dying in the flames of his crashed machine. His body was lost in the confused fighting.




Second Lieutenant Gordon Sides, No.209 Squadron RAF (scout pilot, Sopwith Camel with red hearts)
SD FLM NML / 0 kills
C&W rolled 11 - 2 FLM - 1 NML = 8 Injured - Skip 1D2 Scenarios, rolled 6, skip 2 missions.
E&E rolled 11 - 1 FLM - 1 WIC + 1 NML = 10 They didn't even see me!

2Lt. Gordon Sides again proved the No.209 Squadron adage that 'Luck sides with Gordon', bringing his burning Camel down into no man's land with only fairly minor wounds, then managing to make it back to British lines before the Boche even knew he was there. After some medical treatment and a spot of leave in Paris, 2Lt. Sides re-joined No. 209 for the big push in September 1918.




Sous Lieutenant Émile Boschmans, 1ere Escadrille Aéronautique Militaire Belge (scout pilot, blue Hanriot HD.1)
SD WIA ET / 0 kills
C&W rolled 11 - 1 WIA - 1 SD = 9 All's well when you land well!
E&E rolled 7 - 1 FLM - 1 WIA - 1 BEL = 4 Captured and escaped! - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 3, skip 2 missions.

s-Lt. Boschmans managed to bring his stricken Hanriot down for a passable crash landing and walked away without a scratch. Unfortunately the Belgian officer walked straight into a German patrol. He was taken prisoner, but after a short period of captivity took advantage of the general disorder that accompanies a retreating army to escape. Boschmans joined up with advancing British troops and made his way back to his airfield. He was given leave to recover from his experience and was deemed ready for operations by the end of August 1918.




Sous Lieutenant Alfred Ivanow, 1ere Escadrille Aéronautique Militaire Belge (scout pilot, Belgian Sopwith Camel)
SD WIA ET / 0 kills
C&W rolled 4 - 1 WIA - 1 SD = 2 Dead!

s-Lt. Alfred Ivanow crashed his Camel behind the German lines. Already wounded in the fight above the Kemmelburg, the Belgian officer did not survive the crash and was found dead in his seat by German troops. They dragged his body from the cockpit and buried him beside the aircraft.




Sous Lieutenant Andre de Petrowski, 2eme Escadrille Aéronautique Militaire Belge (pilot, Belgian RE.8)
SD NML / 0 kills
C&W rolled 7 - 1 SD - 1 NML = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 5, skip 3 missions.
E&E rolled 2 - 1 WIC + 1 NML = 2 Captured! The war ended for this pilot...

s-Lt. de Petrowski was injured in the crash of his RE.8, breaking a leg. Unable to walk, de Petrowski ordered his observer to make a dash for the Allied lines. He himself was captured by the Germans and taken to a Feldlazarett for treatment. His injuries meant he was evacuated back to Germany with the rest of the wounded, so Andre de Petrowski spent the rest of the war in a German prison camp.

Sergent Adolphe Benselin, 2eme Escadrille Aéronautique Militaire Belge (pilot, Belgian RE.8)
SD WIA NML / 0 kills
C&W rolled 8 - 1 WIA - 1 SD - 1 NML = 5 Injured - Skip 1D3 Scenarios, rolled 5, skip 3 missions.
E&E rolled 8 - 1 WIA - 1 WIC + 1 NML = 7 Landed almost home! - Skip 1 Scenario

Sgt. Benselin was wounded in the air and suffered further injuries on the ground. Despite this he was still able to walk unlike his pilot s-Lt. de Petrowski. Ordered to make for friendly forces, Sgt. Benselin reluctantly left his pilot and made his way to the west. It was a slow process requiring him to hide from German patrols. He eventually reached a British position and was given medical treatment. After a stint in hospital Benselin was released to his escadrille in mid September 2018.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

EPILOGUE

Jabbeke, Flandern
8 August 1918
1700hrs



Kapitänleutnant Willi Mattheus switched off his fuel and was still unstrapping his harness as the 9 cylinder Oberursel rotary engine of his new Fokker E.V was starved into silence. The Schwarzer Männer were tending to his aircraft in an instant - chocks under the wheels, ladder to the cockpit, with his chief mechanic Oberbootsmann Franz Helgemeyer examining the machine for signs of damage.

"No holes today Herr Kapleun," commented Heglemeyer, an old sea dog brought up tending boilers and now graduated to aircraft engines, "business must have been slow."

Mattheus climbed down from the cockpit and removed his cap and goggles. "It seems the neighbours have had enough for the moment Franz," replied the See Adler Gruppenkommandeur.

"Perhaps Herr Kapitänleutnant and Herr Oberleutnant have shot them ALL down," complained Vizeflugmeister Alexander Zenzes, as he walked from his Albatros D.Va.

Mattheus was heartened as the laughing pilots made their way to the duty hut to write their patrol reports. Even his friend Werner Bastian was smiling, as if recalling happier times. The success of the previous day had brought a much needed boost to the Gruppe, as did the news that both he and Bastian were to be decorated for their victories. Despite the large quantities of liquor each man had consumed the previous evening they had all been eager to go up over the trenches today, but the Tommies and Belgies had not made an appearance. Right now the See Adlers felt they were the masters of the Flanders sky.

Entering the hut Mattheus felt his own smile slip away as he saw his grim faced adjutant Leutnant Lothar Nagel standing by the map table, reading a telephone log report in his hand.

"Was ist passiert Lothar?" asked Mattheus as he removed his flying jacket.

Nagel looked up and started to speak. "An enemy surprise attack at Amiens ….." he began, handing the report to Mattheus, "..... with many tanks and aircraft in support. The Tommies broke through our lines and have already advanced twenty kilometres across a wide front," Nagel continued.

Mattheus quickly scanned the report. This was bad, very bad. The Army High Command had been so certain the coming offensive would be on the Flanders Front, at Kemmelberg or across the Lys. But that had been a ruse, and the Allied airmen in this sector had paid a high price to make it a convincing one.

Kapitänleutnant Mattheus turned to his pilots who were by now all looking as grim faced as Leutnant Nagel.

"Make your reports, get some rest and get ready to move at a moment's notice," ordered Mattheus, throwing the document back on the table. "I have a feeling we will be needed over the Somme before too long if we are to recover the situation."

"Jawohl Herr Kapitänleutnant," they responded in chorus. Their good humour was gone now, as was any small resurgence of hope that perhaps this storm too could be weathered. But Mattheus could still see the determination in their faces, the steel in their eyes. His men were warriors and they would continue to make war on the enemy with all their skill and courage and blood. Mattheus was proud to lead them, but at the same time his heart was heavy at the thought of how many more would be called upon to sacrifice all in defence of the Fatherland in this hour of greatest need.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Apologies for the delay is uploading the AAR, competing priorities are impacting my gaming time! Hope to finish up tonight.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Mission AAR and butcher's bill completed.

The worm turned again this time out and the card gods were very kind to me ….. whew!!

[flash]

Well, those bulldogs had some luck didn't they ? All bad mind !
Sides was useless as an escort, turned away from an attack, gets bounced by a Pfalz then goes off chasing that instead of protecting his charge. Ninny !
The DH4 had no chance, poor beggars.

Onkel says:

Mein Gott ! We cleared the sky - How are we losing this war ?!
Much to celebrate - Order of the Red Eagle (ORE) awarded to Willi Mattheus; Order of the House of Hohenzollern (OHH) awarded to Werner Bastian and five victories between them - Wunderbar

[Setarius]

Congratulations go out to your Eagles on a job well done.

[Vagabond]

Wow that was a phenomenal success for your flyers, and a resounding successful report, really enjoyed it.
I like the way you did a short story to explain the results of the CasRep, an idea worth pinching.

[gully_raker]

Ye Gods! Your Eagles made "mincemeat" of your opposition in that one Carl.
Well Flown mate.

[Carl_Brisgamer]

Thanks gentlemen, the cards fell my way this time out. AI Bastian certainly ended up in a good position to collect a few scalps.

Epilogue is done, concluding this mission and setting the scene for the next - https://www.wingsofwar.org/forums/sh...l=1#post483167

[mikeemagnus]

Another whitewash - congrats to the Eagles Carl. Thanks for the entertainment. Lets hope the Bulldogs can do better next time out