OTT DYM Mission 3 - Knowledge Is Power - 19th Jan 1916---Vagabond

[Vagabond]

The Morning Briefing

“Well boys we have some good news for a change, the C.O.’s had a call from on high and George Drummond is OK and has made it back through the lines and is waiting, god knows where, to get a lift back to the Drome. Apparently when his plane went down on that balloon busting mission, young Vagabond and I were involved in a couple of weeks back, he was pulled from the wreckage by a Belgian Farmer’s daughter, the family hid him and helped get him back round the trench system to the north of here”.

“He say’s that his Observer Lawless also survived the crash but was badly injured and couldn’t walk away. The Belgian Farmer’s daughter appears to be in touch with some local spy network and has informed us, through them, that Lawless was captured by the German infantry and is probably in some prisoner hospital for the duration”.

“That means my short but promising career as your Flight Commander is over when he returns to duty”.


Ruairidh (Rory) MacNair

That’s my current Flight Commander Ruairidh MacNair giving us the good news, I’m pleased to hear it of course but my memory of Drummond was of a brusque Lieutenant who was more interested in meeting a young French Waitress than in giving his new pilots a helpful introduction to the squadron and the Airfield.

Mind you on reflection he probably had his priorities right.

“Vagabond you’ll be pleased to hear that your Observer Jack Cowan has been given the all clear by the local Field Hospital and is fit for duty” I welled up at the news, I’d only known Jack for a couple of weeks, he had some strange ways but I’d become very fond of him.


Jack Cowan with his trademark Top Hat, Goggles and American Footballers Helmet.

“The M.O. says that he would prefer him to have a bit of a rest for a few days, he lost quite a lot of blood in that last fracas and as he left the Field Hospital 2 days ago and hasn’t been heard of since that’s probably good news”. The C.O’s very pleased with his 2 kills and I’m sure will cut him a bit of slack, provided he gets back here soon.

I reflected on the rumour of a Top Hatted chap involved in a bar fight in Amiens, apparently took on four men from the Durham Light Infantry Regiment and hospitalised two of them before jumping over the back yard wall of the bar and disappearing into the night. Maybe he does deserve a bit of a rest.

“Right that brings you all up to date, so now you need to know about today jobs”.

“We have an Artillery Spotting Mission to take care of. The Jocks from B Flight are going to take deal with that, however we are to provide the escort and Vagabond, because you’re short of an Observer I’m going to let you take my plane, the red nose Morane on this mission. She’s called Gladys - If you smirk like that again Vagabond I’ll have you on a charge. Gladys is my mothers name and no one will be taking the Mickey out of that, understood? There’s just one thing – if you take Gladys out you treat her like a lady - I want to see her come back in the same condition as when you left, is that perfectly clear”.

“Ok – so you will provide the escort to the Twa Jocks, their job is important, they have one of these new fangled radio things in their plane, they can communicate with our artillery and provide correction details on the fall of the shells, once the artillery have hit the target then you can come home but not until then, is that also clear”. I just nodded. I’d met the Twa Jocks last night in the Mess and if my life depended on them I was in serious trouble.
“Just remember he continued your job is to see that they are able to complete their mission, not go swanning off and leaving them unprotected”.


The TWA JOCKS
Left to right – Jock 2 Alec MacGreggor and Jock 1 Hugh MacIver. I was sure they were both 10 pence short of a shilling, very nice blokes and all that, but not quite all there either, if you know what I mean.

Rumour has it that Jock 2 sleeps with his Lewis Gun and that Jock 1 sleeps with his bottle of whisky, he’s a bit of a Jack the Lad regarding who he sleeps with, any brand of whiskey will do.

The other rumour is that they are really not Scots at all but hail from south London, taking on the persona of Scots when they enlisted to evade the Loan Shark who was after them for an unpaid gambling debt. Whatever the truth was, they both had a slightly insane, fish eyed smile that was a bit worrying – until you realised they were on your side and it was the Germans who should be worried.

They hadn’t been around when I arrived at the Drome, the official story was that they were on leave but the real reason was they were on a hush hush training course. Everyone knew it was the radio and artillery spotting course, it was so hush hush that everyone also knew it was taking place in St Omer, most of us even knew who else was on the course, it was that hush hush.


Flt/Sgt Wilfred Berry.

“Right then Berry, Rory continued I heard about your landing the other day and I am surprised you made it through flying school, I had a look at your record and it appears you broke 6 aircraft during your training, all of them on landing. I can see why they named you Bouncer Berry, no relation to the Nigel Bouncer-Smythe the C.O. speaks of? No I didn’t think so”. “Well I don’t really see that I can entrust someone else’s life to your care with that sort of record”. “As you know, we normally fly two seat FE2b’s so I’m going to have to let you take up Henry De Lacy’s Morane to get a bit of flying time in and see how you shape up.
I want you to patrol this area of the lines and he pointed at the map. I don’t want you getting mixed up with any enemy aircraft, your job today is to familiarize yourself with the lay of the land and bring the plane back intact. Is that perfectly clear? Don’t forget – this is a French plane on loan to the British RFC and you must take good care of it”.


Henry De Lacy

“See Henry before you take off, he is a little short sighted and had trouble perfecting his landing technique until the M.O. asked how he was taught to land. Apparently he was told to wait until he saw the blades of grass and then gently pull the stick back for a perfect landing. Turns out that because he is short-sighted, he doesn’t see them until it’s too late, that might be why you land 2ft below where the ground actually is. It’s worth a try anyway”.

“Right men you are due off in 15 minutes so be ready on the field, I’ll be there to see you leave. Vagabond before you go the C.O. wants a word, I think it might be about your flying suit, just say yes sir, no sir in the right places and you might get away with a stiff reprimand”.


The C.O. – Major Kyte.

“Right Vagabond, that was a jolly good show you put up with Cowan and I’m pleased you both did so well, however I’ve heard of this flying suit of yours and need to see it for myself”.

Oh dear, - I’m grounded I thought as I took off my flying coat. I knew this suit was going to get me into trouble, but that’s what I get for trying to please Father.


2nd Lt John Vagabond

“Good grief” he spluttered “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a sight before”

“Humm - General Trenchard himself has sent me a communiqué, asking that I evaluate your suit on behalf of the General Staff, it would appear a General Melchett has expressed an interest in it”.


General Melchett.

“Would you know a General Melchett he asked me in strange sort of a fashion” “Err yes Sir – he’s my God Father, he and my Father served in the Boar War together”

“Well young man, I don’t approve of favouritism but it would appear he’s not asking for a favour – apart from the fact that I let you fly in that ridiculous outfit, just an evaluation. So when you get shot and it doesn’t stop the bullets we can show him your body and I expect this incident will be over with.

Mind you, it’s not so long ago pilots were dropping darts on each other, now we’re using machine guns, what ever next, steel plates behind the pilot seats and parachutes I’ll be damned.
However if you do get shot down and captured I insist you tell the Germans you are in No 5 squadron, I’ve never liked Major Sippingly-Smythe their C.O. and the Germans can laugh at his expense. Is that clear?” “Err – Yes Sir”

“How are getting on with Jack Cowan, he’s a damn good man to have by your side in a fight but can be a bit unpredictable”.
I thought of the bang on the head when the Huns flew into view and the rude gestures but nodded, “yes Sir he’s been a big help”, thinking of the time I couldn’t find our way home and he gave me some very sharp advice about following the bloody railway line that a blind fool could see, or obviously not in my case.
“Well he’s taken quite a shine to you my lad” he said, I looked flabbergasted “Oh yes he continued, the last pilot who got him shot couldn’t sit down for a week after Jack kicked him up the arse so hard when they landed.”
“I gather from 2nd Lieutenant MacNair he was singing your praises, sticking to that Hun like glue on your last patrol, even though his Lewis Gun was jammed so badly he couldn’t return fire and they were blowing lumps off your plane”. He’s a strange man that one, better to have him on your side than not.

“Very well, - off you go and do take care of the Twa Jocks”. “No I don’t mean just look after them – I mean look out for them, don’t get on the wrong side of those two wee laddies, I’ve lost a couple of pilots who were on patrol with them and didn’t return, not a Hun in the sky, no really good explanation either, he paused obviously wondering if he should have said as much. “Anyway - jolly good chaps to have on your side in a scrap, a jolly good team don’t you know.