OTT DYM Mission 2, 14 January 1916, Coming and Going, by Teaticket
Lt. Remy St. Martin and S/Lt. Piers Lebeau reached their appointed sector to look for a German bomber. The bomber had already reached it’s target destination, dropped it’s load of bombs, and was now on the way back to base. Reports of it’s activity and heading were passes on to the Bouledogues. Remy and Piers were sent aloft to try to intercept.
Remy thinks highly of Piers. On their last flight together, Remy saw potential in Piers flying ability. Even as a new pilot fresh out of training Piers scored a kill, greatly impressing Remy. Piers was highly recommended by his instructors back at Avord, which influenced the commander of les Bouledogues when seeking replacement pilots. Besides his flying skill, Piers had the attitude Les Bouledogues wanted in their pilots. In the air he was aggressive but not careless. On the ground he was helpful to all at the aerodrome and yearning to learn as much as he could as fast as he could.
Remy and Piers flew north from their aerodrome at Varrenes en-Argonne near Verdun. The German bomber had bombed Reims and had to pass just north of the aerodrome on it’s way back to safety behind the German lines.
Only a few clouds to the east in an otherwise beautiful clear sky. Remy flew slightly behind and to the felt of Piers. Piers flew a Morane-Saulnier type L. It was considerably slower than the Morane-Saulnier type N Remy flew. Remy did not want to leave Piers behind so flew to keep Piers in his view.
Off to the left Remy spotted the Hun bomber. It was an older model. Not many of the Gotha G.I still in service as technology was leaving it behind. (similar to Pier’s M-S type L)
The heading of the Gotha had it proceeding right between Remy and Piers. Remy hoped Piers had also spotted the Hun, which he had.
Remy flew straight at the Gotha while the bomber and Piers turned to face each other.
Remy lined up a long-range shot.
As did Piers.
Remy fired off a few rounds to get the Hun’s attention. Piers also let loose from long range. Remy missed and Piers had his Hotchkiss jam after 2 rounds.
The Gotha had a crew of three, with two gunners in front of the pilot. The center crew man, rear gunner so to speak, took a shot at Remy and also missed.
(missed taking photo, a ‘0’ was drawn)
The front gunner’s luck was with him though as his first few rounds found Piers. Down went the M-S L. Falling slowly at first but gaining speed as it fell. It began to tumble and pieces started to tear off.
Remy could not watch as he flew dangerously close to the Gotha. He nudged his nose down and picked up some speed as he closed in fast. The front gunner swung around but could not get Remy in his bullet stream.
The rear gunner had better luck and pinged Remy’s oil line. Smoke began to fill Remy’s cockpit.
As Remy’s MS was taking fire he also pulled the trigger. He found the fuel tank on the starboard engine. Flames belched out behind the engine, flapping madly, driven by the propwash. (Duh, In only pulled 1 card for Remy's shot but should have taken 2 for close range. It didn’t matter as you'll see)
Remy’s speed brought him in close faster than he had planned. He dropped his nose a bit and flew under the Gotha by mere feet.
Looking up he could almost touch the Gotha’s fuselage. He slowed a little to start turning to try to get right behind the tail. As he slowed the Gotha pulled away from him, putting him right where he wanted to be, in the blind spot where the gunners could not fire at him.
Before he started his turn the Gotha’s starboard engine violently exploded. Remy could feel the blast and luckily, neither he nor his plane sustained any damage.
The Gotha fell down in an irreversiable spin, one wing badly broken where the gas tank had erupted.
Remy watched. The Gotha fell as if in slow motion, burning all the way down until it smashed into a flaming heap of unrecognizable wood and canvas. Remy purposely did not think of the crew as he turned away just before it contacted the earth.
The smoke stopped and his cockpit cleared. Looking away from the Gotha Remy spied a dot in the sky that he perceived coming his way from towards his aerodrome. Soon he saw that it was Lt. Gaston Parris. They formed up, Remy giving hand signals trying to convey what just happened. Gaston emphatically pointed to Remy’s right. Remy turned and saw a pair of planes crossing the German lines.
It was an observation plane that the Germans seemed to send over soon after a bombing mission to gather photos of the results. This one was escorted by a white eindecker. This scout looked familiar.
The two pairs of planes headed towards each other closing the distance quickly.
The gunner in the nose of the AGO could not find his mark and neither could the Pfalz eindecker.
Gaston fired a burst that had a lucky round that found the Hun Pfalz pilot.
Remy’s Hotchkiss today was blessed. A short burst at the AGO and it nosed up, then flopped awkwardly down to the ground.
“Take that you bastard”! Remy yelled, thinking of what had happened to Piers.
In the seconds he had watched the AGO fall the Pfalz had disappeared into a cloud.
Remy and Gaston spent a few minutes looking for the Pfalz but could not find it. Remy signaled Gaston to head home. All the way back Remy could not stop thinking of how Pier’s MS L fell.
“With luck our Poilus will find Piers and bring home”, Remy thought. He knew it was more a prayer than a hope.
An hour after landing back at Varrenes a rider drove up. Besides the Gotha bomber, a plane that had fallen behind the French lines had been identified as belonging to Les Bouledogues. It was destroyed on impact. They said at least the pilot didn’t die from the crash as he had obviously been shot in the head in his combat aloft. He was probably killed instantly.
Remy drank himself to sleep that night.
Butcher’s bill
Eagles
ObLtn Hans Steinhaüser EXP ET 0 Kills Miss 2 Missions
C&W 6 -3(exp) = 3, injured, 1 = miss 1 mission
E&E 8 -1(exp) -1(wic) -1(bel) = 5, in hiding, 5 = miss 2 missions
Ltn Alfons Schuez EXP FT 0 Kills KIA
C&W 3 -3(exp) = 0 KIA
Ltn Peter Schmeiss RTB WIA 0 Kills Miss 1 Mission
C&W 3 -1(wia) +1(rtb) = 3, injured, 1 miss 1 mission
Bomber EXP ET
Les Bouledogues
Lt. Remy St. Martin RTB 2 Kills
S/Lt. Gaston Parris RTB
S/Lt. Piers Lebeau EXP FT 0 Kills KIA
C&W 4 – 3(exp) = 1 KIA
Outcome
Bomber shot down
Recon shot down
Bouledogue victory
Reply With Quote
) but that is Le Gurre!
) and two kills for Lt. Remy St. Martin - well done that man 
Originally Posted by mikeemagnus
to Remy Martin for his first victories and setting afine example to his men 
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