by Griff Hosker
“That’s better. Now fly straight until I tell you to turn. Have your feet ready on the pedals.”
I saw that there were clouds, seemingly just above my head, and the grey sea looked too close for comfort, but I was flying. “Jolly good, now right pedal and, ever so slightly to the right with the stick.” I had learned my lesson and did everything slowly. I must have pleased the captain. “Excellent. Now centre the stick and foot off the pedal. Look ahead and you’ll see France. We are going to take her down to the airfield. Fly straight until I tell you otherwise.”
I began to recognise the land. I saw the river and knew where we were.
“Start to drop the nose a little.” I did so and saw the altimeter register the fact that we were descending. “Can you see the airfield? Look for the windsock.”
I peered ahead and saw, in the distance the tents and the green field. “Yes sir.”
“We are coming in the right way and you will be landing into the wind. Keep watching the windsock.”
“Landing?”
“Why not? You are doing quite well. I will adjust the engine speed for you. All you have to do is to take it down slowly and keep the nose up.”
I hoped he knew what he was doing. The voice kept telling me when to go lower. The ground seemed to rush up at me far too quickly. “Use the pedals, you are too far to port.”
I corrected and then I heard the noise of the engine change and Captain Burscough shouted, “Nose up a little and get ready for the bump.”
I moved the stick a tiny amount and we hit the ground and then came up again. “Nose down a fraction and we are there.”
This time we bumped but stayed down. We rolled forwards and then the engine stopped. I saw Ted and Gordy run over. We were not in the perfect place. In fact we were in the middle of the runway. They began to push us towards the other aeroplanes. I disconnected the tubes and, when we stopped, leapt from the aeroplane.
Gordy grinned and said, “Not bad. You just had the one bump.
Ted sniffed, “Of course I’ll have to check everything now.” I threw him my pouch of tobacco. He grinned. “Thanks Bill.”
Captain Burscough descended and clapped me on the back. “You are a natural, Flight Sergeant. We’ll have another go tomorrow eh? You had better check our aircraft. When the C.O. arrives we’ll have to be ready to fly at a moment’s notice.”
Gordy and Ted took me through the basics of servicing our aircraft. It seemed straightforward but I knew that it was not like servicing a car. If I got this wrong then we could fall from the sky.
“So the mechanics don’t do anything at all?”
“The officers who fly the single seater jobs, they don’t service their own aeroplanes.”
“They don’t want to get their hands dirty. The mechanics look after them.”
I could see that, for the captain and myself, it was better if I looked after our F.E. 2.
Chapter 15
It was in the late afternoon when a red faced and angry Captain Burscough strode over to us. I had stripped and cleaned the Lewis and my Lee Enfield. I had hand loaded both magazines and the aeroplane was purring like a kitten. I was feeling pleased with myself.
“Can I see you for a moment in private, Flight?”
“Certainly sir.” We walked away from the line of aeroplanes.
“I’ve just had my ears chewed out by the Aerodrome commander, Colonel Pemberton-Smythe. Apparently I am not qualified to teach you to fly and it is not necessary for you to fly.”
“But Ted and Gordy both told me it is common practice.”
“It is in our squadron but the colonel, who doesn’t fly by the way, wants things done the way they were in his cavalry regiment. We have to do things by the book! Sorry. The lessons will need to stop until the C.O. gets here. He can argue the case. I am merely a captain.”
“That’s all right sir. I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble. Besides I found the lesson very useful. The things I learned will help me to be a better observer. Now I know what you are going to be doing and why.” I smiled.
“You are a good egg you know. I would have been dreadfully miffed if this had happened to me.”
“I suppose I have been lucky with the officers I have known but I know there are some stiff necked officers out there who are still fighting the Battle of Waterloo.”
“And that is true.”
The colonel, it seems had more rules for us to obey than I had imagined. That evening, as we went for our evening meal, we were stopped from entering by the Colonel and a Sergeant Major who looked older than George had been. The colonel did not speak but he glowered at us while his wishes were transmitted by his sergeant.
“You men need to change for dinner.”
Even the normally affable Gordy was shocked. “But we never dress for dinner unless it is a special occasion.”
“That may have been true before but now you obey the camp rules and you need to change.”
Ted shook his head. “We don’t have formal clothes, sergeant. We only have a change of uniform.”
The colonel could not help himself and he spluttered, “That is a disgrace!”
Gordy chose his moment well, “And as the spare uniform is still dirty from the flight over then a change of clothes would not make us any smarter… sir.”
The sergeant major leaned in to Gordy, “Watch your mouth Flight Sergeant or you will be on a fizzer!”
“Sorry sir.”
The colonel was on the horns of a dilemma. “Very well, you may go in this evening but tomorrow I want clean uniforms and, as soon as it is possible, formal dress for the mess.”
We all saluted smartly and snapped a, “Sir!”
As we sat eating, feeling like poor relations, I told them what had happened to the captain. Gordy shook his head and waved a fork around at the other diners. “Look at them. The other squadrons are all dressed in their number ones. Our lot look like they have been kitted out by the Salvation Army. The wrong people are running this war.”
Ted nodded his agreement, “And that’s the truth, brother!”
Gordy winked at me. “Don’t worry about the flying lessons. Me and Ted can teach you. We might not be as good as his lordship but we can fly and we know the planes. We’ll just say we are taking it up to check instruments. He’s a cavalryman and won’t have the first clue. When the C.O. gets here, then watch out for fireworks.”
I was not so sure, “He seemed a little young to me.”
“He might look young but he has a fearsome temper and he has more than enough influence.”
They were as good as their word. The next day, after we had washed our uniforms Ted took me up and gave me a second lesson. I didn’t stall it and I learned to regulate the speed. I still bumped the landing but Ted was impressed. As we went into the evening meal, smartly dressed this time, the colonel and the Sergeant Major were waiting for us. He put his hand up and tapped Ted in the chest. Ted’s eyes narrowed, “What were you doing taking this Flight Sergeant up in your Avro this afternoon?”
Ted moved the hand away and said, in a monotone as though rehearsed, “Flight Sergeant Harsker is new to the squadron having just transferred from the cavalry and I took him up to familiarise him with the Avro, Sergeant Major.”
I could see that the N.C.O. was not convinced but he could not argue with the motives. The colonel looked at me, “What regiment?”
“The Lancashire Yeomanry, sir.”
I saw recognition in his eyes at the name. “A damned fine regiment and they performed heroically in Flanders. A shame they had to be disbanded.” He looked at me with fresh eyes, “Why didn’t you transfer to the cavalry then, sergeant?”
I looked him directly in the eye, “Sir, did you ever charge machine guns when you were in the cavalry?”
I felt the Sergeant Major bristle at my impertinence but the colonel held up his hand and said, “No, sergeant, I don’t believe I ever did.”
“When we did I lost the horse I had ridden for ten ye
ars and twenty seven of my troop, sir. I don’t want to witness that again, sir.”
He looked thoughtful, “I see, carry on.”
As he turned away the Sergeant Major said quietly, “You want to watch yourself my son.”
I turned to him, “And you want to watch who you put your hands on Sergeant Major. If you put your hands on me like you did on Flight Sergeant Thomas then I shall have you on a charge as it is against King’s Regulations to lay hands on a junior officer. I know King’s Regulations.” I didn’t flinch from his belligerent stare. He turned away with an angry snap of his heels.
Gordy shook his head, “Have you got a death wish or what?”
“He’s just a bully and you stand up to bullies. He was out of order and he knew it. I knew some decent N.C.O.s. They taught me the rules and how to use them. He doesn’t worry me.”
That evening marked a change in my relationship with my friends. I think until then they thought that I was young and naïve. They learned I was not. George and my time in Flanders had put a steel rod in my backbone. I had faced death and survived. I was not afraid of a man who had not seen modern combat and had no concept of the horrors that went with it.
The rest of the squadron arrived the next day. The C.O. flew in first and then the rest arrived by noon. I had only met the major briefly but he seemed like a decent sort. I felt sorry for him when the officers descended upon him like seagulls for a scrap of food. Gordy and Ted wiped their hands free of grease and wandered over. “I have never seen that lot so excited.”
Ted gave his usual sniff, “Too used to getting their own way they are.”
Gordy shook his head, “I’m with them on this. I don’t mind rules but only when they are for a purpose. The dress code and the ban on flying lessons do nothing to help us win this war.”
He was correct, of course. I had seen the mistakes made in the early days of the war; British soldiers had died when they shouldn’t have done. If our brigade had stayed at Dunkirk then we would not have needed to race to the sea.
We did not discover what the outcome of the deputation was. At least not right away. The C.O. was keen for us to get as many hours in as we could before the weather and the shorter days curtailed our flying. He had the best British aeroplane and he wanted to use that advantage.
We were all gathered in the mess tent, both observers and pilots, to be briefed. “Right chaps. I know that things have not gone well here. Perhaps that is my fault, I don’t know. We will sort these matters out later. They are not important. Winning the war is! And we start to win that war at dawn tomorrow.” There was a cheer and the pilots all banged the table. I thought that the colonel would frown on such actions. “We are going to divide into four flights of three. We will each patrol the front line from Bapaume to Peronne. Observers we need to know where the German trenches are and what artillery they have there. Our brave lads paid a heavy price up at Ypres and we are going to do something about that. There is a French Corps at Albert. With the right intelligence then they can break through and relieve the pressure on Ypres. Do not let me down.”
The major was the kind of passionate man you believed in. We would do as he said.
Lieutenant Marshall, the adjutant, stood, “We have detailed maps for the observers. You need to be aware that the Germans have begun to use more aeroplanes in this sector. You will have to watch out for them.” He grinned and suddenly looked a lot younger than his grey hair suggested. “Of course they haven’t met the F.E. 2b yet. They may be in for a surprise.”
I collected my maps and the captain and I found a quiet corner to examine them. “I take it the bus is in top condition?”
“Yes sir, two magazines, my rifle and Luger and the engine is tuned to perfection.” His lordship slapped my back and I felt guilty. “The other Flight Sergeants helped me, sir.”
“I know but you are settling in well. I am pleased.”
We were up long before dawn. The mechanics all stood next to the propellers. I would not have to start her today. It was not raining but I knew that, when it did rain, my greatcoat would be a handicap and not a help. We were to wait for the first rays of dawn’s light to launch and take off when the Very Light was fired. I was nervous. I had my map and I knew our target. The major had left our three aeroplanes together which gave me some comfort. I had flown the Avro and knew that Ted had a machine gun too. His was facing towards the rear. We would have protection should anyone try a stern attack.
When the Very light was fired we took off three abreast. Each flight would assemble above the field. As we were first it gave me the chance to orientate myself. The moment we were airborne I cocked and armed the Lewis. We were close to the front and the Germans would have patrols up too. We circled as we waited for our two companions to reach our altitude. The target was to the east of Albert. I could see, in the distance, balloons. Their job would be to spot for artillery. If they were slow to retrieve them, then one task would be to destroy them. Some of the Flight Sergeants from the other squadrons had told us that it was not as easy as it seemed.
Once we were all airborne the captain took us east. We were flying at over six hundred feet but that still seemed remarkably close to the ground. We passed over the British artillery, secure behind sandbags. Then I saw black lines in the earth. They zig zagged east. These were the trenches messengers would use to reach the front line.
“Get ready Harsker. We are coming up on their lines. You need to keep your eyes peeled for the Hun and the artillery.” If I hadn’t had a go at flying an aeroplane I would have been resentful but I knew how hard it was. My job was easy by comparison.
I saw that three of the barrage balloons were already half way down but the last one was not moving. Either the winch was stuck or they were asleep. I would be ready. “Sir, the balloon looks like a good target.”
“Right Ho! Have a pop at him. I’ll fly as straight as I can and then bank left.” I waited until I was less than a hundred and fifty yards away I gave a couple of short bursts. I could not miss; it was an enormous target. I expected an explosion but instead it just seemed to collapse on itself and then crumple slowly down to the ground. I saw the crew as they jumped out. They were brave men. They would be falling to their death but I assumed they hoped that they might survive.
Suddenly there was the crack of small arms fire and machine guns. I saw two holes appear in the wing as the captain banked us left and over the German trenches. “I’m going to climb. Keep your eye on the ground.”
I could see the flashes from the guns but no more holes appeared. As we levelled out I saw the huge guns in the distance. I gave the coordinates to the captain and the F.E.2 headed for them. The other two pilots had to just follow us. There was no way for us to talk aeroplane to aeroplane in the air. I took out my pencil and, using my compass, marked the position of the guns. I also saw a column of men marching west. I marked that down too.
“I’ll fly along the line of guns so that you can mark them all. Identify each individual gun.”
“Sir.”
The fire from below was becoming more intense. Luckily for us the rear of the aircraft was largely air and they missed hitting anything vital. More holes appeared in the wings and I noticed that Captain Burscough was having a harder time keeping it straight.
I could hear the tension in his voice as he said, “I think we have chanced our arm enough. Let’s go home.”
He banked the aircraft and we headed west. We were not out of the woods yet. We had to cross two lines of trenches before we could return to our field. Suddenly I heard the chatter of a Lewis gun. I took off my seatbelt and turned around. I saw that Ted’s Avro was being attacked by three Albatros aeroplanes.
“Sir. Germans attacking the Avro.”
The limitations of our aeroplane were now obvious to me. We had no way to defend from an attack to the rear. We needed a rear mounted Lewis on the wing. But that was the future.
“How is Lieutenant Devries coping?”
“Hard to sa
y sir.” Then I saw smoke appear. “Sir, he has been hit.”
“Right, I will climb. Use your Lee Enfield until I can turn us around.”
I reached down and took out my rifle. I braced my legs against the sides of the cockpit and rested the end of the rifle on the upper wing. The fact that we were climbing helped. I sighted on the Albatros closest to the Avro and fired slowly. I fired at the engine block and worked backwards. I had fired six shots and three of them had hit. The pilot must have been worried for he began to bank. The second Hun began firing. I emptied the magazine at him without success.
I turned around, replaced the rifle and cocked the front Lewis. Lieutenant Dundas had followed us and was now abreast of us. I saw Gordy with his hands on the Lewis. We had gained height and now the captain dived down to rescue our beleaguered comrade. I held my fire until we were a hundred yards away and then, as we dived from above, I watched my bullets stitch a line along the wing and strike the gunner. Then bus suddenly swerved. I changed my target to the next Albatros, the one I had fired on with my rifle. I finished the magazine and saw his tail sprout holes. I reached down to change the magazine and heard the captain shout, “That’s sorted them. They are heading for home.”
I saw the three planes, two of them with holes and the third trailing smoke, as they headed east. The captain turned us around and we took up a position above the damaged Avro. I was not sure she would make it home but we, at least, would stop any more attacks from above and behind.
We did make it home and I almost kissed the ground after I had leapt from the cockpit. Gordy and I ran over to Ted. “Anyone hurt?”
He shook his head. “No, but they nearly had us.” He pointed to Captain Burscough. “That was a nice manoeuvre, to get above them, and you two lads were handy with those guns, thanks.”
Gordy put his arm around Ted’s shoulder. “If you hadn’t alerted us they would have had three of us dead to rights.”
The captain came over to us, “Give me your reports and I’ll take them to the major.” He pointed to our aeroplane. “Better get the holes fixed, Flight. It looks like the mice have been at it.”
