1915 Fokker Scourge

by Griff Hosker

  “Right sir.” He confidently stood and braced himself against the sides of the cockpit and cocked the Lewis that was in front of me. His eyes would now be peering behind us. He would be watching for the pouncing Germans. I did not have the best of views ahead but by straddling the cockpit the way he did Sergeant Sharp gave me a reasonable view in front of me. His face suddenly appeared before mine. “Sir, two Aviatiks and one of those new Eindeckers. They are on Mr Davies’ tail.”

  “Get back on your Lewis. We’ll try to help him.”

  “But sir, the major’s orders!”

  “Sod the orders besides we will just distract them. We will still be flying our allotted patrol. I’ll just go down a little.”

  As we were behind and above Lieutenant Davies it meant that we had the advantage of speed over the three Germans. The Aviatiks were known to us. They had a machine gun fired by an observer and they had to be alongside or in front of their target to score a hit but the Eindecker looked to have a machine gun over the wing and the pilot could fire it. That was the machine we had to hurt. I was delighted to see that we were faster than all three German aeroplanes. The Aviatik was a slow beast. Even so the Germans fired first and the Fokker’s steel tipped bullets struck the rear of Lieutenant Davies’ Gunbus. The German ground fire had stopped. They were reluctant to risk hitting one of their own aeroplanes and I took the opportunity to close with the three of them.

  “Fire when you can, Charlie! We are not after a kill. We just need them to leave Lieutenant Davies alone.”

  He opened fire at the Fokker first. It was at our maximum range and he emptied half a drum. Although only one or two of the bullets hit the German it caused him to pull the nose up a little and begin to bank left. He had no idea we were behind him. Davies’ gunner took the opportunity to fire at their tormentor and bullets struck the undercarriage.

  Sergeant Sharp emptied the rest of the drum at the Aviatiks which fired back at us. Their bullets hit the tail. As Charlie changed magazines I climbed a little. I saw the Fokker trailing smoke as it headed east. The two Aviatiks were dropping behind. They both opened fire again but they were too far away and when the British guns below us began to open fire they turned and they too headed east.

  We resumed our flight and, as we drew close to Davies, he waved his hand in acknowledgement. I hoped he would be discreet when he made his report or, once again, I would be in trouble. I knew the day had not gone well as we taxied along the grass. There were just seven aircraft and all had damage of some description.

  Lieutenant Davies ran over to me. “Thanks awfully, Harsker old boy! That was a little sticky back there.”

  “I was lucky that they were between you and I or I would have been too far away to help.”

  He had a puzzled look but my stare suddenly made him understand and he nodded vigorously, “Of course, they were between us. We were lucky!”

  As I made my way to my tent Gordy and Ted joined me. “Two of the new lads were shot down. They were close to the sector we flew yesterday. There were four Aviatik waiting for them.”

  “What happened to them?”

  Ted shook his head, “They came from below and hit them in their blind spot. They flew in tandem so that they were on either side of the Gunbus. If there had been just one other with them then the result would have been different. I saw one crash and burn and the way the other was falling I don’t think they had any chance.”

  “What a mess. We are down to half a squadron because he insists on using the wrong tactics. He will only be happy when we are all grounded.”

  Gordy smiled, “Or he gets shot down!” It was a terrible thing to say but I think Ted and I agreed. The major was a disaster and a bigger danger to us than the Germans.

  “And we met one of those Fokkers today. They are a lot more dangerous than the biplanes the Hun is using.”

  “That’s all we need; better German aeroplanes and a commander who ties our hands.”

  In the event, we were all grounded. The major, although he did not admit that he was wrong knew that we could not fly with damaged aeroplanes and so we spent the next day repairing our aeroplanes. The major’s young acolytes were beginning to see that the theory of aerial combat as taught by the major and the practical nature of it were two entirely different beasts. They began to talk more to Ted, Billy Campbell and Gordy. Their sergeants all sought out our gunners. Their experience would be even more invaluable and they could give practical tips on aerial gunnery. Of course the major and his gunner did not need advice from anyone and they both assiduously avoided all contact with the four of us.

  That evening in the officers’ mess we told the young pilots of the way we had operated before. Lieutenant Campbell spoke the most for he was the only one of the younger pilots left from those who had flown in our flights. I could see that his words registered with them. I think that they had been taught that the airman was an individual who could fly his way out of trouble. That might have been true in the pre-war days but we now knew different. The Gunbus was the only allied aircraft which could hold its own. I dreaded the day the Germans improved their fighters. The Eindecker was a good aeroplane but, fortunately the pilot had to fire the gun over the propeller and that made aiming and flying more difficult. However it meant that if he could get on your tail and below you he was in a perfect position to hit your engine.

  With the aeroplanes repaired we went to bed early ready for an early patrol over the German lines.

  Chapter 4

  We were breakfasting when we heard the noise of aeroplane engines. They had a different sound to the Rolls Royce Eagle. “They are Germans!” Ted had an ear for engines and, at his words, we raced from the tent. We could see, less than half a mile away six twin engine German biplanes.

  “They are bombers!”

  Someone should have given an order to move our aeroplanes but all appeared frozen and were staring at the skies. Gordy took charge and just shouted, “Get your buses up in the air as quickly as you can!”

  Ted and I ran to our aeroplanes closely followed by Billy Campbell. I saw Charlie running from the sergeants’ mess. I had no flying gear but that didn’t matter. We just had to move the aircraft before they were strafed, or even worse, bombed.

  Charlie had the propeller spinning even as I clambered aboard. He ripped the chocks away and she started to move. He dived headfirst into the front cockpit and I began to taxi. We would be defenceless until we got in the air and I just prayed that we would get up quickly. I saw that Gordy was already lifting off. I eased back on the stick as we reached our take off speed and breathed a sigh of relief as we lifted. I heard the crump from behind and then the concussion of the first bomb blast made us rise alarmingly. A pair of bombs had hit the field where we had been moments earlier. We had no flying helmets and no speaking tube but Sergeant Sharp had the Lewis cocked and was ready to fire as we continued to climb. We knew what we both had to do. As I banked I saw that only four aeroplanes had made it into the air. I glanced below me and saw that at least three aeroplanes had been hit as well as a couple of the tents. There were fires burning. The aeroplanes had been fuelled and ready to go. They were like ready made bombs lying helplessly on the ground.

  The bombers were turning for home. They would have to fly through us to reach it. I cocked the Lewis in front of me. I saw that they were a twin engine aeroplane; we later discovered they were the AEG G1. Like us they had a gunner in the front and another in the rear of the aircraft. We would be evenly matched. I picked one and flew directly at him. Sharp began to pour bullets into it and I heard the enemy’s bullets striking our aeroplane. I half stood and began firing the second Lewis. I saw the gunner slump dead in his cockpit; I don’t know which of us hit him and then the bomber began to bank. We had played a game of dare and he had blinked first. Before his rear gun could be brought into action our two Lewis guns began to do some damage. His starboard engine began to smoke and then caught fire. The effect was to swing the aeroplane around even more and the
last of our bullets shredded his tail. With only one engine and no tail the bomber spiralled towards the ground. When it struck the explosion told us that there would be no survivors.

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw four bombers heading east. One of them was smoking. I saw a fifth on the ground close to the airfield and armed men from the squadron’s defence force were racing towards it.

  We landed and, as we did so I saw the devastation caused by the attack. We had two aeroplanes totally destroyed and another three which were badly damaged. There were shredded tents and bodies littering the whole of the base. I saw Doc Brennan and the medical staff dealing with casualties for the bomb had struck the mechanics’ mess. The effect of the bomb striking the cookers and ovens through a tent had been horrific and the flying metal which resulted had scythed through men like canister. The damage to the aeroplanes was bad but machines could be repaired. The dead men were harder to replace.

  Ted came over to me. “Well done, Bill. That was a good hit.”

  “Who got the other one?”

  “Billy Campbell. Gordy and I went for the same aeroplane and it is damaged but she’ll get home.”

  The major stormed over to us. “Who gave you permission to take off?”

  I was stunned, “No-one sir.” I pointed at the destroyed and damaged aeroplanes. “I didn’t want my bus to end up like that.”

  “Next time wait for the command.”

  I know that I should have bit back my retort but I was angry. “And when will that come sir? In time to save us or in time to bury us?”

  “That is insubordination! I could have you put on a charge for that!”

  I had had enough of this martinet. He seemed hidebound by rules and regulations regardless of the result. I stared down at him. “Then do so, sir, or better still have me court martialed. I would love to give my account of the events to a court martial board and see what they say. The last time I spoke with General Henderson he seemed quite keen for us to shoot down German aeroplanes.”

  I really thought I had gone too far. His faced reddened and he glared at me. Then he turned smartly on his heel and strode off.

  Ted shook his head as Gordy joined us. “That was a mistake, Bill. He will make you pay for that.”

  “What just happened?”

  Ted explained to Gordy who shook his head. “If the old man doesn’t get back here soon he will not have a command to return to.”

  The death toll was too high. We had lost ten valuable mechanics and cooks as well as fifteen others who had been wounded. The major began to, belatedly, organise defences for us. Machine guns were dotted around the airfield and we were told to park our aeroplanes so that they were further apart. It was a little like shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted. We would now be down to eight aeroplanes and that was dependent upon our depleted mechanics being able to repair the two most badly damaged of them.

  Ted was correct. I was about to pay for my outburst. The next morning, as we gathered for our daily briefing the major had an oddly self satisfied expression upon his face. “We will not be patrolling our sector today gentlemen. The attack the other day has rendered us temporarily ineffective. We will patrol the sector from here to the front in case the Germans try a second attack. However I wish to discover where the German bombers came from. Lieutenant Harsker has shown himself capable of shooting down enemy aircraft and so as our most successful combat pilot he can have the honour of finding the German bombers’ airfield.” He looked at me with a superior look on his face. He thought he had beaten me. “Even as we speak the bombs are being fitted to your aeroplane in case you do find it. Any questions?” No-one answered and he added, “Very well good luck everyone.”

  Gordy and Ted looked at me and shook their heads. “Bastard! This is a suicide mission Bill. Just fly over their lines and then come back here. One aeroplane behind enemy lines stands no chance.”

  “No Gordy. I will do the mission as ordered. If I refuse I play into his hands for I will look like a coward and I will not give him that satisfaction. It is my own fault for talking back to him. I will pay the price of telling the truth. He will keep on at me until he succeeds anyway so I might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.”

  As I went to my tent to get my flying gear I began to work out where the airfield might be. The odds were that it would be further from the front than the fighter airfields. It meant I had further to go and further to return. Even if I avoided the Germans on the way over they would be waiting for me on the way back. Perhaps Gordy was right and it was a suicide mission.

  Sergeant Sharp was already at the aeroplane looking with some interest at the four bombs being fitted to the outside of the front of the aeroplane. “What’s this all about sir?”

  “It seems the major has great faith in us, Sergeant Sharp. He is sending us to find the German bombers who did so much damage to our own field.”

  His jaw actually dropped. “We are going alone? That is madness.”

  “I don’t know. One aeroplane has a slightly better chance of getting through than a whole squadron. Besides, we do not have a whole squadron. We will just have to do the best that we can. But,” I added cheekily, “keep a German phrase book handy eh? Just in case.”

  He laughed, “We are a pair of mad buggers sir.”

  “Bring a spare can of petrol. We may need it. And you will need to plot our course on the map so that we can tell the major where the airfield is when we get back.”

  The heavier engine, extra fuel and the bombs made the take off a little longer than usual but we eventually rumbled into the air. I told Sharp my plan as we climbed to ten thousand feet. I wanted to be well above any enemy fire from the guns on the ground. “Those bombers have a long range and I think they will be well behind enemy lines. That is why we have the extra fuel in case we run out. When we chased them from our field they were heading in this direction and I think they will have taken the shortest route to get back to their field. We are looking for a green patch of land with half a dozen twin engine aeroplanes. There will be a windsock such as the type we use.” I chuckled, “And probably a German flag too. Put that together and it should be easy to spot from up here so keep your eyes peeled.”

  Flying at the higher altitude meant that we were faster than the rest of the squadron and we overtook them before we reached our lines. They looked to be a pathetically small handful of aeroplanes. I hoped that they would not run into Germans. They were all flying with a large interval between them. They were, literally, sitting ducks.

  The front line was even clearer from this height and stretched to the horizon in both directions. When we were over the German lines I saw an aeroplane below us. It looked to be the Fokker Eindecker. I wondered if it was patrolling or hunting my comrades. So long as the rest of the squadron was close we had nothing to fear from this small aeroplane which was less well armed and slower than our Gunbus.

  I kept my eye on the fuel gauge. I had the engine trimmed so that we were getting the most out of the limited fuel we had. When the land became greener I began to descend. There were no guns firing at us here. There were no balloons to avoid. The gentle glide down slowed down the rate at which we were using fuel. I began to hope that we could get back without having to land.

  Suddenly Sharp’s voice was in my ears. “Sir, have a look up ahead. Is than an airfield?”

  He was right, it was an airfield. I saw the windsock, the tents and the straight runway lined with the bombers. I dived down to four hundred feet to identify the aeroplanes. “Charlie, mark the airfield on the map.”

  “Done it already sir.” There was a pause. “There look to be three of those twin engine aeroplanes down there sir. It looks like there are men around one of them.”

  “Right get ready. Take two bombs and throw them when I say. I will turn around and you can drop the other two.”

  “Right sir.”

  There was no science to this, you dropped the bomb and let gravity do the rest. We had learne
d to throw before we reached the target and then we had more chance of a direct hit. The arc seemed to be important. We had not done it enough to be totally accurate. All that we could hope for was some damage. The craters we would create would be a good result. All I was attempting to do was get the bombs as close to the three aircraft as I could.

  The machine guns opening fire told us that we had been seen. We were travelling too fast for them to hit but it was frightening. “Now!” I pulled back on the stick and kicked the rudder, we climbed and banked to the right. I immediately threw it the left and began to dive. “Ready!”

  “Ready sir.”

  I could not see what damage we had done for there was a great deal of smoke. I took our bus further to the right. “Now!”

  The two explosions lifted us slightly. I had brought the aeroplane lower than I had intended. With bullets trying to catch our tail I headed west. When I looked at the fuel gauge I saw that my climb and dive had used up more fuel than I had wanted. I had two choices: climb and risk running out of fuel or keep at this altitude and risk the gun fire from the ground. Neither was the favoured option. I climbed; the spare fuel meant that we could land and refuel. I also changed our course to take us further north. I did not want to run out of fuel over No-Man’s Land. I needed a flat obstacle free field with no furrows. It was like wishing for a gourmet dinner in the mess.

  I estimated that we were thirty miles behind the German lines and I also knew that were would be other German airfields closer to the front. Sergeant Sharp scanned the horizon for enemy aeroplanes. I was using the altitude to give some protection from enemy aeroplanes. The German had slower machines than we did and the long slow climb would take them a long time to reach us.

  Sharp was standing and looking behind me. He attracted my attention and pointed down; there were two Aviatiks and two Fokkers spiralling up to reach us. The spiral rise was easier on the engine and yet kept us in constant view. Sergeant Sharp cocked both Lewis guns and waited.