Lt. Jager coaxed the Albatros off the ground, already he could see the British aeroplane going around for a second pass and he felt utterly helpless and alone. When he’d landed in the tiny field on the Allied side of the lines he’d turned to wish the agent he was carrying good luck, but already he was running towards a small copse some fifty metres away, having jumped out of the ‘plane before it had even come to a halt. Now his rear seat was empty, and without an observer there was no one to fire the machine gun. He was a sitting duck.
He cleared the hedge and anxiously looked over his shoulder; the gunbus was almost upon him. He saw tracer from its gun arcing towards him, fabric shredded, something gave. Suddenly he lost all control and the flimsy biplane went into a spin, Lt. Jager saw the ground rise up to meet him, he put his arms across his face and screamed.
* * *
Major Enderby sat with his elbows on his desk, hands neatly clasped.
“At ease, gentlemen”, he said.
Captain Downs and Lieutenant Carruthers relaxed.
“But you bagged a Hun too, Sir”, said Downs cheerfully, “A good day all round”.
Enderby’s moustache twitched, “Indeed, but that was a fellow taking off, he was a sitting duck. No, you bagged an Eindecker, High Command will be very pleased and it reflects very well on the squadron. I am recommending you both for the Military Cross”
“Golly”, murmured Downs, “Though really it was Carruthers here with some fine shooting”
“In fairness, Skip, you got us where we needed to be. And the Jerry didn’t even notice us; he was too focussed on the Major”
Enderby narrowed his eyes; he distrusted colonials and was never sure if the slights he often felt were intended. He remembered very well how the Eindecker had got onto his tail and knew that if it hadn’t been for Downs and Carruthers he would probably have been a ‘gonner'”.
“Anyway, well done. Dismissed”, he said sharply.
* * *
Thursday 16th September, 1915
Well, what with Christmas Henry and I had to wait to get our second game in of our Fokker Scourge campaign, and as may be gleaned from the narrative it didn’t go well for me at all – I lost two planes, including one of my precious Eindeckers.
We’d begun the campaign week by turning over the next three event cards, which gave us a German battalion being put into the line at Chateaux Reme in the northern part of the salient and we both also got ‘special mission’ cards – spies to drop off behind enemy lines. Henry sensibly chose a quiet part of the front and dropped his spy off unmolested near the village of Fleurs d’Ete. I had a different plan, and it was lunacy.
As I wanted to protect my build ups near Chateaux Reme and Mortar Wood I deployed an Eindecker in each. I also put an Aviatik in each sector; not the most useful aircraft but at least it’s an extra machine gun. In Mortar Wood I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and also deploy Lt. Jager’s Albatros carrying the spy, figuring that with the patrolling German planes I could put off any interference by the British.
To crown this incompetence on my part, I had decided to give my irascible Major Sommer the day off and use his Albatros, flown by Jager. This was stupid in the extreme – the Albatros has more power and a better field of fire, so I really should have used one of the Aviatiks as they are bugger all use for anything else anyway!
So, on the morning of the 16th, the Eindecker (Rittm. Engel), the Aviatik C/I (new crew of Lt. Schreiber and Lt. von Arnstorf) and the Albatros (Lt. Jager and passenger) took off from Point de la Croix aerodrome and made their way to the skies above Mortar Wood. There to meet them would be both of Henry’s gunbusses (Maj. Enderby/Lt. Chasuble and Capt. Downs/Lt. Carruthers). Henry would also have two of his BE2cs on a bombing mission; these would be piloted by Capt. Morrin and Lt. Nighy and would not be carrying observers due to the weight of the bombs.
Enderby’s FB5 was escorting the BE2cs over on my right flank, over to my left I had my Aviatik and Albatros, with Downs’ FB5 giving chase. My lack of firepower on the left made me cautious and I circled back around to keep away from Henry’s gunbus with its wide arc of fire to the front. On the right Engel was pulling off some impressive manoeuvring; Lt. Chasuble did manage to get some shots in, which missed, but then he executed an immelmann to bring himself on to Enderby’s tail. I knew I’d got him and was looking forward to my next turn which would hopefully see the British Major shot down.
But it was not to be; Downs had got bored of playing here we go round the mulberry bush with my two-seaters and had come to join the scrap in the north. So fixated was I at getting my first Eindecker victory that I had failed to see the danger; Downs swooped in and Carruthers fired. Henry rolled – a 6.
Engels was done for, his plane plummeted to the ground and he was killed instantly.
It was by no means over; Henry’s BE2cs made their bombing attack – and failed – and Lt. Jager at last had reasonably clear skies to cross the line and land his cargo. My Aviatik, flown by the two rookies, showed some guts by going after the BE2cs despite being chased by Downs and even pulled off a tight turn to get some shots off (they missed, but A+ for effort).
Enderby, however, was determined to stop my Albatros getting away. By this time Jager had landed and had dropped off his passenger. He powered up, bumping across the French field with Enderby getting ever closer. Before he had even left the ground the gunbus had made its first pass, machine-gunning the Albatros but without getting any hits; Enderby, I know, was getting frustrated with Chasuble’s shooting. They circled for a second pass, by which time Jager had lumbered into the air. On low power and without any guns that could be fired Jager was very much a sitting duck – Chasuble fired again and I got a damaged result. A roll on the damage table meant I went into a spin, and at level 1 there is no chance of recovering.
As it happens, Lt. Jager survived the crash, but he is now on the British side of the lines. For his courage I have awarded him the Eisernes Kreuz, the Iron Cross (2nd Class). I will now just have to wait until the Red Cross advise me which POW camp he will be held in to let him know. Henry and I both like Jager and were glad that he survived; he’s the son of a colonial administrator, now retired to his estate in Prussia, and it seems that his war is now over.
Bloody Betancourt 