Day 6: Briefing

“All right chaps, listen up.”

“Cup of tea for you, Sir.”

“Thank you, Mason. Right, gentlemen, the situation has changed somewhat”, continued Major Darling, the Intelligence Officer from Wing.

“We’ve had reports from the infantry in the Betancourt sector that they have detected activity on the Hun side of the line; lorries, strengthening of the barbed wire, that sort of thing. Seems that the Boche aren’t just going to let us walk in through the front door.”

“Well, I’ll go to the top of our stairs!”, muttered Trotter under his breath, “Fancy that”.

“We’re going to push a photographic reconnaissance kite over the lines today and it must bally well get through! We had one shot down yesterday over Betancourt so you chaps need to be ready to guard it with your lives. We think the Hun are dug in here,” he stabbed at the map with his stick, “here, on the northwest edge of Mortar Wood. I cannot stress to you enough, gentlemen, that you must make sure we get those photographic plates back.”

He nodded at Stanhope, who was leaning languidly against the wall with his arms folded.

“Make no mistake, gentlemen; things are hotting up”, said Stanhope, “It’s beginning to look like the area south of Betancourt is where the show will be and the Germans are putting men into the line ahead of our chaps. We’re going to be called upon to do quite a bit of work to soften them up ahead of our advance”.

The squadron noticeboard with the new Order of Battle

He let his words sink in, then continued, “Mister Trotter; you are to escort a reconnaissance mission in the area east of Betancourt, I will escort the reconnaissance plane to photograph Mortar Wood. Uncle; we have a bombing mission to disrupt German supplies going in to Tower Farm, you are to cover it, if you’d be so kind”.

Osborne nodded and sucked on his empty pipe.

Stanhope lowered his eyes for a moment, but when he raised them again the men could detect, not just anger, but a resolve that was palpable for all, “I know we’ve lost some good men”, he said, “But most of you have been in action now and we’ve started our fight back. We’ve evened up the numbers and, after yesterday, the Germans know they can be beaten. No heroics, look for the right opportunities and hit hard when you get the chance.”

* * *

On to Day 6 of the Betancourt campaign and Captain Trotter’s flight will be in action for the first time. In fact, all flights will be in action, so the 6th will be another three-game campaign day.

Osborne’s ‘B’ Flight will match up with Major von Eching’s kette, which will also be escorting a photographic reconnaissance plane, and Trotter’s ‘C’ Flight will find Hauptman Ganzs trying to stop his bombers.

Stanhope will again meet his great white whale – or, in this case, a red one. Wilhelm Roth, now promoted to Hauptman and in command of Kette 2, who has twice got the jump on Stanhope in his red-winged D.V, will be patrolling the central Betancourt sector.