Read Online 1917 Eagles Fall by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Griff Hosker
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been shot down, when we had felt invincible. Now doubts were creeping in. Even when I had been shot down I had been convinced that we would survive. Now I was not certain. Perhaps Gordy had it right, and Charlie. Maybe I should live for the moment. Marrying Beattie as soon as possible was now a priority.
We knew things were serious when, after a week of storms where no flying was possible, we had a visit from the commander of the Royal Flying Corps in France, Major General Hugh Trenchard. I had seen him before but I was more familiar with General Henderson.
I thought he would just wish to speak with Archie but I was summoned to the office. There were just the three of us there. He gave me a wry look. “General Henderson has mentioned you more than once, Captain Harsker. You may not be the ace with the greatest number of kills but you are certainly the one that people talk about.”
There was little I could say to that, “Well sir, I always try to do my duty.”
“I don’t doubt that for one moment and no criticism was implied. Smoke if you wish.” The three of us filled our pipes. When his was going he continued, “I wanted you here because I know that you like to go on the offensive whenever you can. I have heard of you taking on odds of four to one. That is what I like. Now I know that it may seem the wrong time to go on the offensive when the Germans had superior aeroplanes. I happen to believe that offense is the best form of defence.”
I looked at Archie. “But General Trenchard, the FE 2 is a dependable aeroplane but it has seen its best days. Bill here is the best pilot in the squadron but he would stand no chance against this Von Richthofen and his red painted Albatros.”
“I am sorry, Major Leach, but this Baron is just one man a man with one squadron. I know that we have more aeroplanes than the Germans. Are you telling me that our pilots aren’t good enough?”
“No, I am saying, General Trenchard, that our aeroplanes aren’t good enough.”
“Hmn.” He looked at me. “You are a bit quiet. Cat got your tongue?”
I smiled, he sounded like my dad. “No sir.” I rose and went to the cupboard with the models of the aeroplanes. “You are a pilot sir so I know you will understand.” I modelled to show him what I meant. “The Gunbus has fine defensive qualities. We have two guns at the front and one at the rear. But we are slow. When the Albatros comes at us it has two Spandau machine guns firing steel jacketed bullets. They fire at a gunner with no protection.” I smiled, “I was a gunner and I know how scary it is. They can kill the gunner on their first pass. They do the Immelmann turn and get behind us. From what I have heard this is easy in the new Albatros. We have no protection if the gunner is incapacitated. We used to be able to counteract the Immelmann when it was the Eindecker; they were slow. The Albatros is so fast and nippy that they can turn inside us come up behind and we have a crashed Gunbus and a dead pilot. And that sir, will happen no matter how good the pilot is.”
“I see. Well explained. You see I thought the gunner in the front was the deterrent but you are saying that he is not.”
“Not with two guns firing at him, sir. It is simple mathematics. The Hun has twice the chance of hitting us. The pilot is, in some ways, protected by the body of the gunner. We get through more gunners than pilots.”
He was silent for a while. I learned that he was a thoughtful man. “I am glad I had this chat with you. Look, I will try to get you the new Sopwith Pup. It is a single seater but it is nippy and it is fast. It has a synchronised Vickers machine gun. It’s the best I can do until we can get the Bristols built.” He looked at Archie, “Any malt, Major?”
“Aye sir.” He poured us three glasses and the general toasted us.
“However, I still want you to take the fight to the Germans. You
We knew things were serious when, after a week of storms where no flying was possible, we had a visit from the commander of the Royal Flying Corps in France, Major General Hugh Trenchard. I had seen him before but I was more familiar with General Henderson.
I thought he would just wish to speak with Archie but I was summoned to the office. There were just the three of us there. He gave me a wry look. “General Henderson has mentioned you more than once, Captain Harsker. You may not be the ace with the greatest number of kills but you are certainly the one that people talk about.”
There was little I could say to that, “Well sir, I always try to do my duty.”
“I don’t doubt that for one moment and no criticism was implied. Smoke if you wish.” The three of us filled our pipes. When his was going he continued, “I wanted you here because I know that you like to go on the offensive whenever you can. I have heard of you taking on odds of four to one. That is what I like. Now I know that it may seem the wrong time to go on the offensive when the Germans had superior aeroplanes. I happen to believe that offense is the best form of defence.”
I looked at Archie. “But General Trenchard, the FE 2 is a dependable aeroplane but it has seen its best days. Bill here is the best pilot in the squadron but he would stand no chance against this Von Richthofen and his red painted Albatros.”
“I am sorry, Major Leach, but this Baron is just one man a man with one squadron. I know that we have more aeroplanes than the Germans. Are you telling me that our pilots aren’t good enough?”
“No, I am saying, General Trenchard, that our aeroplanes aren’t good enough.”
“Hmn.” He looked at me. “You are a bit quiet. Cat got your tongue?”
I smiled, he sounded like my dad. “No sir.” I rose and went to the cupboard with the models of the aeroplanes. “You are a pilot sir so I know you will understand.” I modelled to show him what I meant. “The Gunbus has fine defensive qualities. We have two guns at the front and one at the rear. But we are slow. When the Albatros comes at us it has two Spandau machine guns firing steel jacketed bullets. They fire at a gunner with no protection.” I smiled, “I was a gunner and I know how scary it is. They can kill the gunner on their first pass. They do the Immelmann turn and get behind us. From what I have heard this is easy in the new Albatros. We have no protection if the gunner is incapacitated. We used to be able to counteract the Immelmann when it was the Eindecker; they were slow. The Albatros is so fast and nippy that they can turn inside us come up behind and we have a crashed Gunbus and a dead pilot. And that sir, will happen no matter how good the pilot is.”
“I see. Well explained. You see I thought the gunner in the front was the deterrent but you are saying that he is not.”
“Not with two guns firing at him, sir. It is simple mathematics. The Hun has twice the chance of hitting us. The pilot is, in some ways, protected by the body of the gunner. We get through more gunners than pilots.”
He was silent for a while. I learned that he was a thoughtful man. “I am glad I had this chat with you. Look, I will try to get you the new Sopwith Pup. It is a single seater but it is nippy and it is fast. It has a synchronised Vickers machine gun. It’s the best I can do until we can get the Bristols built.” He looked at Archie, “Any malt, Major?”
“Aye sir.” He poured us three glasses and the general toasted us.
“However, I still want you to take the fight to the Germans. You
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