Journal Entry: June 13, 1915
St. Pol-sur-mer

Surprise, surprise, this morning's mission was another reconnaissance sortie. We flew off, arrived at our part of the front and proceeded to take photos of the same part of the front that we photographed yesterday. I'm sorry if I sound frustrated, but I just think we could be doing so much more to help with the war effort, but who am I, I'm just a lowly sub-lieutenant and nobody asked me. Anyway, we saw a couple of Hun machines off in the distance but other than that it was just another typical sortie. We returned to St. Pol and enjoyed a wonderful luncheon. I'm rather fond of seafood and since we are right on the coast our mess sergeant can get most everything that we desire. I really don't know what he did before the war, but he can cook sole as well any restaurant that I've visited. After luncheon, a game of Whist will usually get started or some fellow will begin to play the piano while the others will drift off to take care of personal matters. Dear reader, that's just a small glimpse of a typical afternoon for the lads. We usually will leave for our afternoon sorties somewhere between 2 to 3 o'clock and today wasn't any different. Our mission was different, however, for today we were heading up to the front to do a line patrol. The difference being, this time we were specifically tasked with destroying Huns. I wonder if the success that Thayer and I have enjoyed had something to do with the change in our sortie. At any rate, we took off accompanied by Flight Commander Whiting and his observer, Lieutenant Gunn. We arrived at our patrol sector without incident and it wasn't long before I spotted a Hun aeroplane above us and flying toward our side of the lines. I looked toward FC Whiting and it didn't look like he had spotted the Hun so I began to climb to intercept him. I must have spooked the poor fellow because he began to turn for home. I continued the pursuit and eventually I was able to position ourselves where Thayer could engage. This Hun was made of better stuff because he at least tried to evade, but to no avail, Thayer was finally able to down him with a burst to his engine. He died in the most horrible of ways, plummeting to Earth like a comet.



We landed, were congratulated by Whiting and Gunn and filed our reports. Today's action brings our total to three. I think I'm beginning to see the wisdom in Thayer's last words to me after we discussed today's action, "We need to get while the getting is good." I foresee a day where I will pine for these days.


Member and provider of banjo music for the Illustrious BOC