homepage Forums Air Combat & Civil Aviation Wings: Over Flanders Fields DiD Centenary Challenge

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc
24 Sqn.


September 3. 1916.

Roused out of bed for an early crank, seems there are Hun air machines over the Factories. Up into the pre dawn sky to see Search lights scanning the cloud base at 2000 meters. Our 7 machines went up to 1600 meters and checked the area, but found nothing.

Here is the latest status report. Thank you guys for being so patient with me and my move. It looks like I've finally gotten everything set up so now I can get back to flying.

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles

Sept 4, 1916.


Mission: AF attack
B Flt: 4 A/C Strike
A Flt: 3 A/c Cover

Remarks: B flight made a shallow diving attackfiring at the parked hun machines. I was reloading my 1st Drum when I saw a couple of Fokker Mono planes off to port. Engaged in a twisting fight using and reloading 2 more Drums of ammo finally smoke poured out as my last drum emptied. Headed for home. Later found my claim rejected due to no one seeing a Crash or forced landing.

Blake Tindale did meet his end recently - was on a fairly routine mission attack a railyard.
The flight arrived over target and began the attack with no enemy in sight.
During the attack, Blake noticed a lone plane far away, but got distracted and lost sight.
A bit later got hit by a single well placed burst, causing the plane to fall out of control.
Never did see his attacker.

I have started up Caleb Moore, flying a Sopwith Strutter with RNAS-5.
Caleb had an interesting transfer flight from England.
Had some majestic, but low hanging clouds during the flight.
Keep flying East-SouthEast hoping to catch sight land but it was just taking a lot longer than expected.
Eventually the coast was made, then the question arose, were the heck is he..

Using Lou's excellent Flanders map, Caleb realized he was a bit far to the north.
Matter of fact he was behind enemy lines and did a quick turn to the southwest.
After that it was easy to locate his new home field.

Stache: Bummer, about losing ur pilot Tindale. Beware of the Hun in the Sun !

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles

September 5, 1916.

B flight had Escort this morning for 3 BE2,s to bomb an enemy AF. Some how we couldn't fine each other in the clouds so missing the 2 seats the flight flew around the local flying area as Security Patrol. Total Wash out.

Caleb Moore - RNAS-5

First Dogfight / Confirmed Kill



Caleb's close call on mission 6
(best viewed full screen - night time mission)
After an uneventful night mission Caleb was in the landing pattern when there was a system failure.
He tried to get down as quick as possible and then just before touch down the engine caught fire.
Still too fast on landing he overran the field, though for sure he had come to a quick end.
But the WOFF gods where kind that night.

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles


6 Sept 1916.


Line Patrol:

E/A Sighted: 3

Engaged: 2 Recon types


Remarks: Our 5 a/c were on patrol at 1500 meters, I sighted 3 machines off to the right going in and out of clouds. Fired off 7 rds to alert the flight. As the closest a/c I led the climbing turning attack. Fired off a drum and swung right to reload. Spotted Maj Hawker close to e/a heard firing then saw the e/a spin into the ground. About the same time Cpt Knight got his machine too. I saw it spin in. The e/a Mono plane had turn ed and flew off. The flight landed with 2 lt damaged and 1 a/c missing.




Although I dont know why, I started thinking about flight school.
https://youtu.be/8UlaAHdcRMg

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles


Posted as wingman, I flew a High Security Patrol. No Joy.

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles



September 8, 1916.



The C.O. sent B Flt's 4 a/c up on a Balloon Burst Mission. As we came upon the target I went up as High Cover (1500 meters) as the other 3 attacked and got the sausage. Then it was home and Tea.

Nice stories and pics Gents!

Sub Flight Lieutenant Bolitho got his promotion today. He also lost his wingman of 30 missions. We were escorting some bombers to the front lines when attacked by the new Fokker biplanes. We were out numbered and I managed to damage one and escape with a few holes in my Nieuport. Arriving back at Furnes I learned My wingman had gone down over no mans land.

MFair, my German pilot Ahren has been flying with the same wingman for almost a year. I think I might be more scared of losing Manfred than Ahren.

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles


September 9,1916.

What a Scrap. Fokkers all over the place with guns aflame . Twists, turns, dives, reversals were the order of the day. Did spot one Hun going down, the a/c was hammered by an A Flight a/c. I fired off over 3 drums and never hit a sausage.

Journal Entry: September 9, 1916
St. Pol-sur-Mer

Well, I finally met the new Hun machines that everyone has been talking about and to be quite honest, I wasn't impressed. For weeks the lads have been speculating about the new Fokker machines that were supposed to be arriving, and yet, no one had actually seen one of the new scouts. I had the pleasure of bagging one in this morning's sortie and another in the afternoon sortie. As I said, I came away from those encounters unconvinced that the new Fokker is significantly better than the Fokker monoplanes. Granted, two wings are obviously better than one, but it seemed to me that it was considerably under-powered and as far as I could tell, was only armed with one machine gun. Of course, the two pilots that I engaged today could have been inexperienced and unable to maximize the full potential of this new machine, but I remain unconvinced. The Roland, as far as I can tell, is the only machine that gives us Pup pilots a handful. The Roland is a machine that will teach one a very painful lesson if one is not careful. I am certain that the Huns will eventually develop a scout that will test our Pups, but in the meantime, I will continue to enjoy our mastery of the sky.

Clever Saville
Sgt, Rfc.
24 Sqn
West Bertangles


Sept. 10, 1916.

Up and Down No joy Told to pack my kit. Due to the needs of the Service, I was being reassigned to 70 Sqn to fly 2 Seat machines. Sopwiths

Carrick, I still think you are the "king of screens". Great shots. Enjoy the 2 seaters.

Banjoman My thoughts are the same on the DII. Even in my Nieuport they are not a match.

Broderick Bolitho had the most hair raising flight of his stay at the front. We were to attack a Hun airfield and I had a hanger smoking and was determined to knock it out. Came in low at ground level to really hammer it. Did I say I got cocky! Pulling up there was a WHAM! Crap!(here the quirky no sound thing after a collision happens) No power I think. Immediatly set down on the field, still moving. Look at instruments. I have power! Pull back on the stick. Barely flying. Land? Fly? What to do? Lets fly home! Oh no! Trees dead ahead. How I cleared them is beyond me. Now a stall is happening. This all happened so fast there was no time to see what kind of damage I had. Finally get in the clear and have to hold full rudder and left aileron to stay level. My right wing is shreds and my left verticle stabilizer looks like a pretzel. If I try to climb the machine starts to stall. Long story short, I made it back over the lines. Note to self. Those who get cocky die!

Wow, what a story!

Here is the latest Status report and the latest Honor Roll.

MFair: Thanks. I cant claim the Honor, but I do try to take pics during the fight.

Clever Saville
Sgt, RFC
70 Sqn
Fienvillers, Flanders.


11 Sep 1916.

I flew as a spare pilot on a line Patrol . I spotted 2 e/a on the down low passing thru clouds. My flight kept on course so I dove to attack. Great fun, turning among the fully white clouds. I took 8 hits in my kite but got some in return. I had to break off as they went lower and ran towards the trenches. Ammo: Vickers Empty Rear-gun got off 194 rds.