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Banjo: Have fun back in the States.

Fritz von Tralenheim
visefeldwebel
Rumbeke. Aerodrome
Kette Zwei. Jasta 8.


May 1, 1917.

On Patrol, ran into 7 Fe2b's. The Kette knocked down 3, but none were mine. Finally got behind one and his gunner holed my tank. I managed to let down in no mans land and made it to our trenches.

For you, Ace-Pilto! (Third Person)

Albert Earl Godfrey

2 Jan 1917 @ 07h18 Patrol over the lines to Bapaume-Cambrai road north of Havrincourt wood.

Get your ass out of bed!

Ah, just a few more minutes mom!

WHAT!!! Just then Albert felt a cold wet hand strike him on both cheeks!
Startled, he sat bolt upright blinking his eyes and trying to focus. He heard the familiar gravelly voice of Bennet blurt out “I suppose you would like me to dress you and cook your breakfast for you as well! Thought you were home, snug as a bug in bed, did you! Far from it lad, get dressed and meet me in the mess asap as we have an early patrol to the front! Albert heard his laugh as he left the room and slammed the door. Jesus! He suspected he would bear the brunt of the story as it went around the mess this morning!

Dressing quickly in the biting cold, he remembered he forgot to stoke the furnace last evening. His boots felt clammy so he stuffed some brown waxed paper around a pair of dry socks to hopefully insulate his feet from the dampness.

Opening the door and stepping out he noted the bitter cold, biting wind and the squishy sloshing sound of his boots in the wet snow. How dreary it looked. The air was socked in with heavy cloud and wet snow was falling. How in hell they were to patrol in this weather and hope to see any enemy machines was beyond his comprehension. In the breaks between the clouds, he saw higher layers of the same nature, that seemed to go on forever.

He was glad he had a personal compass in his pocket. Hopefully if lost, he could get down low enough to make out landmarks and roads. With the compass he would at least have a chance to get back close to base if he lost contact with the flight.

Breakfast was hot porridge plus tea with some sausages and biscuits.
The hot porridge filled his belly and radiated warmth throughout his body.
He closed his eyes for a moment noshing on the sausages and biscuits, when he heard Bennet shout out, “Thinking about Mom again, are you Albert?” followed by a mixture of laughter and guffawing.

Albert thought, it didn’t take long for Bennet to get the story out. “Ok, OK, you’ve had your fun!! I’ll make sure to stuff a sock in my mouth when I go to bed tonight so you don’t have any fodder for tomorrow’s story!!”

“Would you like me to tuck you in Albert” stated Bennet and Albert just shook his head from side to side and once more looked down at his plate to finish his breakfast.

Leaving the mess, Caldwell, Sawrey, Pidcok and Bennet crowded around patting Albert on the back and jostiling him somewhat. Bennet playfully jostled Alberts hair, and said “Thanks Albert! You have put a nice glow on what looks like a terrible day for flying. At least I’ll have something to divert my mind from the dreariness when we are up there.”

Albert retorted “Don’t be too diverted, there are Huns out there that would love to wake you up just before sending you to Valhalla Alex.”

At the flight was advised to expect Bitter cold weather, wet snow, poor visibility, and overall socked in cloud cover. Wind would be 8 kn from the NW, so flight time to the lines would be improved. Albert, in his mind, retorted, “and flight times back to base would be worsened!”

The men left the briefing hut and made their way to their Nieuports. It wasn’t long until the sound of the Le Rhone 9J engines broke the air. Soon they were all roaring and blipping like horses at the gate waiting for the start signal.

One by one they roared on down the field taking to the air, their wings glistening with the wet surfaces. The nauseating effect of the castor oil was worse due to the heavy air. Higher and higher they climbed just north of the field in continuous circles, forming up to an altitude of 2000 ft. If there was a break in the clouds it was only covered by another layer slightly higher.

When Caldwell, the flight leader was satisfied with the formation and the height, he gave the signal and they set out for the Baupaume-Cambrai road just north of Havrincourt wood. The flight climbed up to 6700 ft just over Arras by 07h36. They crossed over the lines at 07h38 still climbing to 7700 ft. with no clearance in the cloud cover. Once in awhile they would see a piece of earth below but not long enough to make out where they were. It was a flight based solely on conjecture of time and compass readings by Caldwell.
At 07h45, Caldwell began a wide circle westward, stopping the circle when he felt he had reversed direction. Caldwell again reversed direction and headed back towards Arras, arriving there at 07h45. It was a very good piece of work by Caldwell. Albert knew this to be the case as he was able to get a brief view of Arras through a break in the cloud cover that only lasted for seconds.
Caldwell again reversed direction back to the Bapaume-Cambrai road, arriving in the approximate vicinity by 08h07. It was pretty much as Albert had expected. There was nothing to see but Cloud and wet snow. It was pretty much a wasted flight. Even if they had seen some Hun scouts or two seaters, there was little hope of attacking them in the dense cloud cover. The only thing the flight achieved as far as Albert was concerned, was that it gave him considerable confidence in the navigation skills of Caldwell and this eased his mind greatly.

Back at Savy, all the flight members returned safely and reported in, rather glad to be down on terra firma, given the weather conditions. The rest of the day was considered a wash out an no further flights were to go out. It didn’t take long for the flight members to shed their soggy flying suits and change into something drier. They would all meet in the mess in a short time to refresh themselves and cajole around.

Since there is only one German pilot in the first group, I've decided to add another.



Meet Aldi Schwarzkopf, a very young Prussian who has just been posted to Jasta 18. It is 1 January 1917 and Aldi was forced to take the train and a transport lorry to get to Halluin, since flying was out of the question due to the severity of the weather with a snowstorm just around the corner.
He reported to the CO by the name of Karl Heino Grieffenhagen, who upon seeing him announced that the Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel is no kindergarten and if it were not for his father who had some kind of pull with the brass he would still be in kindergarten. The Oberleutnant took another look at him, said that up until today they've all been flying the Albatros DII, but as it happens all of them are going to the rear and a batch of brand new Albatros DIII has just arrived. He would gladly make him fly the old model, but he didn't have any, so a new Albatros DIII it is. "Don't you dare get any holes in it on your very first sortie" he said and dismissed him grumbling under his breath what to Aldi sounded like "snot-nose". Aldi couldn't believe his luck: a new Albatros DIII - he has not even seen one of those machines before and on top he will be flying along Ltn. Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp, who joined Jasta not too long ago! Aldi has heard of him and his adventures. The entire air service knew the aristocrat simply as "Jonny Bülow". Aldi couldn't wait to meet him, let alone fly alongside him. This would have to wait as the snow started to come down hard.


Halluin

Fullofit, I'm delighted to meet Aldi. I just hope that Colin doesn't meet his DIII for a while. Here is the latest from Colin Urquhart...

A Journal of the Great War

Part 19

I have filled my first notebook with recollections and am still in one piece so I suppose I can count myself lucky.

Since my last flight on 27 December we have had nothing but low cloud, very strong winds, and rain or wet snow. We brought in the New Year across the way with 23 Squadron, the Fee jockeys. I enjoyed a few drinks with a fellow Canadian, Eddie MacKay, whom I was told was under attack by the famous Boelke at the time of the German’s collision and death. I was not in a raucous mood and spent much of the later evening smoking by the fire and chatting with a new boy, Duckett. He is a public school type, son of a banker, and is finding the whole business of war “topping” and “ripping.” But I sense he is a learner and will do well if he gets through the first two weeks of real flying weather.
The New Year’s Promotions List is in and MacKenzie has made substantive Flight Commander, a well-deserved recognition. Booker and Compston and Grange are all substantive Flight Lieutenants, and our ever dutiful Armaments Officer, O’Hagan, is promoted Lieutenant, RNVR.

The weather wore on us. My efforts as a French teacher continued, but has become a drudgery. I fear my star student Dalgliesh will soon speak the language better than I do, as he is rumoured to be getting extra lessons from his “wee Mary,” the milkmaid from up the road. The man is a troglodyte, and it stuns me that any pretty thing could tolerate the sight or smell of him for long, but let me not to the marriage of true minds (or at least one mind and a lump of Glasgow pavement) admit impediment, as the Bard says.

After a couple of days without the Canadian Mail being delivered, on New Year’s Day I received a lovely package from home. No tobacco or alcohol, of course, but a tin of biscuits, a couple of decent books, and – joy of joys – a real Hudson’s Bay blanket to add a dash of colour to my cabin and to keep out the chill and dampness.

2 January 1917 dawned blustery and dull, with heavy snow driven by a northeast wind. I planned to sleep in under the new blanket and appear only for lunch, but Lieut D’Albiac himself rousted me out of bed at quarter to eight, shouting that a flight of marauding Hun scouts had been seen flying west over Bellevue and that I was to lead a patrol on a line from Doullens to Albert, “just in case the blighters are adventurous.”

I threw on a fleece pullover and my old cable-knit sweater and pulled a pair of corduroy trousers over my pyjamas, then I added two pairs of woolen socks and my boots, and finally I grabbed my leather flying coat, mitts, goggles, and scarf and waddled out to the hangar. Booker, Little, Compston, and a new fellow we already in their cockpits. It was a thrill to see the streamers affixed to the trailing struts of the Pup.

Leading Mechanic Black was doing the honours for me this morning. The cylinders were primed. “Switch off?” he shouted.

“Switch off. Suck in,” I shouted back.

LM Black pulled the prop against the engine compression. “Contact!” he called.

“Contact!” I replied, and closed the switch. The Le Rhône burbled into life, its rumble becoming quickly more forceful and steady. I waved my arms to the sides and the chocks were pulled away. The Pup’s tail rose quickly and the wheels banged on the frozen, snow-crusted earth. The falling flakes whipped past, stinging like needles around my goggles. I’d come away without my balaclava and I’d had no time to grease up. I huddled low behind the small windscreen. A glance behind showed that the flight of five Pups were already up and straining to gain formation. I throttled back and climbed at 75 knots eastward towards Doullens.

I did not have to wait long. Three minute after take-off, the houses of Doullens emerged from the snowy half-mist. The buildings themselves did not stand out so much, as the snow on the rooftops blended with the snow on the roadways and gardens. It was more the smoke from the chimneys that made the town noticeable.

There was movement! Dead ahead about a mile, and perhaps a few hundred feet below. Seven specks moving across the white-grey background. They were turning from a westerly to a southerly heading. I waggled my wings and opened the throttle, tingling with excitement. We were still too far away to identify the machines when two of the specks broke away eastward and the others turned towards us. They were definitely German machines. The two were probably rookies, under orders to head for safety at first contact.

We closed quickly and I could make out the pok-pok-pok of machine guns as we met. I held fire, waiting for a better shot. A brown and green machine passed close to startboard, banking hard. It had squared wing-tips and a tapered snout: Halberstadt scouts, they were. I threw the Pup into a vertical bank and turned to give chase.

The Pup was a joy in a fight like this. There was no hint of wanting to stall, and it could follow the Halberstadts in a climbing turn where my old Nieuport would have fallen out of the sky. There were aircraft everywhere. A Pup climbed directly in front of me, so close I nearly flew into its belly. I banked in the opposite direction, for I’d lost my Hun.

“Thwack! Thwack!” Rounds hit my port wings, although I could not tell where they came from. I continued to turn as tightly as possible. A Halberstadt was climbing across my bow and I fired. From 150 yards out, my tracer showed that I had raked the full length of his fuselage. The Hun turned quickly eastward and dived away. I spotted another Hun low down, about 400 yards off. There were two Pups giving chase, but both were a distance away. I dived on the Hun and pulled up less than 30 yards away firing my Vickers in a continuous burst of 100 rounds. God bless Lieutenant O’Hagan RNVR is all I can say, for this time the gun did not jamb despite my abuse. The Halberstadt banked and turned beneath me. It seemed in control and I turned to follow. I would not fall for the Hun’s ruse.

But it was no ruse. The enemy scout glided downwards, apparently under control, until it flew directly into a row of barren trees and broke itself into a thousand flaming bit. It had fallen about two miles west of Beaumont-Hamel. Booker took station on my starboard side and waved his fist in the air, then pointed down at the former Hun. This one would be confirmed as my seventh official victory.

1917 had started properly.


"The Halberstadt banked and turned beneath me."

Just had a look a Cecils logbook. Seems the chap joined June 1916 and now its May 1917...without leave !!
I wanted to get him to transfer back to Blighty and home establishment but I can't????? anyone know why?

And his alter ego had a good run today.

Easy foto run to the south, with escourts. HA, they left us as soon as we crossed the lines.
Anyway, just as KARL said to himself, "hey, that wasn't so bad" when three Frenchmen in N23's decided to ruin his day.
1 went for the wingy, and the other 2 went for Karl.
Tight spiral lefthand turn and I heard a loud bang. Look back and yippy, pitty I can't claim them though.

Lederhosen

WOFF won"t let you transfer to Home Establishment. It will remain a Wish List" item until such time as the Devs address it if they can.

Great stuff, the details about dampness, wax paper in the boots and castor oil were especially compelling! How did you find writing in 3rd person compared to 1st? About your squadron mates, are "Paget" and "Caldwell"
Evelyn Paget Graves and Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell by any chance?

It looks like the writing bug had been busily chomping at quite a few people today. Some people are going to need two coffees this morning to get through all the great stories.

Fritz von Tralenheim
visefeldwebel
Rumbeke. Aerodrome
Kette Zwei. Jasta 8.


May 2, 1917.


Mission: Patrol

Spotted: 1 Flight N-17,s Attacking 3 Dfw's Plus 1 N-23 attacking Kettte Eins Jasta 8.

Remarks: What a furball, we lost 2 D-III,s for 1 N-17 and a N-23 ( I saw the crash. None for me as I was always on the wrong side or to far away.

Ace;

Glad you liked the details. It really adds to the story when you have something like that to put in. Writing in third person was quite natural, however, I still think first person conveying the time frame in the present adds to the "being there now" feeling. Third person is after the fact. Both have their place and I guess it is up to the reader to determine his preference. In reading and creating, both are acceptable to me. I guess in creating a story after a mission, I feel like I am more in the present than in the past and hence why I seem to write in first person without giving it any consideration. Thanks for suggesting I switch it up!

Best Regards

Time for the news.
Intrepid Fliers - December 1916.
December 1
The Battle of the Arges began along the line of the Arges River in Romania between Austro-German forces of the Central Powers and Romanian forces.
The Greek Government refused the Entente demands of 19 November.
December 2
Russian premier Alexander Trepov announced that the Allies acknowledged Russia's right to Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
December 3
German submarines entered Funchal Harbour in Madeira, sank three ships and bombarded the town.
December 4
Admiral Sir John Jellicoe was appointed as First Sea Lord, replacing Admiral Sir Henry Jackson.
December 5
Prime Minister Herbert Asquith resigned.
December 6
German forces captured Bucharest in Romania.
December 7
David Lloyd George replaced Asquith as British Prime Minister.
December 8
The Allied naval blockade of Greece began.
December 9
The new British War Cabinet was formed replacing the War Committee which had held its last meeting earlier in the month.
December 11
The two month long Battle of Cerna Bend between Bulgarian forces and French and Serbian troops ended in a tactical victory for the Entente powers.
December l2
German, Austro-Hungarian, Bulgarian and Turkish Governments all delivered a Peace Note to their respective United States embassies stating they are ready to negotiate for peace.
December 13
British forces in Mesopotamia began operations to recapture Kut-al-Amara.
December 14
Allied powers sent an ultimatum to Greece demanding the removal of all forces from Thessaly.
December 15
The Greek Government accepted the Allied ultimatum.
December 16
The United Kingdom recognized the Sherif of Mecca as King of Hejaz.
December 17
The Greek Government issued a warrant for the arrest of Eleftherios Venizelos on a charge of high treason.
December 18
The longest battle on the Western Front, the Battle of Verdun ended with huge losses but no tactical or strategic advantage had been gained by either side.
US President Woodrow Wilson issued a Circular Note, asking all belligerents to state their war objectives, as a first step towards peace.
December 19
The British Government instituted National Service.
The British Government formally recognised the Venizelos Government of Greece.
December 20
Count Heinrich Karl Clam-Martinic replaced Ernst von Koerber as Prime Minister of Austria.
December 21
British forces occupied El Arish in their advance across the Sinai.
December 22
The British Government formed new Ministries of Food, Pensions and Shipping.
December 23
The Battle of Magdhaba took place in the Sinai peninsula during the Defense of Egypt section of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. After a day long battle, Turkish troops surrendered to the British.
December 25
King George V sent a message to the troops on the third Christmas Day of the war.
December 26
An Anglo-French conference met in London to discuss the German and US Peace Notes as well as the campaign in Salonika and the division of forces on the Western Front.
December 27
The German colony of Togoland was divided into British and French administrative zones.
December 29
Two relatives of Tsar Nicolas II, Grand Duke Purishkevich and Prince Felix Yusupov poisoned the confidant of the Tsarina, Father Grigori Yefimovich Novykh (Rasputin) at Yusupov's home in Petrograd. After this attempt at murder failed, the pair shot Rasputin and dropped his body through the ice of the River Neva.
December 30
The Bulgarian Government accepted President Wilson's proposals for peace negotiations.

(From The Great War - Unseen Archives by Robert Hamilton)

Warbirds Rising - April 1917.
April 1
French troops drove German forces back to Vauxaillon, north-east of Soissons on the Western front.
April 2
President Woodrow Wilson delivered a war address to Congress asking for a Declaration of War against Germany.
April 3
The torpedo gunboat HMS Jason was sunk by a mine near Coll Island off the west coast of Scotland.
April 4
The US Senate voted in favour of a Declaration of War.
April 5
German forces finished their withdrawal to the Hindenburg line.
April 6
The United States of America came out of neutrality and declared war on Germany.
April 7
Cuba and Panama declared war on Germany.
April 8
Austria-Hungary severed diplomatic relations with the USA.
April 9
The Battle of Arras began when British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian troops attacked German defenses near the French city of Arras on the Western Front.
The Battle of Vimy Ridge formed part of the opening phase of the Battle of Arras fought mainly between Canadian and German forces as a diversionary attack for the French Nivelle Offensive.
April 10
The British hospital ship HMS Salta hit a mine laid by the German submarine UC-26 off the coast at le Havre.
Bulgaria severe diplomatic relations with the USA.
April 11
In a flanking operation during the Arras offensive Australian troops attacked the village of Bullecourt and pushed German troops out of their fortified positions and into the reserve trenches.
April 12
Canadian forces completed their capture of Vimy Ridge near Arras.
April 13
Bolivia severed diplomatic relations with Germany.
April 14
A British attack made gains east of Monchy-le-Preux as the first phase of the British offensive at Arras came to an end.
April 15
German forces penetrated the Australian front line and occupied the village of Lagnicourt but counter-attacks from Australian battalions restored the front line.
April 16
The Second Battle of the Aisne, also known as the Nivelle Offensive, began when French forces attacked the Germans along the front from Soissons to Rheims.
April 17
Three weeks after the failure of the first offensive, the Second Battle of Gaza began when British forces attacked Ottoman forces during Sinai and Palestine Campaign.
April 18
The French advance continued east and north-east of Soissons.
April 19
The Second Battle of Gaza ended when Ottoman forces resisted the British attack leaving the city firmly in Turkish control.
April 20
During a German destroyer attack on Dover, HMS Swift and HMS Broke engaged a force of six enemy destroyers and fended them off although both ships were damaged.
April 22
The Battle of Istabulat took place in Mesopotamia.
April 23
The Second Battle of the Scarpe began when the British launched an assault towards Vis-en-Artois on the Western front.
April 24
British and Indian forces captured Samarra in Mesopotamia.
April 25
Alfonso Augusto da Costa succeeded Antonio Jose de Almeida as Prime Minister of Portugal.
April 26
A second German naval raid took place on Ramsgate on the Kent coast of England.
April 27
Guatemala severed diplomatic relations with Germany.
April 28
British and Canadian troops launched an attack towards Arleux and captured the village.
April 29
General Philippe Petain was appointed French Chief of General Staff. He replaced General Robert Nivelle, whose failed offensive earlier in the month had provoked widespread mutinies in the French Army.

(From The Great War - Unseen Archives by Robert Hamilton)

Fullofit, Thanks for the news. Always nice to know the whole picture. Nice stories and pics Gents. Good reading all!

The last calendar I downloaded ended in December 1916. Is there another Intrepid Flyers calendar for 1917?

I am a little ahead me thinks but here goes.

Dudley Duckett
Vert Galant
January 5, 1917

The last few days at RNAS 8 were dismal. Heavy snows had cancelled all but a few flights since Christmas. The new year was celebrated with the usual drinking and shenanigans. Duckett was not impress with the whole show. Not being much of a drinker he thought the whole matter was foolish.

Duckett had not slept well as he was on the board to lead this mornings flight if weather permitted. He was awake when the call came. "Briefing in 30 minuets Lt." he heard. He was up in an instant and dressed. After Briefing and a quick breakfast the four pilots were ready to take off into the frigid air. Little gave Duckett a wave to let him know they were all ready. He switched to half power and started bouncing and skidding down the field as there was solid snow as far as one could see. Switching to full power the Pup bounced a few times and was airborne. Duckett felt the knot in his stomach ease a bit now that they were underway. He took the flight to 6000' and headed toward Arras which was the first way point to Riencourt which they were to attack.

Duckett was gaining a whole new respect for responsibility. Making sure the flight was on course, watching to insure his flight was in position and looking for hostile aircraft. It kept his mind busy which was a relief. Just south of Arras he changed course and headed south southeast toward Riencourt. Crossing the lines a few puffs of Archie came up to greet the the flight. Once Duckett had crossed the 3 roads he had memorized from his map he looked over the sides of his cockpit to try and pinpoint Riencourt. "There it is!" he thought. "Just off the port quarter. Not bad navigating old Boy" he proudly said to himself. He signaled 2 of his flight to attack. As they started their decent , he and #3 followed behind. Duckett scanned the sky for HA but saw none. He chose the second hanger and while bliping his engine fired four long bursts into it. Pulling up and to starboard tracers whizzed by his machine. Ground fire. He looked around again for HA just to make sure. Making his second pass on the hanger he saw smoke starting to rise from from the tented hanger. 2 of his flight had just pulled up from their attack. As he pulled up to follow he was startled to see a DII directly above and ahead of him. He followed the Hun up and was about to give it a burst when a red, white and blue roundel on the underside of a Pup filled his vision! Nosing down and banking to port they just avoided a collision. Not that the other Pup pilot, whoever it was, had any idea they almost died! Duckett saw the DII again and the other Pup bearing off. He dove in again planted himself on his tail. He must have emptied half his ammo into the Albatros. He saw pieces fly off of it and it was smoking heavily and went into a gentle glide. Bullets smacked into Duckett's machine and he realized how low he was over a German airfield. He immediately pulled up into a slow circle. He could not see his Albatros. Climbing out he made a long circle over the field and could not see any of his flight so made his way west. Archie was fully awake now as it escorted him all the way to the lines.

Circling Vert Galant he had a sinking feeling as none of his flight was there. He landed and blipped his engine to the hanger. Colin Urquahart was walking by as Duckett pulled himself out of the cockpit.

"Seems you had a bit of action" Colin said as he examined the holes in Duckett's starboard wing.

"You might call it that! I bagged one over Riencourt. Any word on the rest of the flight?" Duckett asked.

"Seems they put down at Bellevue. Everyone is OK but a bit shot about. They should be back after having their machines checked out" Colin replied.

Duckett filed a claim on the DII. The next morning the call came in that it had been rejected. Duckett was livid! "I saw it go down. It was a kill!"

Colin gave him a long look, "Sorry old Boy, but unconfirmed means unconfirmed."

Duckett straightened himself up and stated, " I don't suppose you ever had and unconfirmed kill."

"Oh but I have! I have had six!" Colin replied. "Next time you must have witnesses!"


(OK folks. I could not help myself. I watched the Blue Max last night!)

Fritz von Tralenheim
visefeldwebel
Rumbeke. Aerodrome
Schwarm Zwei. Jasta 8.


May 3, 1917.

We cut cards to see, would go after the balloon. The Jasta would cover me. The balloon popped nicely.

.

Greetings All,

I have had some actual free time in the early hours of the mornings this last week or so to bring my Centenary Campaign pilot back to the front, and it has been an honest-to-god treat. I’d nearly forgotten how wonderfully immersive this sim is. I also enjoyed several cups of coffee just now as I caught up a bit on all of your adventures here as well – superb stuff as always Gents and many thanks for sharing. I am hopeful I will have a bit more time for a while to call my own and I can spend some of it flying this campaign. Fingers crossed.


(4 January 1917, Sacy-le-Grand, Marne region)

Capitaine Allard Tremblay was still in the process of settling in to his new office at Sacy-le-Grand despite it having been nearly a week since his arrival. The past nine months had seen him serving as a lead flight instructor at Pau and while it had been a fairly agreeable assignment he had none-the-less longed to return to a combat squadron. Repeated requests for such had fallen on deaf ears until at last his wish was granted, in all likelihood because the powers-that-be simply grew tired of his unwavering persistence. So it was that, four days before Christmas of 1916, Capitaine Tremblay was informed he would be commanding Escadrille N81, a new squadron currently in the process of being formed. He was to report to the field at Sacy-le-Grand no later than the 29th to take charge of the group. Released from his duties at Pau on the 22nd Allard determined that, as he would be passing directly through it, he would visit Paris over the holiday before continuing on to his new assignment. With his gear and belongings packed and sent on ahead he was able to travel light, carrying with him nothing more than a canvas valise.

The “City of Lights” at Christmas time was grand even with the war going and the Capitaine enjoyed himself thoroughly. As he walked about the Île de la Cité and strolled along the Champs-Élysées he cut a smart figure in his crisp blue uniform adorned with aviator’s brevet, Légion d'honneur, Médaille militaire, and Croix de guerre with palms; and numerous mademoiselles were most attentive to him because of it. On la veille de Noël he attended services at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont and afterwards ate far too much at a late Christmas Eve meal that a nearby restaurant was providing for les soldats who were sans families. Christmas Day he continued to tour about the city and in the evening lingered for over an hour on the bridge in front of les Fontaines de la Concorde, simply allowing Paris to embrace him - it was so very different from his home village of Flers. Two more days of sightseeing and eating and drinking, as well as escorting a comely pair of young ladies about, and the Capitaine was done in. By the time he boarded the train on the morning of the 28th he wanted nothing more than to sleep the entire way to Sacy-le-Grand.

The weather upon his arrival at the aerodrome was cold and wet and as the place was in a state of transition, with two squadrons moving out as N81 and another new squadron were moving in, things were a fair mess. Men and machines had all shown up more or less on schedule and the Capitaine found himself in command of twelve officers, sixty-three enlisted men, eleven Nieuport Scouts, (6 N17s and 5 N11s), and a clutter of miscellaneous equipment and supplies. In addition, (though not solely in his charge), were forty-odd Chinese laborers assigned to help with the manual tasks about camp. Allard got to work immediately and by late morning of the 30th things were far enough along that he was able to lead his flock aloft for their first tour of the area. However, heavy rain set in shortly after take-off and the Capitaine had to abbreviate the sortie. He tried the same the following day but managed only a few kilomètres farther along before the weather forced the flight back yet again. As it was New Year’s Eve and as it was unlikely there would be any flying the next morning the Capitaine suggested a soirée in celebration, to which all agreed heartily. Despite it being makeshift and last-minute the party went splendidly, continuing on into the first small hours of 1917.

As luck would have it New Year’s morning saw a temporary end to the rain, (with “luck” being deemed either good or bad depending on one’s physical condition following the festivities). Shortly after 9:00 Capitaine Tremblay was informed by HQ that he should immediately take a flight across to Reims and patrol the lines in that area. As he studied the map he wondered if those in charge could have found somewhere farther away to send them. Never-the-less a short while later four N17s and two N11s of the fledgling Escadrille 81 lifted off into a cold winter’s sky and flew for over two hours on their first combat sortie as a group. It was an uneventful outing with the only excitement involving their return on nearly empty tanks. One of the N11s actually ran out of fuel and its pilot, Sergent Doumier, landed it dead stick in a pasture just to the east of the aerodrome, and the young fellow did it most adeptly at that.

The next two days were complete wash-outs as the rain came down in torrents grounding everything in the area and bringing outside work to a near halt. Which brings the world to this day, the 4th of January, 1917, where Capitaine Tremblay finds himself continuing to sort out his new office and quarters at Sacy-le-Grand, in command of a new escadrille, at the start of a new year. It was also the third year of this godforsaken war, he wondered if it would be the last.



The newly-formed Escadrille N81 at Sacy-le-Grand, preparing for their first combat sortie.

Glad to see you back in the skies Lou! You have been missed. I hope your pilot does well with his new command.

I missed your stories and presence here immensely. Glad to see you back and hope you get more personal time from your hectic schedule.

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Thanks Robert and Mark, it feels good to be back in the WOFF skies.

MFair, Lou,

Loved your detailed and entertaining stories. Great start to a busy day!