Free 1916 Angels over the Somme (British Ace Book 3) by Griff Hosker Page B

to do a loop!”
    Lieutenant Swan looked incredulous, “How did you survive sir?”
    “I hung on to the Lewis. Look after your gunner.  When he is on the rear Lewis fly as straight as you can.  Tell him when you are going to do violent manoeuvres.”
    “Thank you sir.”
    “What for?  This is just your first lesson.  We have to teach you how to change a magazine in the air and how to fly standing up and firing the rear Lewis.”
    “Really?”
    “Really, Lieutenant Dunston.” We had reached the mess. I sat them down at a table. “Now tomorrow I want you, Lieutenant Swan, to stick to my tail like glue.  You will be fifty feet behind me.  I don’t want you shredding your gunner on my propeller.  Dunston, you will be the same distance behind Swan.  We play follow my leader.  What I do, you do. Your gunner can fire at any target he sees but you can’t fire if I am in the way so don’t even think about it.  When we come back put both your gunners on the rear Lewis and watch for the Hun in the sun. You will have Lieutenant Hewitt behind you and he was a gunner too.  You should be in safe hands. If you survive tomorrow we will work on your other skills.”
    “Right sir, and thank you.” They both looked shaken as they went to their quarters.
    Charlie Sharp had been listening and he came over, “A harsh lesson for them, Captain Harsker.”
    “I know Charlie but better here than with a Fokker trying to kill you.”
    He nodded, “Yes sir.  There is no forgiveness in the skies.”
    Holt and Carrick spent some time, over dinner, talking to the two young pilots.  I saw their hands demonstrating manoeuvres.  It would have been better had my two wing men been flying but we had no time for such luxuries.
    The four flight commanders went over the maps for the raid.  We were heading for the area east of Warlencourt so I knew the location.  We were bombing a crossroads.  The Germans had stopped bringing trains close to the front.  We had wrecked the rails too many times for that. The problem we would have would be that we would be five miles behind enemy lines and the German squadrons would be over us like flies around a dunghill.
    “Right Bill, I will fly to the south with Ted and his flight.  You take the north. I think five hundred feet above the bombers should give us an edge.”
    “Yes sir but it is when we try to leave that we will have a problem.  They are faster than we are and much faster than the Fokker fodder we will be escorting.” Ted had become more confident in the last few months and now voiced his opinion.
    “I know.”
    “Why don’t we take them on and let the BE’s get a lead?” Ted nodded towards Bill’s Bullshit on the wall. We have double the firepower of the Fokker and it eliminates their speed advantage. We fly into them and then head home.  The technique Holt and Carrick used might work.  Stack the buses one above the other and make it hard for the Germans to get behind us.”
    “That would normally work, Ted, but I have two Beer Boys with me.  They have an hour in a Gunbus I am not sure using such a manoeuvre would be useful for them.”
    He shrugged and Archie said, “It’s the only way, Bill.  Have a word with them and explain.”
    I found the two nervous pilots.  I was delighted that they were talking with their gunners.  That was progress in itself.
    “Listen boys, if we have to attack the Germans and then retreat I want us to stack one above the other to give mutual self protection.  I will fly close to the ground; Lieutenant Swan fifty feet above me and Lieutenant Dunston fifty feet above him. The idea is to stop the Germans from getting below me.  I will keep as low as I can.” I smiled to make it easier, “I know this is a lot to take in on your first day but believe me it is important.  There are infantry being slaughtered on the ground.  Today we can save some lives.”
    They both nodded resolutely.  It was all that I could ask.

Chapter 6
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