1915 Fokker Scourge (British Ace Book 2) by Griff Hosker Read Free Book Online Page A

death toll was too high.  We had lost ten valuable mechanics and cooks as well as fifteen others who had been wounded.  The major began to, belatedly, organise defences for us.  Machine guns were dotted around the airfield and we were told to park our aeroplanes so that they were further apart.  It was a little like shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted. We would now be down to eight aeroplanes and that was dependent upon our depleted mechanics being able to repair the two most badly damaged of them.
    Ted was correct.  I was about to pay for my outburst. The next morning, as we gathered for our daily briefing the major had an oddly self satisfied expression upon his face.  “We will not be patrolling our sector today gentlemen.  The attack the other day has rendered us temporarily ineffective.  We will patrol the sector from here to the front in case the Germans try a second attack.  However I wish to discover where the German bombers came from.  Lieutenant Harsker has shown himself capable of shooting down enemy aircraft and so as our most successful combat pilot he can have the honour of finding the German bombers’ airfield. ” He looked at me with a superior look on his face.  He thought he had beaten me.  “Even as we speak the bombs are being fitted to your aeroplane in case you do find it. Any questions?” No-one answered and he added, “Very well good luck everyone.”
    Gordy and Ted looked at me and shook their heads. “Bastard! This is a suicide mission Bill.  Just fly over their lines and then come back here. One aeroplane behind enemy lines stands no chance.”
    “No Gordy.  I will do the mission as ordered. If I refuse I play into his hands for I will look like a coward and I will not give him that satisfaction. It is my own fault for talking back to him. I will pay the price of telling the truth. He will keep on at me until he succeeds anyway so I might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.”
    As I went to my tent to get my flying gear I began to work ou t where the airfield might be.  The odds were that it would be further from the front than the fighter airfields.  It meant I had further to go and further to return.  Even if I avoided the Germans on the way over they would be waiting for me on the way back.  Perhaps Gordy was right and it was a suicide mission.
    Sergeant Sharp was already at the aeroplane looking with some interest at the four bombs being fitted to the outside of the front of the aeroplane.  “What’s this all about sir?”
    “It seems the major has great faith in us, Sergeant Sharp.  He is sending us to find the German bombers who did so much damage to our own field.”
    His jaw actually dropped.  “We are going alone?  That is madness.”
    “I don’t know.  One aeroplane has a slightly better chance of getting through than a whole squadron.  Besides, we do not have a whole squadron. We will just have to do the best that we can. But,” I added cheekily, “keep a German phrase book handy eh? Just in case.”
    He laughed, “We are a pair of mad buggers sir.”
    “Bring a spare can of petrol.  We may need it. And you will need to plot our course on the map so that we can tell the major where the airfield is when we get back.”
    The heavier engine , extra fuel and the bombs made the take off a little longer than usual but we eventually rumbled into the air. I told Sharp my plan as we climbed to ten thousand feet. I wanted to be well above any enemy fire from the guns on the ground. “Those bombers have a long range and I think they will be well behind enemy lines.  That is why we have the extra fuel in case we run out. When we chased them from our field they were heading in this direction and I think they will have taken the shortest route to get back to their field. We are looking for a green patch of land with half a dozen twin engine aeroplanes. There will be a windsock such as the type we use.” I chuckled, “And probably a