1917 Eagles Fall by Griff Hosker

our own so that we could show them, in the safety of the mess, the tactics and moves we would be performing. We were also able to tell them a little more about the enemy aeroplanes we would be meeting. They had to know how deadly the new Fokker and Albatros fighters were.  Thankfully there only appeared to be a handful but with their twin guns they were a danger to be feared.
    Charlie was pleased about the promotion, when it came through, but not as pleased as I had expected. “Don’t get me wrong sir, I think it is marvellous and the extra money will come in very handy.  The thing is I am not certain now that I will stay in after the war is over.  I mean there is Alice. You didn’t want to drag Beatrice around the country following you, well I can’t do that to Alice. She has a career.”
    I was taken aback.  He had known her but a week. “You are thinking about marriage? Rushing things a little aren’t you?”
    “With respect sir, life is too short not to take the bull by the horns.  We love each other and we want to be together.  I haven't asked her yet but there is an understanding.  Next time we get a leave I am going up to meet your parents and that might be a good time.”
    “We won’t have another leave in Blighty now until much later in the year. You know that.”
    “I know sir.  But I can plan.”
    I knew that I couldn’t blame him but it all seemed a little hasty. I mentioned it to Bates that evening as he was laying out my clothes. “I know what you are saying, sir, but they do seem to be a lovely couple; much like yourself and Miss Porter. I envy you both. The other officers I served had had wives and enjoyed a brief family life.  From what I can see Mr Sharp has had none of that.  It would be cruel to deny him the opportunity. The war can’t last forever.”
    “I know, Bates, but can we survive this war? It seems to me that the odds are now moving against us.”
    He had hung up my tunic and said, “Yes sir but you and the other chaps seem to have the knack of evening the odds, don’t you?”
    We now had four flights of five aeroplanes with Major Leach as a floating reserve.  Having done his job for a few days I understood why he did not fly as much as the rest of us.  The old Colonel had never flown at all. I had told him what Lord Burscough had said about the new German aeroplanes. As a result we flew in two flights of ten aeroplanes.  We needed protection in numbers. It was the middle of January when we began our patrols in earnest.
    We were given the sector north of Cambrai.  I was the one who had flown over here when we had fled the Germans in the autumn and I had ridden the land when in the cavalry.  It looked to be a jungle of icy jarred spikes and water filled craters.  The winter had frozen the scene of death and destruction. Everything looked black, white or grey. Nothing seemed to move. When the weather eased and it became warmer I knew that it would be a morass of mud.  I pitied the Tommies trying to hold that let alone advance across it.
    The fact that we were patrolling meant that the Generals were planning a spring offensive. Our first patrol was just to acclimatise us to the new sector.  It proved to be a baptism of fire.
    We reached our sector and I led A and C flights north, in the general direction of Arras.  Gordy led B and D flights south towards the Somme. Lumpy flashed signals to the ground to identify us.  We would be liaising closely with them and it was important that the signallers on the ground and Lumpy got to know each other’s signalling idiosyncrasies. There was low cloud that day.  It made Lumpy’s job easier but made our life more precarious.  I was glad that it was Freddie who was at the rear of our line.  Although I had the most experience flight we still needed everyone’s attention on the grey clouds scudding in from the east.
    “Righto sir. We have established communication.  They say it has been quiet over this sector for a while.