1915 Fokker Scourge (British Ace Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

shrugged, “I have to try. He can only say no.”
    And of course he did say no. “I will not change my orders just because of a few bullet holes in the wings of our aircraft. The young pilots will learn to deal with it.” He smirked, “If you could manage that then I am sure that these well trained young men who went to the finest schools in England will have no problem.  Breeding and education will prove superior.”
    I had no argument to such an outdated and illogical argument.  Gordy was r ight, someone would have to die before this stubborn man would change his mind.
    Soon after we took off I began to veer to the south. I would fly a different outward leg. I had Gordy on one side of me and Ted on the other.  I knew that I was safe from anyone reporting me. When Ted saw me getting closer I saw him wave and he, too, began to head south. I also began to climb. I climbed until I was beyond the effective range of a German rifle.  As I passed the German trenches I could see the flashes of the small arms and hear the crump of their artillery.  Clouds of smoke pockmarked the sky below me and I dipped the aircraft into a shallow dive to take us to our allotted altitude. The manoeuvre confused the gunners who had changed their fuses.  The shells now exploded above us. A few pieces of shrapnel pierced the fabric of the upper wing but our stability was maintained. As I headed north I noticed a column of German vehicles moving up the road.
    “Charlie, let’s attack that column.  Get ready on your machine gun.  I shall fly along the column from west to east and then turn when the magazine is empty.”
    “Righto sir.”
    We both knew that it was a safe manoeuvre for any guns in the vehicles would be pointing east.  The chances of us being hit were slim. I dropped down to fifty feet from the ground.  To the German drivers it must have looked as though we were flying into their cab s.  One of them veered to the side before Sharp had even fired and I saw the lorry overturn into the drainage ditch. When Sharp did begin to fire he was able to hit the cab and then stitch a line of bullets into the interior. I had no idea what they were carrying.  It could have been men or supplies. One of them, however, had to have been carrying ammunition for I heard the explosion behind me.
    “That’s it sir.  Out of ammo.”
    I began to climb and turn north once again. Our attack meant that we were the last to land and there was a reception committee awaiting me. The major stood tapping his leg with his swagger stick.  Ted, Gordy and Billy Campbell were standing nearby as though examining Gordy’s aircraft.
    As soon as I was out he strode over to me. “Well Lieutenant Harsker, have you an explanation?”
    I gave him my most innocent look. “What do you mean sir?”
    He pointed to my aircraft, “You are late back and you have fired your weapons! Explain!”
    “Oh that, we saw a column of German vehicles and we attacked them.”
    “That is not in my standing orders!” There was a triumphant note in his voice.
    “With respect sir , you do not mention that in your standing orders. There is no reference to using our guns, attacking or defending ourselves. As there were no standing orders covering that eventuality I used the previous standing orders of Colonel Pemberton-Smythe.” I gave him a puzzled look, “Did I do wrong, sir?”
    He reddened, “I will amend my orders immediately. There will be no attacks without my permission.” He turned to storm away.
    “Sir, suppose we are attacked?  Do we fire back or not?”
    “Of course but you were not attacked by an aircraft.”
    “Does ground fire not count as an attack?”
    “Do not be pedantic.  I will have a new set of standing orders within the hour!”
    The others crowded around me once he had gone.  “Well done ,Bill!”
    I shook my head.  “I am not so certain but it had to be done. Are we observers or airmen?”
    The orders we saw pinned to the notice board were