Bloody April - 1917 is a campaign game from Terry Goodchild’s ‘Wings over France’ rules for solitaire play of WWI aerial combat during the Battle of Arras. Like all the combat of the war the offensive took a terrible toll, but in the air the Allied losses were especially heavy compared to those of Germany. This campaign attempts to recreate that bloody month . . .

ASSIGNMENTS & REPORTS


To the Men of the Amiens Sector:

We are about to undertake a great offensive. It will prove to be a challenge for all of you and your aircraft. Because of the defensive nature of the Hun air strategy we must take the battle to him, which we will do with the utmost vigor. Remember always our primary responsibility is to provide assistance to the ground forces; this is the highest priority, and to do so, we must do everything possible to protect our reconnaissance and observation aircraft. Set forth and do battle knowing that with you are the confidence and heart-felt appreciation of a grateful nation.
Colonel J.B. Wagner-Stowe DSO
Commanding Officer, Amiens Sector

Sunday, 21 November 2010

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Long Reconnaissance - 14 April, 1917.

Zone B

Sir:

2Lt Hamilton decided that two observers could expose plates twice as fast as one, and so would spend less time at dangerously low altitude. Therefore, he had me accompany him to the same objective he had photographed yesterday. Sgt Hill was my pilot, and Sgt Steele flew for the Lieutenant again. Like yesterday, the distance to our objective made an escort from No 54 Sqdn impossible.

We climbed rapidly to 20,000 feet through thunderstorms that did not abate until I judged we were over Beaumont. Mist covered our objective when we arrive, so the Lieutenant signalled that we were to circle until it lifted. After about 15 minutes, the mist turned to a light rain, and we descended to 7000 feet to expose our first plate. There was no Archie, but the mist rolled back after we'd each exposed that one plate, so we climbed to 17,000 feet and circled for another five minutes until the rain returned. This time we each exposed two plates before the mist closed in again, but the Lieutenant thought a total of six plates would be sufficient, and he signalled a turn for home.

A calculation while we climbed showed me that all petrol burned while circling and climbing had put Corbie out of our range. The Lieutenant must have made the same calculation, as he had us level off at 14,000 feet instead of the usual 20,000, and signalled our new destination to be the Mercatel Advanced Landing Field.

Ironically, the mist changed back to rain as soon as we levelled off. I thought we'd made it when we began to descend toward the Advanced Landing Field, but at 11,000 feet we were intercepted by six (!) Halberstadt D3s. The Lieutenant and I kept up a steady defensive fire. Hill and Steele did their best to position us, but nothing they did could change our dire petrol situation. Eventually, we just had to dive through the rain and hope there was a suitable landing spot beneath us. Hill set us down fine, but Steele cracked up badly. He and the Lieutenant were both taken to the Casualty Clearing Station. Needless to say, all the plates were ruined.

(signed) Sgt Christopher Barnes
No. 5 Sqdn RFC
April 14, 1917

****************
Victory Points
No Usable Plate -20
Two Allied Aircrew Seriously Wounded (Hamilton, Steele) -40
One Allied Two-Seater Badly Damaged (Steele) -10
One Allied Two-Seater w/ Minor Damage (Hill) -5
Total -75
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