Bloody April - 1917is 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.
Comments: • Except for the tragic loss of the DH-4 with both its crew the day had been fairly easy; we had been scheduled for two missions only. I assigned myself a twilight patrol and I took off with an overcast sky deciding to head towards Zone ‘B’ because being the center of our sector I thought the majority of the activity might be there. • I passed over the lines east of Mercatel staying just under the clouds. As I entered German airspace I was jumped by three EA: A Halb D-III and two Alb. D-II’s. It quickly became a duel between me and one of the Alb’s. I got on his tail and put some rounds into him, but not enough to knock him down, just enough to make him scurry away. • I finished my scouting assignment and thought to do some trench strafing, but upon nearing the lines my controls took some damage from MG fire. (By then it was fairly dark and I fear it could have been from my own lads.) • I landed at the central emergency field and will be in the thick of things by morning.
Comments: • I assigned Lt. Brandt to lead the flight in an offensive patrol into Zone “C”. He and two of the new pilots headed towards St. Quintin under overcast skies. Just south of Peronne an Alb. D-III and a Halb. D-III attacked out of the clouds. On the first pass Lt. Brandt’s tail was hit several times leaving him with little control of his aircraft; he was able to make off by going upwards into the clouds. He had no opportunity to signal to the others and left for the southern emergency field. Blessing was driven off also but uninjured and with one of the Huns struggling with a gun jam the two of them turned back to their lines. • The two pilots joined up and decided to carry on with the patrol. Because they hadn’t climbed after the combat they passed over the lines at a thousand feet and were confronted with withering machinegun fire. A couple miles into German territory they were attacked by Richthofen accompanied by two Alb. D-II’s. Blessing soon found himself entangled with one of the D-II’s and a couple passes later Blessing, too, was in a duel with the other D-II. The Baron seemed to disappear, perhaps deliberately leaving his comrades to handle the two Allied intruders. Nothing came of the fight except Blessing and Austin gained experience dodging Hun bullets. • Both pilots reported believing they saw several flights of Huns high above; at one point three times in about 25 miles! But the enemy never saw them or declined attacking for some reason. • The only ground activity, other than machinegun fire, was a supply convoy passing below. They both attacked but think they did little or no damage. • They contemplated flying up the line, but they were taking fire from our troops as well as the enemy and quickly decided against it.
(Signed) Capt. Everett Hopewell, ‘B’ Flight, 19 Sqdrn. (as related by Lt’s. Austin & Blessing) Mission Points: Zone “C” over flown 1 Sopwith Pup aborted (Lt. Brandt) & to the southern emergency field: - 3 Mission Deduction: - 0 Mission TOTAL: - 3
•The flight was no sooner airborne when snow and sleet enveloped us; we managed to find our way by staying at a thousand feet; by the time we crossed northwest of Cambrai the snow had changed to rain.
• Suddenly out of the clouds and mist we were set upon by the Baron and five Alb. D-II’s.On that cunning killer’s first pass he shot down Sgt. Price’s DH-4.Both Price and his observer Lt. Carlton Foxx were killed as the plane exploded on contact with the ground.The fight then broke up with the remaining four of us each involved in individual dogfights - fortunately without the participation of Richthofen - and nothing more occurred.Lt. Austin and I stayed high to be certain the Boche had left while Lt. Brandt and Sgt. Cadell circled low over the crash site to determine if anyone lived.Accepting the fact that no one could have survived the crash and subsequent fire we continued on to the spotting area.
• Throughout the remainder of the mission the wet weather continued which was generally to our advantage in that it was more difficult for the enemy to see us; however, we had also just experienced what can happen when one is spotted from above through a cloud layer.
• Zone ‘C’ spotting was trouble-free in that contact was made almost immediately, but at ‘B’ we were necessitated into circling for too long a period.Undoubtedly the vagaries of weather contributed.
• I had kept us low for the entire flight and now, on the return, nothing more occurred other than we repeatedly encountered Hun machinegun fire in its full fury.Twice I believe I glimpsed enemy aircraft above us; apparently they were too high to see down through the mist and clouds.Return flights are often the worst of times when there have been deaths.But with this kind of weather there was little time for that for it was necessary to mind the piloting, navigating within sight of the land just below, watching for landmarks while avoiding bringing the flight down too low.Thus, I had little time to dwell on our unfortunate losses and how things might have been done differently.The snow storm was finally abating as we arrived back at Amiens.
With 2Lt Clark still at the Advanced Landing Field, this evening's Twilight Patrol fell to me. It was overcast as I climbed to 1000 feet and made my way very slowly to the northwest in the fading light. I passed north of Mercatel, then turned southeast to reach the front. By now a light rain was falling.
Following the trenches southward, I tried to strafe the enemy positions, but my gun jammed. I cleared the jam, but on my second strafing pass, the gun jammed again — this time permanently. Nevertheless, I decided to continue my patrol to encourage our troops. German groundfire did hit my machine once, holing the fuselage, and two German scouts escorting a two-seater trailing smoke were seen far above me.
A "friendly" machine-gun nest fired on me as I left the front, but it missed and I returned to Corbie aerodrome safely.
I sent 2Lt Hight and A/M Palmer of No. 5 Sqdn out to photograph Douai airfield this afternoon, with orders to fly above the clouds, dipping below them only briefly to expose their plates. Sgts Shoemaker and Chenevert-Mercy were their pilots. I am concerned that this information may have made its way to German Intelligence, as reports from the front indicate that an entire flight of red HA met them as soon as they emerged below the clouds over Douai. One machine was hit and began trailing smoke, then both were shot down. I can only hope the crews survived.
(signed) Captain Matthew Edeline "B" Flight Leader, No. 54 Sqdn RFC April 3, 1917
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Victory Points
Three Allied Aircrew Killed (Hight, Palmer, Chenevert-Mercy) -90 One Allied Aircrew Captured (Shoemaker) -25 Two Allied Two-Seaters Destroyed (Shoemaker, Chenevert-Mercy) -30 No Photographic Plate -10
2Lts Clark and Stramel along with our newcomers, 2Lts Degrande and Barrington, accompanied me on an operation against enemy ground targets southwest of Cambrai. I led the flight at 1000 feet under heavy cloud. Clark's engine gave him some momentary trouble just past Albert, but he got it going again and was able to stay with us.
We strafed the enemy trenches as we crossed the lines, Degrande's wings getting holed for his trouble. We came upon a goods train much sooner than we expected, and our surprise was such that not one of us registered a hit! Another goods train was nearby, and this time both new pilots, Degrande and Barrington, made good hits. Barrington was wounded by defensive fire from this train, but fortunately, was able to keep flying.
As we headed back toward the lines, Clark and Barrington came under fire from a machine gun emplacement. Barrington broke off, but Clark persisted as if he were invincible and soon had his engine seriously damaged. I had the flight escort Clark to the South Advanced Landing Field, strafing the enemy trenches once again as we passed. After seeing Clark safely on the ground, the rest of us proceeded to Corbie.
Barrington will be grounded until the 7th. While Clark's spirit is admirable, when he returns to the aerodrome tonight, I will remind him that risks should only be run when there is some advantage to be gained.
(signed) Lieutenant Wolfgang Grün "B" Flight, No. 54 Sqdn RFC April 3, 1917
I conducted a high-level defensive line patrol this morning, with Sgt Shoemaker piloting. There was heavy cloud as we climbed to 20,000 feet beyond Albert. The South Advanced Landing Field was our first checkpoint, although we could not, of course, see it through the cloud. We then headed north, encountering a brief thunderstorm near Bapaume. Returning to Corbie via Albert in sleet with occasional rain, we landed safely without having spotted any hostile aircraft.
(signed) 2nd Lieutenant Bernard Hight No. 5 Sqdn RFC April 3, 1917
WEATHER: 10. Heavy Cloud (AM 15+ / PM 13-) No. 19 SQUADRON(Amiens Aerodrome) 'A' Flight: 26 Dawn Patrol, Defensive Line Patrol, Photo Reconn., Offensive Line Patrol 'B' Flight: 25 Artillery Spotting (AM), Offensive Line Patrol No. 54 SQUADRON(Corbie Aerodrome) 'A' Flight: 13 Balloon Bursting (AM), Defensive Line Patrol, Bombing Raid 'B' Flight: 26 Defensive Line Patrol, Photo Recon., Offensive Line Patrol
Replacements: 'A'/19: 2Lt. R. 0-E-3, Lt. M. 3-A-4 'B'/19: 2Lt. B. 1-F-2, 1 Denied 'A'/54: N/a 'B'/54: 2Lt. D. 2-E-2, 2Lt. B 3-D-3, 1 Denied; 5 Sqdrn.: Pilot Sgt. C. 2-B-2, Obs. A/M P. F-1 All aircraft replaced per requests. AAR's and End of Day Reports due the evening of Feb. 1, 2010
OVER THERE, Songs of War and Peace, Michael Feinstein (1980)
FLYBOYS, Directed by Tony Bill - a good tale, but not for the WWI purist (2006)
BLOODY APRIL: Slaughter in the Skies Over Arras Peter Hart (June 2005)
Links of Interest
Yahoo Group: Wings Over France. This is the premier WoF site: contains group messages, optional rules, graphics, links and histories of past campaigns.
