Source: File: German Aerodrome. See an
original image at: <http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive/image5/GermanAerodromes.jpg>
[Accessed 06 August 2017]
Winter in August enshrouded
In dankness; an army dug in as
well
As they could into a
swampland.
Vile Flemish weather created
Glutinous mud; shell holes
as ponds.
As insects in a ploughed
field
Walking wounded made their
way as
Best they could, trying to
avoid
Shelling arriving at
clearing
Stations, as weary figures
of mud.
The foulest of weather was
not
Confined to ground, where in
the air
The forces of aircraft did
not
Hesitate to take part over
Enemy territory to create
havoc.
31 July saw keen embarkation
Of eager airmen to add their
part,
Swooping low over marching
Heads of enemy to scatter
Them, or taking bombs to
camps.
These airmen often flying
low
At tree height - as one air
pilot did
Till coming to an aerodrome.
He targeted the hangers -
those
On ground initially saw him
as own.
Then a bomb hit the first
hanger
Causing panic, whilst he
swooped
To the open doors firing
inside -
Lifting, soaring to the
second
Shed to provide a gift of a
bomb.
A third hanger took another
Bomb; a delay in the handle's
action
Sent fourth bomb onto ground
Near to a railway siding,
close
To a train - the Germans
took aim.
They fired at the English
Plane but the pilot
undeterred led
Straight into them in return
Of fire, to scatter them
about -
At 20ft to target the sheds
again.
Firing last of his bullets the
pilot
Lifted away to a cloud. With
renewed
Ammunition this aerodrome
Saw the return of the flyer
so
Low to skim the ground again,
Firing into hangers on
mechanics.
Having left that aerodrome
In disarray, the English
pilot came
Across two German officers
On horseback, to dive low
Over their heads; the horses
bolted.
Further along from a height
the pilot swooped to a
marching
German column, letting loose
Fire In their midst, they
scattered
To seek safety in ditch and
hedge.
Having used all ammunition
The pilot retreated to fix a
third
Drum - he emerged from
Cloud to discover German
Craft in pursuit in ariel
battle.
In evasive action and
Reaction the three fought briefly,
Until in pursuit a German
Crashed to ground to see
A German crowd gather round.
Without hesitation he turned
Again and targeted the crowd.
The British pilot left them
To encounter a civil train
Finishing bullets returned
to base.
by Jamie Mann.
Gibb.P,1917.
Heroic Airman In The Battle Of Flanders -Amazing Exploits. The Daily
Telegraph, [online] 03 August 1917. P.5.
Col.5-6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214748/Daily-Telegraph-August-3-1917.html
[Accessed: 06 August 2017].
Mann, J., 2016. 100
years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 06 August
2017).
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