That Red Bastard

I havent recovered from my knee wound long but Ive been sent back to help this company until my lot comes out from the line. Im on Light Duties which actually means myself and five other men are guarding a line of trees behind which, is an empty hill. The roots of the trees come to the edge of this trench and some of us lean on them I think were somewhere opposite Gommecourt but fairly far back .We are in a very shallow support trench (so calledit supports nothing)so shallow, in fact that even I can see over the parapetwere so visible that were we closer to the Front, a German sniper would get us a mile off. Its about eleven in the morning, fairly sunny but with a slightly damp chill if you get in the wrong place. Im hungry, but Im on duty, so I try to forget how long its going to be before my next meal.

In short, we have no idea what were doing hear, or what the heck were guardingits probably one of those keeping up the offensive spirit exercises the high ups seem so keen on just now. Any way, here are the six of us four privates, one corporal and a sergeant. None of them say much, and if you ask them anything, they answer in a single grunt the only one who makes much noise is the Sergeant. Theyre worried about him because they think he might be close to break down had a bad time with some enemy planes last year, apparently got a whole platoon blown up to various degrees or something. You mention planes to him now, youre risking getting your head kicked in., Ive heard.  I didnt quite believe it at first I mean, I believed he might have Shell shock, but I didnt believe it about the planes...

Hey, up! says one of the other men, giving me what seems to be a warning look. I realise, in his dialect he means somethings gonna happen or wait for it. We hear the climbing drone of planes it the distance. Everyone seems a bit more wary of the enemy planes since I went in with my wound, and news is filtering through about some air Ace the Germans have. You mention planes or dog fights and every body starts talking about him as if hes got a forked tail and cloven feet, not just an airman doing his job, like our own Ace, Albert Ball. Apparently this guy is killing our men like nobodies business depending on who you talk to, it ranges from 3 or 4 by now, up to 100 in a week..  Its hard to separate truth from rumour, so Im just waiting to see what happens for myself.  This guy is, I reckon, already turning into something of a mythological legend you know; the type who you know is a real person, but you dont know how reliable the stories about him are. Hes called the Red Baron but you wouldnt think so, to hear the Sarge he blames this guy for every aerial attack, every dogfight our side loses Im maybe a bit out of touch, things change so fast on the Front sometimes, but I find the antics and planes of both sides airmen fascinating. How they can keep those things up and shoot and all that at once. I picture myself trying to do itId concentrate too much on my target and loose control of the plane, Im sure.

The drone is levelling out now the planes are airborne, and we know they arent ours by the sound.  We start to get a little jittery because were so visible in this ridiculous trench. Are they sending a plane to strafe us cos they know were here? Will they see us and drop bombs or something?  Im not experienced enough with aerial attacks to know if they can shoot precisely at us from the craft

We bend down a bit, so were no longer standing heads above the parapet not fully crouched, were not cowards, and one by one , we give in and slide our tin helmets over to put on. But not the Sarge.  Hes still standing up.  Corp tries to pull him down, then we all try, telling him not to be stupid, but hes loading his gun, muttering Its him again.  Its him!  Ill get him this time!  You see if I dont Rifle loaded, he holds it at Ready. The planes are about half a mile away now; we lift our eyes enough to see them. Sarge is trying to train his sights on the lead plane.  Three approached, in almost a flypast fashion, and I think by the way they are doing so, they are reconnaissance rather than fighters.for a start, I cant see one of ours anywhere near Evidently, the others start thinking the same, and we realise how well we are camouflaged by our uniforms and being under trees Sarge isnt having that.  Hes shaking his rifle at the planes and yelling at them to come on!  Then he turns to us, bright red in the face, scowling under his cap, sweat running down to his moustache. Tells us we ought to be shooting too.  Corp says our rifles wouldnt have any effect and asks why Sarge wants us to shoot. Sarge does not like criticism, points to the lead plane and yells Its him again, You Idiots! - Its that F--kin Red Bastard again!

The planes fly directly over head and he gets in a tangle with his rifle sling as he tries to turn and fire at them, grumbling at us because he missed his chance to Get em as they came towards the trench cos he was having to explain Our Duties to us where That Divil was concerned. The last pilot of the three turns and gives him a cheeky wave, which makes us want to laugh. Sarge gives one more yell of You Red Bastard!!! and gives up.

I have a burning desire to tell him the planes were a pale grey-green, not red at all, but I dont think thatd go down to well Corp winks at me, and we get back to our real dutyguarding nothing!