u at
Mossy-Face in the morning!"

In the morning some of us saw him spin earthwards over Mossy-Face Wood,
surrounded by Hun machines.

Long before the dawn of September 15, I awoke to the roar of engines,
followed by an overhead drone as a party of bombers circled round until
they were ready to start. When this noise had died away, the dull boom
of an intense bombardment was able to make itself heard. I rolled over
and went to sleep again, for our own show was not due to start until
three hours later.

The Flying Corps programme on the great day was a marvel of
organisation. The jobs fitted into one another, and into the general
tactical scheme of the advance, as exactly as the parts of a flawless
motor. At no time could enemy craft steal toward the lines to spy out
the land. Every sector was covered by defensive patrols which travelled
northward and southward, southward and northward, eager to pounce on any
black-crossed stranger. Offensive patrols moved and fought over Boche
territory until they were relieved by other offensive patrols. The
machines on artillery observation were thus worried only by Archie, and
the reconnaissance formations were able to do their work with little
interruption, except when they passed well outside the patrol areas.
Throughout the day those guerillas of the air, the bombing craft, went
across and dropped eggs on anything between general headquarters and a
railway line. The corps buses kept constant communication between
attacking battalions and the rear. A machine first reported the exploit
of the immortal Tank that waddled down High Street, Flers, spitting
bullets and inspiring sick fear. And there were many free-lance stunts,
such as Lewis gun attacks on reserve troops or on trains.

The three squadrons attached to our aerodrome had to the day's credit
two long reconnaissances, three offensive patrols, and four bomb raids.
Six Hun machines were destroyed on these shows, and the bombers did
magnificent work at vital points. At 2 A.M. they dropped eggs
on the German Somme headquarters. An hour later they deranged the
railway station of a large garrison town. For the remaining time before
sunset they were not so busy. They merely destroyed an ammunition train,
cut two railway lines, damaged an important railhead, and sprayed a
bivouac ground.

An orderly called me at 4.15 A.M. for the big offensive patrol.
The sky was a dark-grey curtain decorated by faintly twinkling stars. I
dres