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The "TWO On Twenty" combat reports are very clear.
If colusion is suggested then the crediblity of those four men is in question, or their inability to count because of bad weather or lack of amo forced them to leave offering a fractured and disfigured report. However the report is clear:
B.F. 2B B1164; B.1253. 2/Lts. A./C. Atkey, J.E. Gurdon, C.G. Gass,A.J.H.Thorton. 6:45 p.m. 10 miles N. E. of Arras; O.P.; 15000' 4 in flames 4 crashed. "Whilst doing on O.P. in pairs, 2lt Grudon and myself dived on formation of 7 e.a. In the first dive botlhe machines shot down one e.a. in flames and on coming out or the dive, 2lt. Thornton(obs) fired at one which was on his tgail which also burst into flames. One E.A. almost collided with tail of 2nd lt. Atkey's machine and
was shot down in flames at a range of a few feet. During this fighting the ea were reinforced by two other formations which brought their numbers up to about 20. We were fighting with them for about half of an hour during which time many of them spun away possibly o.o.c. or just breaking off the engagement. Only four were actually seen to crash and are claimed by 2/Lt Atkey (2), 2/Lt. Gurdon (1), 2/Lt. Gass (1). We had then run out of amm for the back guns so broke off the fighting. As we left we counted the e.a., which did not follow us, and there were only 7 left."
So that was Dad's report at the time and I believe him. If you check today in history he encountered another large formation on 9th of May.
George Atkey
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