Pilot strafing

[Der Grüne Flieger]

I just finished reading "Winged Warfare" by Billy Bishop. I found his book interesting but it is anecdotal, without a great deal of historical fact.

He expresses great joy in killing and seemed to be a true hunter, in the same mold as MvR. On page 92, he describes chasing a two seater that dived away and landed in a field to escape him. This filled him with rage and he dived down on the pilot and observer, strafing them with bullets. He stated, "I had the satisfaction of knowing that the pilot and observer must have been hit, or nearly scared to death, for, although I hovered about for quite a long time, neither of them stepped from the silent machine."

I think this is rather harsh, but I am a product of my times. It seems like it was perfectly normal for him, given the way he described the experience. Does his statement describe the squadron view or only his own? He doesn't address that point.

Phil

[tcrean7828]

No problem mate!

Any clue on Voss' compass where abouts or is it lost to history. Now that is an item I would like to see?

cul

tcrean7828

tom

P.S. Why did so many British in the trenches sleep with a blanket over thier head?

After a couple of guesses I tell you the answer if someone hasn't come up with it.

tc

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by Der Grüne Flieger

I just finished reading "Winged Warfare" by Billy Bishop. I found his book interesting but it is anecdotal, without a great deal of historical fact.

He expresses great joy in killing and seemed to be a true hunter, in the same mold as MvR. On page 92, he describes chasing a two seater that dived away and landed in a field to escape him. This filled him with rage and he dived down on the pilot and observer, strafing them with bullets. He stated, "I had the satisfaction of knowing that the pilot and observer must have been hit, or nearly scared to death, for, although I hovered about for quite a long time, neither of them stepped from the silent machine."

I think this is rather harsh, but I am a product of my times. It seems like it was perfectly normal for him, given the way he described the experience. Does his statement describe the squadron view or only his own? He doesn't address that point.

Phil

Mate,
Strafing was done on both sides of the wire. That was WAR - can't criticise if you were not there. "Like WW2 Korea, Viet Nam, if you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friends head, then you'll know - George Patton"

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by tcrean7828

No problem mate!

Any clue on Voss' compass where abouts or is it lost to history. Now that is an item I would like to see?

cul

tcrean7828

tom

P.S. Why did so many British in the trenches sleep with a blanket over thier head?

After a couple of guesses I tell you the answer if someone hasn't come up with it.

tc

Hi all,

As nobody took a gander at the question, I'll answer it.

To keep the rats off of them as them slept. Apparently, the rats at the front trenches were as big as cats and for some unknown reason if you slept with a blanket over your head, the rats wouldn't bother you. Other then their little(big) feet steppin' all over you on the way to where ever. At least that is what Gramps use to tell me and even after the war,(my grandmother confirmed) that he slept with a sheet over his head till the day he passed into history.

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[Der Grüne Flieger]

Originally Posted by tcrean7828

Mate,
Strafing was done on both sides of the wire. That was WAR - can't criticise if you were not there. "Like WW2 Korea, Viet Nam, if you put your hand into a bunch of goo that a moment before was your best friends head, then you'll know - George Patton"

cul

tcrean7828

tom

tcrean7828,

No critizism intended mate, that's why I said I'm a product of my time. I guess I should have said what you did, that both sides strafed. This would have balanced my out my point.

I'm curious though, wouldn't you agree that there was a tremendous waste of life in the war? That's a criticizm and no one would argue it but,... we weren't there.

Phil

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by Der Grüne Flieger

tcrean7828,

No critizism intended mate, that's why I said I'm a product of my time. I guess I should have said what you did, that both sides strafed. This would have balanced my out my point.

I'm curious though, wouldn't you agree that there was a tremendous waste of life in the war? That's a criticizm and no one would argue it but,... we weren't there.

Phil

Der Grüne Flieger,

If you mean the Great War, absolutly Mate and that comes from both sides of the wire. New methods of killing were developed and utilized and the Great war was its platform to see what worked and what didn't. I.e. the machine gun, tanks, mines, rule of the skys, poison gas, etc.

My grandad use to tell me stories now and then about life in the trenches, particulary when he had had a few - make your hair turn white at a ripe old age of 5.

cul

tcrean7828

tom

[Der Grüne Flieger]

tcrean7828,

Seems we agree.

Funny you should mention your grandfather. My grandfather came over from Sicily, enlisted in the US Army and was wounded in the leg by a German machine gunner. He felt the best way to say thank you for being allowed to become a US citizen was to go and fight for his new country. He was one tough guy.

Phil

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by Der Grüne Flieger

tcrean7828,

Seems we agree.

Funny you should mention your grandfather. My grandfather came over from Sicily, enlisted in the US Army and was wounded in the leg by a German machine gunner. He felt the best way to say thank you for being allowed to become a US citizen was to go and fight for his new country. He was one tough guy.

Phil

Der Grüne Flieger,
Well what do you know, My grandfather was a snipper and was wounded in the hand on the Kisers Birthday. Grandad was born and bread in Great Britan.

cul

tcrean7828

tom