Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 01:04:26 +0000
From: Robert Me <winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: Albert Dowling Chapter 25

Just five to go and hope I got it right. But there is one thing I know I
got right and that was donating to nifty. I just hope you do as well! They
need our support just as Albert needs a bit himself.

Read on.

___________________________________________________________


I left the hotel early the next morning a changed man and although still in
a dreadful sate of mind, I forced myself to think of only one thing, this
blood torn war and my further involvement. I had no fear of death now and
at that time even wished it upon myself.


I haven't much recall about getting to Larkhill and the Station Commander
being somewhat surprised to see me two weeks early. He was a pleasant chap
who laughed when he read my orders. "Bloody fools! You are NOT here to
instruct, you are here to BE instructed and after you get to know the Camel
you will be going to Boscombe Down to learn how to shoot the shit out of
Salisbury Plain and bomb a few rabbits while your at it. After you are up
to scratch with all this fun your crews will begin to arrive and then you
can all train together with you instructing (at least they got that bit
right) them with other instuctors. We want you ready to fly to your new
base three weeks after you have a full squadron. Now of course it seems you
have an extra two weeks, fancy starting tomorrow?"


"Yes sir, very much so." Of course I did and being so involved with this
new aircraft would stop me brooding, I would when I went to bed though,
badly.

I'm not going to write about feelings or my sheer despondency, upset,
anger! You must know what I would be like surely.


Instead I will say little about the Sopwith Camel, the most successful
fighter of the 1st World War, but she was a bitch to handle when you first
started to fly her if you were inexperienced and many new pilots were
killed during training and all down to the Clerget 9b 130 hp rotary engine
which caused a gyroscopic effect, but this very characteristic turned her
into a fantastically manoeuvrable fighter and in a right turn, nothing
could catch her. She could climb to 20,000ft but in my role it would be
more like 20ft!

She was a moody cow and needed to be dominated other wise she would ruin
your day and often much worse.


The type of Camel we would fly was designated the T F 1, *(Trench Fighter)
and her two 7.7mm Lewis machine guns were situated in the cockpit pointing
down at an angle so as to fire directly into trenches as we swept along the
length of them and also drop the four 20lb cooper bombs slung under the
under carriage strut. All pilots would carry two extra bombs in the cockpit
and lob those over the side during an attack as well. We would also have
armour plating to protect us and the under belly of the engine. It was a
killer and every bit as effective as the German Halerstadt C L 1V. Many
troops on both sides would become victims of these machines.

Apart from brief descriptions about operations there will only be two that
will be written in full.


Once again the organisers got it wrong which was no bad mistake this time
as within two days all the pilots arrived and two days after that we all
got to know one another quite well. Including me there were 12 of us. They
came from all sorts of backgrounds and I was pleased to learn even the posh
ones were really nice chaps. Most were officers but we had four NCO's as
well.


Training was intense but it went well as did the firing and bombing on the
ranges on Salisbury Plain and three weeks to the day we met in the crew
room for my briefing and courses we would fly going to France.


"We fly directly east to west and when we are five miles from this point,
Penton Manor, we drop to 200ft open up to full speed and fly out another
two miles slowing to 50 mph then turn to port and fly over again. We fly in
three boxes of four aircraft in port echelon. After that direct to Dieppe."


"Do you have family living there Albert?"


"Yes Peter, my father." I was going to say goodbye as I had done when I
flew away from the school. It would be my final farewell to a once happy
life that was now in shreds before flying into the unknown. Suffering in
silence was a struggle but I was alone and could not confide in any other
person. For the umpteenth time I thanked my luck I was good at what I did
and all down to the two men now sharing a bed!


I did not look down on the slow fly over even though I wished I could see
my father but Lord Penton and Mister Miller may also be standing with
him. I had often wondered what he thought of the new relationship, he could
hardly write and tell me, not on the back of a post card and letters were
being censored.


After a whole day getting settled in four of us took off on our first
attack, but I had ordered the crews not to drop bombs as we would have to
fly at some distance apart or possibly get blown up by our own 20lb'ers
going off as we flew over them. So we flew nose to tail at no more than
100ft and strafed the trenches with our combined eight machine guns all
firing 500 rounds per minute each. After we had emptied our guns. I would
lead them over German lines to bomb random targets of which there were
plenty, especially transports and more troops.

We would carry out as many as five of these attacks every day, including in
bad weather. It was hugely risky and in the first month we lost five pilots
and aircraft.

Replacements of both pilots and Camels was good and although we lost men on
a regular basis, we were doing an enormous amount of damage ourselves. As
for me? I was so shattered after flying I just fell into a deep sleep for a
few hours, but every morning when I woke I had this image of what I had
seen in Lord Penton's bedroom that night, I just could not get it out of my
head. However, it was all forgotten as I planned and lead yet another
attack on German trenches.


Only bad weather gave us some respite as well as being ordered to go on
random attacks and with fighter cover our casualties dropped
dramatically. I did not know it then of course but I was just weeks from
being shot down myself.

Some time before that and after almost a year leading the squadron I was
awarded the Distinguished Service Order, DSO, which again was just for
doing my job! Oh well, one more to the collection. It made a very different
birthday, it was the 15th March 1918. I was 21 and officially an adult!


I remember this particular morning I woke early for some reason. I laid on
my back with my hands at the back of my head and of course thinking about
you know what and then going down memory lane to all the wonderful times we
had shared and just could not get my head around why he had Miller in his
bed. Was it just sexual need? Had he in fact done what he thought may
happen to me when I was at the school, fall for another? Fell for Miller
and loving him more than he had me!? Oh fuck! That must be it! There could
be no other reason! I had heard of a few blokes that had been dumped by a
girlfriend via a latter or card. I wondered if I would get one.


I looked at that scene time and again and then something odd struck me. I
sat up and stared at nothing, my mind was still on the bed and could now
see a lot clearer. I suddenly realised His Lordship was in pyjamas! Why? He
never wore them but mind you I didn't know if he had the trousers on so
dismissed it as him being cold.....No! He was never cold, nor was Miller I
was sure, he didn't have a top on. I tried to forget it but it would not
leave me until I got to the squadron hut and my last thought about it was,
pyjamas or not they were still in fucking bed together.


This was to be a random sortie with four up and four fighters escorting and
arranged to meet them at a point over the British lines. They never turned
up and eventually I wagged my wings and flew on.

We were 10 miles behind the enemy lines when we all spotted a column of
trucks, dozens of them but not moving. I dived at them followed by the
others and strafed and bombed them causing massive damage and saw five
trucks blazing away. I then began a turn to starboard and literally flew
into a hail of bullets missing me but finishing my engine. A quick look
around and I saw another Camel going down, the other two were nowhere to be
seen.

I fought to stop from stalling knowing I had to get on the deck quickly or
end up on the casualty list. Once again luck was on my side and managed to
get her down onto a field and virtually flew her into the ground breaking
the undercarriage and ending upside down. I undid my strap and fell out, so
did the flare I always carried, I set it off and threw it back in the
cockpit then ran like hell, straight into the arms of a welcoming party!


I was knocked about a bit but an officer shouted and the punches
stopped. Jonnie, ah I mean Lord Penton had taught me a little German when
we got home after that miserable time in that country and I could make out
that a couple of troops were being sent to get transport, the officer, who
turned out to be a Colonel, told me he was having me taken to a nearby
airfield where I would be held until other arrangements could be made.

"If you stay with us, someone will kill you after all those you have killed
today." He said in English.


"Why are you doing this?"


"Because my two brothers are prisoners of you British and safe, they were
both ground attack pilots like you." May the luck continue!


It has to be said they were not best pleased to see me and got yelled at
for quite some time. The bloke in charge was talking so quickly I could not
understand a word, except a name, "Hanne" Hanne? That was Kurt's name!
Surely not!? But it was!


He came in and saluted the officer. He took one look at me without
expression then looked back at the Colonel and spoke to him and from what I
could gather he, Kurt, would be responsible for me and to get a guard and
take me "down stairs." He rattled off some more then Kurt left to go and
get a soldier to take me "down stairs."


"Well well, I didn't expect to see you ever again." The door had been shut
to this small room and Kurt standing there with a massive smile on his
face. We shook hands and embraced. "Oh my goodness! It's so lovely to see
you again Albert!"


"What happens to me now?"


"They are waiting for someone to come here to interrogate you which could
be a few days and then you will be going to POW camp, but Albert it will
not be nice I am afraid, but you wont be harmed I promise. How is his
Lordship?" Thoughts flashed through my head.


"Can I tell you something very private Kurt?"


"Yes of course we are friends, at least I hope so." Before I could reply
there was a noise outside and a knock on the door. Kurt raised his voice
and called me all the shits under the sun then opened it and took the food
tray that the guard gave him and then tipped it onto the floor and once
again shouted at me. After he had finished he told the guard to go.

"I am SO sorry, that was for effect, I have to be careful with this lot."


"I wasn't hungry anyway. Kurt you do know his Lordship and I were lovers
don't you?"


"I had wondered that's why I told you I was homosexual hoping you would do
something when we went riding. What happened?"


"He has taken my ex best friend and they are now lovers. I found them in
bed together."


"Oh, I am so sorry, I thought he was such a delightful person."


"Well it's happened and maybe because of this fucking war, who knows. It's
a shame we could not have been more close when we stayed with you." I went
to him and brushed his cheeks with the back of my hand. He stayed still and
so I got closer and put my arms around him. Having some sort of sex with
him could be my way out of here. I cuddled him and put my face against his,

"Albert.....perhaps not."


"Why not, we will hear the guard before he comes in and I would really like
to kiss you Kurt." I kissed his cheek and ran my hands over his back. I
kissed his neck and he sighed. "Albert...Please, this is..." I held his
face in my hands and gently kissed his mouth and then ran my tongue over
his lips. "Oh God!" We both opened our mouths and our tongues met for a
long time but as we kissed I was undoing his belt and unbuttoning his
flies. His trousers dropped to the floor followed two seconds later by his
pants. I took his lovely cock into my hand and began to stroke and all the
while Kurt getting very close to the end. I quickly sank to my knees and
took him down all the way and blew him. He was loosing it and began to face
fuck me while I took his cheeks and played then ran a finger into his
crack. "Oh my God...! Oh my God!!!" He held still and shot into me many
many times and as he did he gasped out as quietly as he could.


We sat on the bed with our arms around one another kissing again. I broke
away and stood up. "We can have sex many times if you help me get away, you
come with me and when we get to my side you will be sent to England and
become a free man. He looked at me as though I had gone mad! All I wanted
was to escape and if I could use Kurt to help me I would do or say
anything, after all this was war and he was the enemy.

"Help me escape and I will get you to England and when I come home we can
see a lot of one another and I can also introduce you to many lovely men
for as much sex as you want.They will interrogate you and you must have a
lot to tell them. You will be made welcome and you can start a new life
without all this murderous shit. Millions have died and still dying and for
what!?"


"I had better go, the guard will wonder why I am here so long. I will ask
him when the guard changes and will come back when the new one is on."


"Any chance of a bath and some clean clothes?"


"I will bring down all you need my friend. You have no idea what it's like
to talk to another man who wants peace. I hate to say it but I am so
ashamed of my country. Think about how we could get away from here but I
cannot see how unless we steal a DR1 each and that's impos..."

"Now your talking Kurt. YOU think about how we can." Ten minutes later he
was back with washing stuff and clean underwear and overalls.


"I laid in the bath knowing I wanted sex with Kurt and not just to get him
on my side but in some ways start to live a new life, Lord Penton was gone
but how odd my new beginning is with one of the enemy! It would just be
sex, I knew fucking well I would never fall in love or trust another man
again.


"So tell me how your aircraft are parked at night." We were cuddled up with
my hand down Kurt's trousers and his on mine, but I was naked from the
waist down and very hard. He loved what he was holding.


"As it's good weather they are parked outside and to save you asking they
are all refuelled, rearmed and bombs loaded ready for the next days
flying. As I see it the main problems are getting past the sentries. If we
get as far as starting the planes up there will be a huge risk as we have
to have ground crew to help. We would have to start each plane and then get
in before anyone opens fire on us. There are anti aircraft gunners on duty
all day."

"What about night?"


"We have never been attacked at night and they will be in their duty room
on standby."

He had to go after we had wanked one another off and I told him I hoped we
could do more the next day, so did he. "Lets think about how to do this
tomorrow and agree when we do it but I wont get anywhere if those people
turn up. Kurt I think we should try early the day after tomorrow."


I had a bad night and just laid there feeling sorry for myself


Kurt came down with a soldier with breakfast and I swallowed the lot in
quick time, I was starving thanks to Kurt getting all tough the day
before. After talking for a hour we had agreed our plan to escape.

We would first overpower the guard down here at 4am with a leather cosh
that Kurt had and then tie him up in this room. I would wear his uniform
and take his rifle. Kurt and I would then carry out a surprise inspection
and beat those fuckers up as well. Next I had to get to the guns and
sabotage them, simple ram a round down the mussels and yank the bullet
cases off.

He then took me around the cockpit layout and the start up which was more
of less the same as ours.

"Do the bombs have safety pins?"

"Yes and if you are going to use them, I wont but I will get your guns
ready to fire as well as take the pins out."


"I will if I get the chance Kurt, destroying some of those aircraft may
save some allied lives."

We got into a 69 and finished one another off, but after he had gone I
forgot it. Instead I thought about the countless times his Lordship and I
had done it, AND without pyjamas on!


The next day all I worried about was this bloke turning up to interrogate
me, it was a hell of a long day and the night was no better. Kurt came down
twice but had to be away and there was no time to have full sex, just
kissing and a bit of sucking. "It will be different when we meet in England
Kurt." I said knowing it wouldn't.


I was already awake when I heard Kurt talking to the guard telling him I
had to be moved and to hurry up. The poor lad came rushing in, straight
into the long heavy leather cosh that I had in my hand. We stripped him off
and tied him to the bed and after gagging him we left locking the door
behind us.


We strolled slowly towards the two guards and got challenged. Kurt
identified himself and told them there had been reports of aircraft
movements in the area. They kept looking at me knowing full well I was not
known to them. "Who is this man sir?" Kurt looked at me and turned back to
them. "He is an escaping British prisoner!" With that I smashed the cosh on
the head of the nearest one while Kurt went for the other but was having a
problem, but once again the cosh did it's job. We left them where they were
and Kurt ran towards the two aircraft we were going to pinch and get the
chocks away and both Fokker DR1 Tri-planes ready to start up. Meanwhile I
ran to the first gun pit, pulled a round off the belt and jammed it into
the mussel. I hit it with the butt of the rifle hoping the bugger would not
go off, which I knew it wouldn't, then ripped the bullet case off. I
repeated that on the second pit gun then ran like hell to the aircraft with
Kurt sitting in it. I went to the propeller and swung it a few times, I
looked at him and he waved to me. This was it, now the whole base would
wake up. The DR1's engine burst into life making one hell of a row. Kurt
gave a burst on the throttle and then back to idle. He jumped out and
passed me as he ran to his plane. I had already turned the propeller
several times and all he had to do was make the contact. I pulled down once
more and breathed a sigh of relief when that too came to life.

I had told Kurt to take off and not wait for me, if he was caught he would
definitely be in front of a firing squad. If I didn't make it at least he
could get to British lines and surrender and I would not have Penton or
Miller on my mind anymore.


I had to remember every thing Kurt had instructed me about take off and
flying this Fokker and my word WHAT a plane, it was superb! I did a quick
taxi into wind and just opened up as the first of quite a few rifle bullets
zipped past me. I climbed as though flying away and then turned this
brilliant aircraft to make my first run and at full throttle, lined up and
pulled both triggers. A stream of bullets shot out and I could see the hits
as they slammed into most of the aircraft parked up. I repeated a second
run with the same good results, three planes were already on fire. But the
third run did the most damage as I flew over for the last time and released
all eight bombs one at a time in quick succession. There were even more
explosions, even more burning aircraft and a badly damaged hanger due to a
lucky drop when two bombs landed right inside it and I was sure destroying
even more aircraft and materials.


Kurt and I landed an hour later much to the consternation to all those at
the field until I was able to give a full report. Kurt was taken away for
interrogation and later in the day two aircraft went off to take photos of
my handy work. The photos showed that most aircraft lined up had been
either destroyed or badly damaged and it was estimated from what Kurt could
tell them that another six were completely destroyed as the hanger had
caught fire and out of control.

By sheer coincidence we had escaped on the 1st April and the RAF was
created but it would be some time before new ranks would be offered to go
with the new uniforms.


Kurt and I met one more time before he was taken to St Omer so he could
pass on much more information all of which proved more than useful.

"Albert I now know it was nothing to do with you wanting sex with me, but
everything to do with escape and it obviously worked. I am no longer a part
of this madness, but my friend, you will continue to fight and I pray you
come through safely."


"Yes, I admit I used you Kurt and forgive me I don't want sex with any
other man. I was in love with Penton and even though I am trying to forget
him and what we had is still a struggle. If I survive this I will try to
find a life doing something useful but God knows what. I will come through
though that's the only thing Penton and I have left in common now,
determination."

We hugged goodbye and once again I found myself alone.


The squadron carried out many more trench attacks over the next couple of
weeks and we were then stood down for a week and were told we would be
going to Paris! "But not you Captain Dowling. You have to fly to St Omer,
in full dress uniform tomorrow."


My goodness, when I landed it was like royalty being welcomed. I was met by
a Major General and escorted into the same room when I was awarded my
Military Medal. "Champagne Captain?" I thought "why the not." There were a
number of gold clad senior officers sipping and everyone of them raising
their glasses to me. "Good heath Captain!" I offered my good heath to them
and then it hit me! "Oh fucking SHIT!"


General H himself came in and after some very nice words presented me with
the ribbon of the Victoria Cross! "Well done my boy..., VERY well done,
MAJOR Dowling!" He then shook my hand again and presented me with the two
crowns!


Not bad from stable boy Dowling in 1913 to Major Albert Dowling VC DSO MC
MM in 1918! BUT! I would have given the whole lot up to be a stable boy
again when I was 15 and Lord Johnathan of Penton came in to my life.


After the reception I went to my room and got into bed and for the first
time since I saw those two together, I simply broke down and at last cried
my heart out and just could not stop, it went on for a very long time and
my whole body convulsing as I sobbed and sobbed. It seemed to go on for
hours but gradually the tears subsided and even knowing I was totally
drained I had one thought before falling asleep........ I still loved him
and I knew I would love him for the rest of my days. But Jonnie had gone
his way and therefore I had to go mine.


I was back before the rest of them and when they eventually turned up they
looked as though they could do with a rest! What ever happened in Paris
they were in a bad physical state, But as soon as they saw me another party
began and for the first time in my life I got pissed! Utterly and
hopelessly pissed!


I led many more attacks for the next month until one day a rather senior
officer came into my office to inform me my war was over and I was being
sent home and had to report to the newly formed Air Ministry in London. I
would now be flying a desk until the war ended, or so I thought.


On 6th June I sat behind my desk and wondered what to do next, I had no
idea what the hell "Strategic Planning" was so I wrote to my father instead
of trying to find out.

The next day a Robert Scott-Walters was shown in who I was expecting. He
was a reporter from the Times and I had agreed to tell him my story. In
fact I didn't have a choice, I was more or less told I had too! However,
Robert turned out to be a very nice chap and got out of me my whole story
which was published in the following Sunday edition which included a photo.

Robert respected my wish not to be written as some sort of hero, just plane
facts.

"Robert, the real hero's are dead and unfortunately many more of them are
yet to die."


I may have had a problem with all that was happening around me but I did
not allow it to show. It was not good for moral!


Many would read the article, including all those at the manor.

__________________________________________________________________


winchesterbornbred@hotmail.co.uk