Olham's Gotha Escort Mission

Sunday, 23 September, 1917: Vlisseghem Flugplatz, Belgium.

Savage British attacks at Menin Road have strained our brave troops to the limit. After falling back to a new defensive line they are now holding their own and continue to fight with true mut. Our informants in England tell us the British are about to deploy a new form of gas weaponry in this general area of the front and have been massing the deadly canisters in a railyard near the outskirts of Ramsgate. It is rumored they plan on dropping these upon our troop marshalling positions at Izegem, and may be bringing them across by heavy bomber at any moment.

Your flight of Albatros D.III scouts have been given the vital task of escorting a wing of Gothas from Kagohl 3 over the North Sea to bomb the railyard and it's lethal stock into oblivion. You will take off and circle the field once to form up, then fly easterly towards Nieuwmunster Flugplatz to join with the Gothas. Climb to working altitude as you make the crossing and provide cover for the bombers along the way. You will have a full fuel load which should give you an additional 20 minutes of flying time, remember this if you get into any fighting, and be sure to lean out your mixture as much as safely possible in order to conserve benzin. You will no doubt encounter defenses over Ramsgate so keep a sharp lookout for enemy planes as well as AA. Once the Gothas have delivered their bombs you are expected to see them safely back home. However, if you do run across any enemy heavy bombers in the area it is a safe bet they are carrying the new gas canisters. You should do everything in your power to see that they don't make it across, for if they do countless numbers of your countrymen will suffer a gruesome fate.

The Kaiser realizes this is a lot to ask of your small jagdstaffel, but His Imperial Majesty has complete faith in your ability to succeed in this most vital mission.

Gott sei mit Der.