The squadron headed east. We had not received our replacements yet. It was not the pilots which were causing the problem but the gunners. We heard that a request had been sent to the Machine Gun Battalions for volunteers to transfer. We headed towards Cambrai. Archie had been ordered to fly a patrol along our lines to Arras. It was a relatively safe assignment. We immediately saw more activity behind the British lines. There were horse drawn vehicles and guns being moved and brown snakes moving into support trenches behind the front lines.
The German aeroplanes were also curious. We were higher than the Gunbuses and we saw eighteen dots in the distance. I waggled my wings to attract the attention of the others. I pointed up. We needed height. I knew that eventually the Germans would cotton on to our tactic but it was early days and we might just get away with it. Once again I thanked the designers who had made such a small aeroplane and yet one which had so much power.
