Item 01: Clifford M. Geddes diary, 31 March-1 August 1918 - Page 112

[Page 112]

rattled the limber. The "all clear" was given after we had worn our respirators about ¼ of an hour. I lay down then for another snooze, but was soon awake as I could hear the chaps talking as they watched two Fritz 'planes up very early, & a couple of our old slow scouts came across. Our chap sailed slowly through the air with a Fritz 'plane on top of him, & it looked a million to one on Fritz. The Hun swooped down on to the tail of our machine, & ours quietly turned the tail upwards, poured in a few bullets from his machine gun, & to the delight of our lads watching, the Fritz 'plane went crashing to the earth. It was the coolest thing out, so unexpected too. The other Fritz 'plane & ours then exchanged fire at close range from their machine guns, when our two turned off & Fritz went back towards his lines. We could hear our machine guns in the front trenches rapping out bullets at the Hun. Our two 'planes just watched round slowly up above, & the old sport who had the win must feel very proud & happy. Below us, the town of Corbie lies partly hidden in the green trees, & now & again the roar of the Huns' big shells can be heard crashing there. The green slopes between look lovely covered with yellow flowers but the black & white smoke of Fritz's bursting shells