WAR

—
Udet.
in august 1917 Ernst Udet was appointed to the command of Jasta 37 at
Wynghene
in Flanders, where, if one climbed high enough, one could see the silver
band of the sea shimmering on the
horizon.
In the evening of March 15, 1918, it was pouring rain at le Cateau. Udet was
squelching about in the mud directing the "unpacking" of Jasta 37 which had
been brought in by train that day from Wynghene. He felt a tap on the shoulder
and turned around to find the Rittmeister smiling at him. Udet saluted and von
Richthofen responded with a casual gesture and some light remark about the
pleasant weather.
The two of them stood there in the rain, in the mud, sizing each other up.
Rain trickled down their faces.
"How many have you shot down now, Udet"
"Nineteen confirmed, one awaiting confirmation."
"Hmm."
There was a pause while von Richthofen dabbed at the mud with his stick.
"Well, that about qualifies you to join us. Would you care to"
Care to The request couldn't be processed fast
enough for Udet. On March
26, 1918, he reported for duty at Jasta 11 at ten o'clock in the morning. At noon
he flew his first patrol as a member of the big Circus.
It was a patrol of Jasta 11 and it was led by von Richthofen who wanted to
have new men in his flights their first times out so he could see how they shaped
up. They took off and headed west from Avesnes-le-Sec toward Albert. Flying
low, about 1500 feet, the patrol came across a British R.E.8 spotting for an
artillery shoot. Udet was flying wing man to Vizejeldwebel Edgar Scholz; he
looked at Scholz for a signal or some indication of how the R.E. should be dealt
with. Scholz jerked his chin toward the two-seater and Udet promptly pulled
out of the formation and went for it. He made one fast pass from the front and
blasted the R.E.'s engine into flames with a burst at point-blank range. When
Udet eased back into formation, Scholz waved to him. The Rittmeister nodded
over his shoulder.
The Triplanes droned on; the pilots swiveled their heads around looking for
another target. Ahead of them a tree-bordered road wound across the countryside,
lined with Allied troops. That was a target von Richthofen wouldn't pass up. He
led the Triplanes down abruptly in a steep dive to tree-top height. One after another
the machines leveled out over the road and went down it, the trees blurring
past on each side. Small arms fire came up from the troops on the ground and
the fabric covering of wings and tails popped as bullets went through. The pilots
depressed the firing buttons on the control columns and by gentle adjustments
with stick and rudder directed streams of machine gun bullets up and down the
road. At the end of the run von Richthofen turned, worked over the troops
again, then returned to altitude and led the flight home. Udet noticed the time
it was only 12:30.
The Rittmeister strolled up as Udet was climbing out of his machine. "You
always attack your man from the front, Udet" he asked. Udet answered that it
was a method that would work well on some occasions.
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