An RFC pilot made the newspapers here in France when a Hun aircraft attacked during an award ceremony. The French General had just finished pinning the Croix de Peur on Major Tusk's tunic when a Fokker Dr1 was seen approaching the field. A translated copy of the newspaper article appears below.
MON BRAVE SCTUSK
The General is pinning the medal on the pilot, SCTusk. It is a small medal. The General is shaking the hand of the RFC pilot. Everyone is smiling. But wait! In the distance there is the sound of the aeroplane approaching! Everyone is looking up to the noise. It is a German aeroplane with three little wings and two very big guns. Mon Dieu! What can be done? But wait! Here with us we have the brave RFC pilot... the General gestures toward the RFC aeroplane, the very aeroplane of the RFC pilot Major Tusk of the famous Skeleton Crew squadron! Major Tusk puts on his face a funny visage and struggles to make the French words for his little joke.... "Non, non.... errrrr...je suis très fatigué" The General is laughing. All about are laughing at the RFC pilot's little joke. Willing hands pick up the RFC pilot and carry him to his little aeroplane. He is put in his cockpit, making his little joke more the funny by pretending to resist the attentions of the small crowd. The German aeroplane approaches quickly, coming straight down at the little RFC aeroplane. Someone stands by the propeller, Major Tusk becomes all the business now and face white with hatred for the Bosch and hands trembling in anger at this outrage he makes the position of the switches in the cockpit ready for the flight and shouts "Contact"..... the man swings the propeller and the little engine coughs and splutters, then howls and roars like the man with the machine who cuts the grass.
The general and the small crowd are waving as Major Tusk turns his little aeroplane into the wind and without further ado tears off across the field and climbs up into the beautiful French blue sky, away from the Bosch aeroplane. First he must make height, no? But look, the triplane climbs too fast! He is almost upon the Major! The Major turns and dives, the Bosch follows.... the crowd are watching spellbound. A loud roar then another as the two machines race above their heads, the Major climbing up again, up up up... surely this must be the famous loop de loop? No, the Major goes straight up! The small crowd look on in horror.... a popping chatter of machine guns as the Bosch opens fire! Bits of wood and canvas fly off the little RFC aeroplane. But yet she flies!.... but backwards no? The little RFC aeroplane is falling backwards straight into the oncoming Bosch! The two come together, there is a crunching sound like someone stomping on an old wicker basket. The Bosch falls away, crumpled and broken and crashes into a nearby vineyard! Poof! He explodes! Bravo Major Tusk! The little RFC machine floats gently down, neither pointing toward or away from the ground, or moving forward or backward, floating like a parachute. It lands with the cracking of small branches in some trees at the edge of the field, and there is the distant sound of cursing... the RFC Major will be unhappy to have damaged another machine, no?
The crowd's hands are clapping. Willing hands pull him from the wreckage. Another fine victory for Major Tusk. His score climbs like his aeroplane! Soon every Bosch will want to test their skill against the RFC Major. Look, he is so happy he weeps and trembles like a happy Frenchman! Mon brave SCTusk!
