Summary of Neal Bascomb's The Escape Artists

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview:

#1 On August 7, 1916, the youngest pilot in his squadron, Cecil Blain, took off from Fienvillers. He flew his Sopwith 1½ Strutter biplane eastward, and soon left behind the tented camp and the orchard next to the aerodrome.

#2 The British and French began a massive offensive on the upper reaches of the river Somme on July 1, 1916. The offensive took a bite out of the German lines, but at the cost of almost twenty thousand British dead and double that figure in wounded.

#3 The five Sopwiths flew across no-man’s-land, and as they reached Maubeuge, they saw a lone German reconnaissance plane flying straight westward. The airmen didn’t engage, and continued their reconnaissance.

#4 The airplane became a multipronged weapon in a conflict that would envelop the world. Many remained unconvinced, including Douglas Haig, future commander in chief of the British Expeditionary Force.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jul 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798822547681

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Insights on Neal Bascomb's The Escape Artists

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

On August 7, 1916, the youngest pilot in his squadron, Cecil Blain, took off from Fienvillers. He flew his Sopwith 1½ Strutter biplane eastward, and soon left behind the tented camp and the orchard next to the aerodrome.

#2

The British and French began a massive offensive on the upper reaches of the river Somme on July 1, 1916. The offensive took a bite out of the German lines, but at the cost of almost twenty thousand British dead and double that figure in wounded.

#3

The five Sopwiths flew across no-man’s-land, and as they reached Maubeuge, they saw a lone German reconnaissance plane flying straight westward. The airmen didn’t engage, and continued their reconnaissance.

#4

The airplane became a multipronged weapon in a conflict that would envelop the world. Many remained unconvinced, including Douglas Haig, future commander in chief of the British Expeditionary Force.

#5

The British Army had a difficult time finding pilots to fly their planes during World War I. They preferred candidates who were well-heeled and attended the best schools. Cecil William Blain fit the bill perfectly.

#6

The training regimen at the RFC was extremely dangerous. planes would often crash, and trainees would have to help carry the bodies. It was common for a trainee to witness a dozen crashes in a single day.

#7

Blain was assigned to the RFC, and in June 1916 he was sent to France to join the No. 70 Squadron, which was responsible for long-range offensive patrols in enemy territory. He survived the launch of the Somme offensive, which saw 36 of the original 36 pilots and observers remain.

#8

Blain and Griffiths landed near a French village, and as they were trying to fix the engine, they were captured by the Germans. They were taken to Caudry, and Blain was able to decode some of the German orders.

#9

The airman was taken to the citadel, which was crowded with other prisoners and plagued by dysentery.