100 years ago - the missing months, 3 July 1916
 

MONDAY, 3 JULY 1916

General Headquarters, July 3rd, 10.43 p.m.

"To-day one hostile kite balloon was destroyed by us and fell in flames. Since the commencement of the battle we have lost a total of 15 machines along the whole of the British front."

British Headquarters (France), July 4th, 10.55 p.m.

"Yesterday our bombing aeroplanes successfully attacked the important railway centres at Comines, Combles, and St. Quentin. Our offensive patrols, working far into the enemy's country, encountered hostile aeroplanes in great numbers, and much fighting took place. Four of the German machines were brought down in their own lines, and at least three others were driven to the ground damaged. We have suffered no further losses beyond those already reported."

THE following third résumé of incidents extracted from recent reports of the Royal Flying Corps in France has been received from the Air Board :—

“July 3rd.—The activity of the enemy in the air increased to a very great degree, but it was confined to localities well behind his own lines. Our machines working near the lines were subjected to continuous anti-aircraft fire. There were thirty combats in the air.

“One of our reconnoitring patrols was followed by two Fokkers and a biplane; our escorting machines, having accompanied the reconnaissance back to our lines, turned to engage the enemy, who had by this time been joined by two more Fokkers. One Fokker was shot down and seen to fall to earth, whilst the biplane was forced to descend. Another of our aeroplanes encountered five hostile machines; four were driven off with but little trouble, and though the fifth engaged in combat it was, however, last seen diving vertically with its engine full on, and is believed to have been destroyed.

RFC Communique No 41:

A fine day with some high clouds.

There were altogether 30 combats in the air.

The 1st and 2nd Brigades both carried out a reconnaissance in the neighbourhood of Lille. The general impression was that there was increased railway activity at Lille, but not to any great extent.

Reconnaissances were sent out at dawn by the IXth Wing to examine the railways in the area Douai, Valenciennes, St Quentin, Albert. A large number of trains were reported, and there appeared to be a general concentration at Cambrai. A similar reconnaissance in the evening was unsuccessful, owing to low clouds.

A successful bombing attack on Comines Station was made by machines of the 2nd Brigade on the night of the 2nd/3rd, 32 bombs being dropped.

At day-break another attack was made on trains in movement on the Douai - Cambrai line and the lines east of Busigny and St Quentin. The pilots went down under 1,000 feet in Spite of heavy fire from machine-guns mounted at the station. Many hits were scored on the stations and on rolling stock in them, and three trains were missed by a few yards only.

Cambrai Station was again attacked in the evening by three R.E.s carrying three 336-pound bombs. A fire was started close to the station.

Many bombs were again dropped on the enemy's billets, batteries and dumps.

Counter-battery work on the front of the Illrd and IVth Armies continued successfully throughout the day, kite balloons being especially successful, observing 149 targets on the whole British front.

The activity of the enemy in the air increased to a very great degree, but it was confined to localities well behind his own lines. Our machines working near the lines were subjected to a continuous anti-aircraft fire.

A reconnoitring patrol of the 1st Brigade was followed by two Fokkers and a biplane. The escort, two F.E.s of 25 Sqn, having accompanied the reconnaissance back to our own lines, turned to engage the enemy, who had by this time been joined by two more Fokkers. One Fokker was shot down and seen to crash to earth, and a biplane was forced to descend. Lieut T. A. Oliver and Sergt Mumford, in a Morane biplane of 1 Sqn, encountered five hostile aeroplanes, driving off four with little trouble. The fifth showed more fight, but was last seen diving vertically with the engine full on, and is believed to have been destroyed.

Machines of the Illrd Brigade drove down two hostile machines in the German lines, both of which were seen to be wrecked on hitting the ground.

An attack was made on the enemy's kite balloons on the fronts of the IIIrd and IVth Armies, one being brought down in flames by Capt Crook of 11 Sqn in a Nieuport Scout fitted with Le Prieur torpedoes.

The enemy has evidently evolved some new system of defending his kite balloons in view of the success of our attacks upon him. Capt Balcombe Brown, one of the attacking pilots, reports that the enemy got a kind of smoke cloud round the balloon he attacked by means of bursting shell, and subsequently played on the smoke with streams of fire balls about 5 yards apart. The smoke cloud appeared to have the effect of removing the dope from the wings and covering them with moisture. No attempt was made to haul the balloon down, and presumably it was up with ballast as a trap.

The following complimentary orders were received :

(1), The Commander-in-Chief directs that all ranks of the R.F.C. should be informed of his high appreciation of the services rendered by them during the last few days. The work done by the R.F.C. has been of material assistance to the Army, and has contributed in no small degree to the success of the operations.

(2), G.O.C. IVth Army to 4th Brigade R.F.C.: The Army Commander wishes to congratulate all ranks of the 4th Brigade R.F.C., on the excellent work they have carried out during the last few days.

(From a Corps Commander, IIIrd Army:) In our attack yesterday (July 1st) No. 8 Squadron did extraordinarily good work. They never once failed us either as regards getting information or taking photos, and we found that what news they were able to send about the position of our troops was most reliable.

Hostile aircraft:

Capt J A Crook, 11 Sqn, Balloon in flames

Patrol of 25 Sqn, Fokker crashed

Lieut T A Oliver & Sergt R Mumford, 1 Sqn, Albatros destroyed? Houthulst Forest at 06:50/07:50

Casualties:

Capt Cuthbert Ambrose Anthony Hiatt (Ok) & Lieut George Ernest Frederick Sutton (Ok), 4 Sqn, BE2c 2607 - shot through on contact patrol Thiepval

Lieut James Stanley Scott (Ok), 5 Sqn, BE2c 2752 - badly shot about by machine-gun fire during bombing Douai-Cambrai

Lieut William Baxter Ellis (Pow), 5 Sqn, BE2d 5780 - missing from bombing

Capt Herbert Leonard Rough (Ok) & Capt Field (Ok), 11 Sqn, FE2b 6945 - (presentation machine 'Rajpipla') - shot through in encounter with hostile machines landed 4 Sqn aerodrome on Army patrol

Lieut Paul Roy Meredith (Wia), 13 Sqn, BE2c 2644 (presentation machine 'Punjab 22 Simla Hills') - hit by A.A. near Brie and landed 3 Sqn aerodrome during bombing St Quentin

2nd-Lieut Samuel Howard Ellis (Pow), 16 Sqn, BE2d 5746 - brought down by A.A. during bombing; also credited to Oblt Franz Walz, K2, 3rd victory ? [south of Péronne, no time]

2nd-Lieut Rex Sherwell (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut John Charles Miller Stewart (Kia), 23 Sqn, FE2b 6339 (presentation machine 'Nova Scotia') - brought down by A.A. at Festubert during bombing La Bassée

Lieut Douglas Huon Gray (Kia), 24 Sqn, DH2 7850 - direct hit from A.A. shell seen to dive vertically then spin and turn on its back crashing between Puisieux and Bucquoy on French Army patrol

Lieut William Stobart (Wia), 29 Sqn, DH2 6009 - force landed Sh27.L.24.a.9.2 [north-east of Lijssenhoek] on patrol St Eloi - Picanton

2nd-Lieut William Feild Langstaff Castle (Pow), 13 Sqn, BE2c 4173 - took off 05:45/06:45 then shot down on return from bombing St Quentin

Maj Francis FitzGerald Waldron (Pow; Dow), 60 Sqn, Morane N A175 – missing 08:24/09:24; Uffz Hans Howe, FFA5b, 1st victory

2nd-Lieut Ralph Cyril Stoddart (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut John Francis Pembroke Boxwell Quinlan (Kia), 4 Sqn, BE2c 2645 (presentation machine 'Punjab 23 Karval') - took off 16:05/17:05 then fell headlong and crashed to earth after encounter with 2 H.A. on artillery patrol

Graeme

Aircrew--3 July 1916
Lt Thomas Alfred Oliver (10/Royal Welsh Fusiliers 2Lt & RFC/RAF Capt) no birth
information available; Flying Officer 10 December 1915; T/Lt 1 April 1916; Flt Cdr
1 January 1917; 1 Sqn in 1916; kia 14 August 1917, 29 Sqn) 1 Sqn
Sgt Richard Benjamin Mumford (RFC 1465 AM/1 & Sgt & RAF 2Lt) born 18 January 1892, Hampshire; attested 1914; civilian occupation, turner; to 1 Sqn as NCO & to 43 Sqn 24 August 1918, 2Lt; to Home Establishment 18 April 1919; awarded Medal of St George 1st Class (Russia) 1 Sqn
Capt Joseph Alan Crook (RFC Special Reserve Lt & T/Major) born 12 July 1897, Bolton, Lancashire; to be Probationary T/2Lt 26 July 1915, Flying Officer 11 September 1915; embarked to EF 12 October 1915; Flt Cdr & T/Capt 2 March 1916; to 12 Sqn 7 March 1916; to 11 Sqn 23 May 1916; to be Lt 1 September 1916, Acting/Sqn Cdr 5 January 1917, Sqn Cdr 15 August 1917; to 45 Sqn 27 July 1918; awarded M.C.; to Home Establishment 22 October 1918) 11 Sqn
Capt Rainsford Balcombe-Brown (Royal Field Artillery 2Lt & RFC/RAF Lt & T/Major) born 1895, Wellington, New Zealand; attached to RFC 25 March 1915; embarked to EF & to 1 Sqn 22 June 1916; Flt Cdr 12 December 1915; Sqn Cdr 17 November 1916; to 56 Sqn 26 October 1917, Sqn Cdr 56 Sqn 1 January 1918; kia 2 May 1918; awarded M.C.) 1 Sqn

Josquin

"2nd-Lieut Samuel Howard Ellis (Pow), 16 Sqn, BE2d 5746 - brought down by A.A. during bombing; also credited to Oblt Franz Walz, K2, 3rd victory ? [south of Péronne, no time]"

Published in England in the Chronicles of the NZEF of 15 Sep 16 is the following account by Ellis in a letter in which he describes his downing. Flight also published the letter sans text that I have bolded here:

I wonder if you have heard about me yet? I hope so. In case not I will tell you at length about my little self. I was brought down by Archie (the anti-aircraft gun, you know) at 7.30 a.m. on July 3rd. I had just finished a rather tricky job most successfully. My flight was almost identical in its incidents with my first flight on July 1st [but note, not his first op] but I had flown lower and been more successful. I was feeling rather bucked with life. I had to cross the lines on return at 2,000 ft. Unluckily Archie was very accurate, and one shrapnel shell burst mighty close. A piece go my left leg just below the knee and broke the bone, putting the leg out of action. Another bit pierced my neck to the throat and caused blood to flow a bit. I did not look to see how much the machine was hit. It knocked me out for a moment. When I recovered a bit I found the machine had dropped to 1,000 ft., and was in a devil of a spin owing to my left leg being off the rudder. I was on the German side of the lines. I tried to recover control and direct the ‘bus to our side; tried to get my right leg round the joystick (control lever, i.e.); but it was no go. I still lost height and was feeling very groggy. Archie was pelting at me cheerily. As I neared the ground I had sense enough to switch off (to prevent fire), and the machine, by good luck, landed in a decent field and turned up on its nose, but not right over. It was pretty well crashed. Luckily I was strapped in. A number of Germans soon came up; they lifted me carefully out. As long as I live I will bless them for their gentleness, for I really felt a bit seedy then. A Red Cross doctor gave me first aid, &c., and after some time I was removed by motor ambulance to a field hospital. Those fellows in the field were decent to me.

I was lucky in my field hospital. The officer in charge - a major - was one of the dearest men in the world and all the attendants were blessed angels.

For the first day or so could not swallow, and was rather a crock, but each day I got a bit better. After five days my old leg was laid to rest in plaster-of-Paris, a big hole being left, of course, to dress the wound. The throat still gave a bit of trouble.

I was ten days in the field hospital and was sorry to leave all my friends there - they were such topping good fellows, they spoiled me.

I came here by motor ambulance on the 13th. This is a large hospital, very well fitted up and well run. It was thought that X-rays and an operation on my neck were necessary to remove the shrapnel. But in the middle of that night I was coughing like the deuce (ever since the 3rd, I had coughed a great deal), and out came a tidy piece of shrapnel. Great joy! No operation now necessary. It was luck! Since then my throat improves, and I’ll soon be able to swallow solids. My general health is excellent now. I have quite a decent appetite and feel awfully fit - have had no temperature for some days. My neck and throat should be healed in a week or so with ordinary luck. The doctors say the leg is a matter of three or four months (maybe only two months), but I should get out of bed after two months. They say there should be no permanent ill-effects; even promise that I will play football again! I am very happy here; my own particular attendant is another blessed angel - could not be better and everybody else is awfully decent. The surgeon is a most able man. I have good food and plenty to read (of sorts), so there are no complaints. I am in a ward by myself, being, I think, the only officer here, but I am never lonely. A quite delightful young pilot of the German Flying Corps spent most of yesterday with me. He speaks English well, and is most interesting. He is coming again. I may be here a week or more, then move on to a hospital further back.

I am allowed to write two letters and four postcards a month (can receive as many as I like).

No mention of him being attacked by a fighter! Note, too, that Ellis gives the time of the event as 7.30 am.

Errol

Hi Errol

Yes, I think it's another case of a claim being made to fit a loss - the RFC casualty report quite clearly indicates anti-aircraft fire being responsible.

What a wonderful letter he wrote - can't imagine anything like that being penned today.

Graeme