[Graeme]

SUNDAY, 31 MARCH 1918

General Headquarters, April 1st.

“On March 31st our observation balloons and aeroplanes were active, the good visibility enabling the former to carry out useful work in conjunction with the artillery. The activity of our aeroplanes was chiefly centred south of the Somme. A close watch was kept on the enemy's movements in this area, and a large column of hostile troops or transport seen was bombed and engaged with machine gun fire. Very little fighting took place in the air. Two hostile machines were brought down and one other was driven down out of control. Four of our machines are missing. Four of our machines previously reported missing have since returned to their units.

"Night flying was not possible till after mid-night owing to low clouds. From midnight until dawn our bombing machines were constantly at work. Twenty-four tons of bombs were dropped on the railway stations at Douai, Cambrai, Bapaiime, Rosieres, and Thourout, and on the docks at Bruges. Troops and transport in the neighbourhood of Bapaume and Chaulnes were also attacked with bombs and machine gun fire. All our machines returned."

RFC Communiqué number 133:

The weather was very overcast, with occasional rain showers.

Eleven hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation and three neutralized; one gun-pit was destroyed, six damaged, ten explosions and one fire caused. Twenty-seven zone calls were sent down.

Forty-two reconnaissances were carried out, of which three were long distance photographic flights by the 9th Brigade.

Machines of the 3rd and 5th Brigades carried out several contact patrols.

From RAF Communiqué number 1: On the 31st ultimo, balloons of the 1st and 2nd Brigades registered five targets.

A total of 10½ tons of bombs were dropped as follows:—

1st Brigade: 1st Wing dropped 27 25-lb bombs, and No 18 Squadron dropped six 25-lb bombs on La Bassée.

2nd Brigade: 15 25-lb bombs. No 1 Squadron dropped 14 25-lb bombs.

3rd Brigade: 20 112-lb and 91 25-lb bombs.

5th Brigade: Naval Squadron No 5 dropped 4 112-lb and 120 25-lb bombs, and 15th and 22nd Wings dropped 277 25-lb bombs.

9th Brigade: No 25 Squadron dropped 7 112-lb and 24 25-lb bombs on Bapaume; No 27 Squadron dropped 14 112-lb and 16 25-lb bombs on Villers-Carbonnel, and No 82 dropped 211 25-lb bombs on troops and transport.

Enemy Aircraft:

Very few enemy machines were encountered, with the exception of south of the Somme, but a good many two-seaters appeared to be doing contact patrol work.

2nd-Lieut G S Hodson, 73 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Abancourt - Warfusée at 10:00/10:00 – 2nd-Lieut G S Hodson, No 73 Squadron, was attacked by two E.A. scouts, one of which he shot down out of control

2nd-Lieut A H Santa Maria, 54 Sqn, two-seater forced to land south-east of Proyart at 10:15/10:15 -

2nd-Lieut R C Crowden, 54 Sqn, Pfalz Scout crashed Warfusée at 10:30/10:30 – 2nd-Lieut R C Crowden, No 54 Squadron, was attacked by E.A. scouts; he fired a burst of 100 rounds into one, which went down completely out of control and crashed near Warfusée

2nd-Lieut W E Green & 2nd-Lieut H S Gros, 57 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control Bapaume at 11:15/11:15 – 2nd-Lieuts W E Green & H S Gros, No 57 Squadron, shot down one enemy scout out of control

Casualties:

2nd-Lieut B G A Bell (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut W F Hanna (Ok), 48 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7167 - shot by machine-gun fire from ground on OP Moreuil

2nd-Lieut W Dancy (Wia) & Capt J E Greenall (Kia), 52 Sqn, RE8 – combat?

Capt P D Robinson MC (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut J Q F Walker (Kia), 57 Sqn, DH4 A7674 – took off 12:50/12:50 then missing from photography

Lieut D Maclean (Ok) & Lieut E J Brabrook (Ok), 8 Sqn, AW FK8 C8451 – took off 14:00/14:00 then force landed off Amiens - Albert road after radiator shot through on artillery patrol

2nd-Lieut E S C Pearce (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut C B Coleman (Pow), 57 Sqn, DH4 A2161 – took off 14:20/14:20 then missing from bombing Bapaume; Ltn d R Heinrich Georg Geigl, Js16, 9th victory [Beugnâtre, no time] ? Beugnâtre is just north-east of Bapaume

2nd-Lieut A S Hanna (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut R A Burnard (Pow), 35 Sqn, AW FK8 C8482 – took off 16:40/16:40 then missing from fighting patrol

Graeme