23rd June 1918, Addison/Fysh - Stooke/Weir

On the 23rd of June, 1918 in Palestine the two Bristol Fighters of 1 Sqn AFC with the crews of Addison/Fysh and Stooke/Weir encountered four Albatros ScoutsSE of Bireh. Addison claims one aircraft Driven Down Out Of Control. Cutlack says documents found later showed one aircraft broke up and crashed. Joe Bull says in his diary ( that day ) one was seen to break up and another driven down out of control.

Anyone know more of this combat?

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This is Addisons narrative,

"At 0800 when on an EA Patrol over Jerusalem-Nablus Road I saw 4 enemy scout machines at 9000 feet about 5 miles SE of Bireh flying in close formation. I was at 10500 feet and dived on EA and succeeded in breaking up the formation. I then dived on the rear achine and firing a burst of 30 rounds my sighting was interfered with through the engine throwing back a shower of oil. I pulled out, cleaned my glasses, and again attacked EA firing a burst of 40 rounds when I got a No.3 stoppage in Vickers gun. After remedying stoppage I again dived on EA and fired two bursts of about 20 rounds each the last being from 50 yards. The EA then reeled over and spun into the clouds which were resting on the hilltops at 3000 feet. I saw several tracers enter the fuselage of the EA. 1 EA in the meantime headed for Nablus and the remaining two went to the NE. I pursued the two (Lieut Stooke having gone after the other). I was overhauling one of the machines but when I was about 500 yards distant he dived through a gap in the clouds into what appeared to be a deep gully; I was then about 800 feet from the ground."



cam