The Great Varssenaere Raid - 13 August 1918

[regular122]

Unlike a certain notorious and somewhat suspect raid on a German airfield that gets much debate on this forum, August 13th, 1918 marks one of the most successful raids on an enemy airbase during the Great War. The German base at Varssenaere had long been a focus of 5th Group RAF as they attempted to reduce this enemy base with DH9 raids. It was a tough nut to crack. 5th Group therefore decided to combine the low level effectiveness of the Sopwith Camels as shown in recent months with two follow-on bombing raids. Three squadrons of Sopwith Camels would attack, while a fourth would provide cover. Two DH9 squadrons would attack at an hour and 2 hour thirty minutes after the initial Camel raid. Lt. Col. Jack Cunningham, himself a fighter ace promoted through to wing command at 65th Wing, would lead the raid. He would even score his last victory catching a German two-seater by surprise at the early morning return back to base.

A practice run for all squadrons was executed on 10 August 1918. The order was issued 11 August 1918.

The following comes from the archival notes and files of the Otis Reed collection at the USAF Historical Research Society. All errors in capitalization and enumeration are intended and copied as per the files.

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RAF 5th Group
Op. Order No. 4
Ref Sheet 12 N.E. 1/40,000

1. A concentrated bombing attack on Varssenaere Aerodrome (L 26, 27, 32, & 33) will be carried out on 12 inst. by:

No. 210 Sqdn
No. 213 Sqdn
No. 17 US Aero Sqdn
No. 211 Sqdn
No. 218 Sqdn

Photographs No 3945 & 3956 taken on the 1 August 1918 with plans, have been distributed down to squadrons. If conditions are unfavorable on the 12th inst., the attack will be carried out on the 13th, 14th, 15th, etc. or the first available day.

2. (a) No. 213 Squadron will rendezvous over Dunkirk Harbour at 0445 at 6,000 ft. No. 210 and 17 US Aero Squadrons will be rendezvous first at SW of BERGUES and will then form up at Dunkirk Harbor at 0445, proceeding to rendezvous along the BEGUES-DUNKIRK Canal.

(b) The signal for the column to start will be firing of a red parachute Very’s light by No. 213 Sqdn.

(c) Attack will be carried our in two columns in line of flight formations as outlined in para 5 of 5th Group Operations Order No. 3 dated 1 August 1918. Nos. 210 & 17 US Aero Squadrons will form the Port column and No. 213 Squadron the starboard column.

(d) Both columns will proceed up the coast 3-8 miles out to sea (according to visibility) well throttled down until they reach a point just east of Ostende when No. 213 Squadron will lead the raid and all squadrons will conform to their movements. Flights will return if touch is lost or if unable to find objective.

(e) No. 204 Squadron will be over Ostende slightly our to sea at between 8,000 and 10,000 ft. at 0505. When leader of 204 Squadron sees columns approaching he is to lead straight across the objective, flying fast and losing height down to 5,000 ft. Both columns of machines will follow No. 204 Squadron losing height rapidly. No. 204 Squadron will remain over the objective during the raid.

(f) No. 210 and 17 US Aero Sqdns will bomb sheds on the South-Eastern side of the Aerodrome and No. 213 Sqdn the sheds on the North Western side of the aerodrome. The attack will be made from the North.

(g) Great attention must be paid to helping good flight formation both in the dive and in the ensuing climb. The dive should be started at 2,000 feet and machine gun fire opened from that height. bombs to be dropped from not higher than 700 ft. or lower than 400 ft. After bombing the objective, Flights of No. 210 & 213 Sqdns will fly straight ahead for a mile before zooming in order to cover No. 17 Us. Aero Sqdn. Flights are to return independently at low altitude shooting up ground targets East of YSER Canal.

4 (a) A Priority signal will be made by O.C. 61st Wing on the 12th, 13th, 14th etc, to:
No. 210, 213, & 204 Sqdns
O.C. 65th Wing for No. 17 US Aero Sen & 211 Sqdn.
O.C. 82nd Wing for No. 218 Sqdn.
HQ 5th Group.

stating if the weather conditions are suitable if “SUITABLE” is signaled, Squadrons will proceed to rendezvous.

(b) O.C. 61st Wing will send a further signal to the HQ 5th Group, 65th Wing and 82 Wing, giving the time that the columns have left rendezvous for their raid.

(c) O.C. 65th Wing will signal O.C. 82 Wing giving the time that 211 Sqdn leaves

5. No. 211 Squadron will bomb Varssenaere Aerodrome one hour after the despatch of signal from O.C. 61st Wing. No. 218 Squadron will bomb the same objective 2 1/2 hours after receipt of the signal from O.C. 61st Wing.

Lt. Col. for
G.O.C. 5th Group RAF.

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The raid was a smashing success. The combat reports of the day gave immediate credit to the 17th US Aero Squadron six enemy machines on the ground. According to Reed, the RAF would grant the squadron eight to fourteen. In October, intel reports stated that the attack destroyed 20 Gothas and demolished between 18-20 Fokker biplanes, killed 36 flying officers and one hundred and twenty enlisted men. Not a single loss resulted from the raid. Lloyd Hamilton, who by all accounts of all squadrons gave an outstanding performance, would be nominated for the Medal of Honor for this mission and was eventually awarded the DSC and DFC.

It may never be known the full extent of the Varssenaere raid. It was likely that several operational squadrons were severely hampered and dozens of experienced pilots and ground personnel lost their lives in the raid. While the Germans attempted a revenge raid on Petit-Synthe, the 17th Aero had followed her American sister Camel squadron, the 148th Aero by that time the week following the raid.

Attached below is a pic of Varssenaere Aerodrome taken at around 11:00 am by the bombers following the initial raid. If you look at the upper center and follow the line down, you can see a great many stranded machines, burning hangars and sheds and the Chateau and barracks that housed the pilots and crews.

Also attached is a summary of the 17th US Aero Squadron Combat Reports detailing the actions of the participating pilots. The 17th Aero Squadron Record Book page for this raid also provides more detail about the pilots and planes on the raid.

The last attachments are of Lt. Col. Jack Cunningham, O.C. 65th Wing (courtesy IWM), and his Combat Report of his final victory as he returned from the raid. This was icing on the cake for the Wing Commander.

If anyone has more details on the enemy losses of this raid, it would be most welcome. It is an item of much historical debate.

Steve