German Photographic sortie over Harwich docks

[MikeW]

I'm trying to assess the validity of a "story" concerning the shooting down of a German 2 Seater on a Photographic sortie over the Essex coast, in early 1918.

I believe the RFC pilot concerned did not make a claim because he was carrying out experimental work, and under express orders not to get involved if in proximity to any enemy aircraft.

The date is vague but probably early 1918, and it was suggested that the 2 seater was photographing Harwich Docks.

Are there any records of a PR crew failing to return from a mission over the Essex coast in early 1918?

[Graeme]

Mike

A couple of two-seater crews are listed in Casualties of The German Air Service as having been lost in the North Sea. To narrow the search, how early in 1918 are we looking?

Graeme

I can check itout in the War diaries of SEE I.or SEE II But i am not sure they went as far as Harwich. I know the plaesn of SEE I (Zeebrugge went as far as the Thames estuary, the DEN Hoofden, Schouwenbank, westhinder, etc..;

The Ex-Torpedo flugzeug staffel however could go further.
But i need a more precise date and place.
Over Hrwich - land or more at sea??

alain.

[MikeW]

Graeme and Alain,


I'm leaning towards the second part of 1917 now. The pilot in question, Captain Vernon Brown, was flying the RFC's one and only Sopwith triplane from Orfordness Armament & Gunnery Experimental Station. In some notes he refers to flying the triplane at the end of 1917, and early 1918 - In actual fact, he flew the machine mostly in 1917, and on 3 occasions on Anti-Gotha patrols (without much success). Captain R Charley took over the machine in 1918.

Therefore I think it's sometime during the summer or fall of 1917. He spotted the 2 seater over Harwich Docks, so if they made a run for it, I suspect he caught them over the sea - If it happened!

There was a daylight Gotha attack on Harwich on the 7th July,
I suspect it would have been normal practice to try any assess any damage shortly after the attack, say the next day. In fact Brown flew a Home Defence Sortie on the 7th July but suffered from gun stoppages.

I'll check in a minute to see if there were any later nightime Gotha raids on Harwich.