100 years ago today - 24 June 1917

[Graeme]

SUNDAY, 24 JUNE 1917

General Headquarters, June 25th.

“There was heavy fighting in the air yesterday. Five German aeroplanes were brought down by our machines, and five others were driven down out of control. Another hostile machine was shot down by our anti-aircraft guns. Five of our aeroplanes are missing."

Artillery Co-operation — 193 targets were dealt with by aeroplane observation and 87 by balloon observation.

Photography — 419 plates were exposed.

Enemy Aircraft — Enemy aircraft activity was great opposite the Fifth Army but below normal on other Army fronts.

Six EA in two patrols of three machines each attacked six balloons on the Second Army front. Nos. 2, 32 and 38 balloons were brought down in flames. The eleven Observers in the six balloons all made successful parachute descents. A subsequent attack was made by an Albatros scout on No.9 Balloon but failed; the EA being brought down in our lines by anti-aircraft fire.

Flt Lt R Collishaw, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Moorslede at 08:10/09:10 - Flight Lt R Collishaw, 10 Squadron RNAS, fired 40 rounds into an EA from behind at 25 yards; its wings fell off and it crashed near Moorslede.

Flt Sub-Lt J E Sharman, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout broke up Zonnebeke at 08:10/09:10 - Flight Lt J E Sharman of the same squadron fired 60 rounds at close range at one of 15 EA which were attacking two De Havilland 4s. The tail plane and right wing of the EA broke off and it crashed.

Capt W A Bishop, 60 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Beaumont at 11:23/12:23 - Capt W A Bishop, 60 Squadron, fired 20 rounds into an EA at 20 yards range and it burst into flames and fell out of control.

Capt W J C Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick, 2nd Lt S C O'Grady and 2nd Lt G I D Marks, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames St Jean at 16:30/17:30 - Ltn d R Erich Reiher, Jasta 6, Kia

Sgt A N Stretton & 1/AM W Trezise, 25 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Lille at 16:45/17:45

Lt W B Wood, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 19:00/20:00

Lt A S Shepherd, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 19:00/20:00

Capt K L Caldwell, Lt D C G Murray and Lt A R Adam, 60 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 20:10/21:10

Capt K L Caldwell, 60 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Douai at 20:10/21:10

2nd Lt H P Lale & 2nd Lt R N Jeffs, 48 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 20:15/21:15

2nd Lt A E Godfrey, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-east of Lille at 20:20/21:20 – with his patrol encountered one EA acting as decoy and five more approaching from the north. He attacked the decoy machine and fired a long burst a very close range, tracers being seen to enter the cockpit. The EA stalled and went down in a slow spin through the clouds. Confirmed by Lt Bond.

Lt F W Rook, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-west of Lille at 20:25/21:25 – fired a burst at 30 yards’ range as the EA dived past him and the EA went onto one wing, side-slipped and afterwards did a nose-dive, apparently out of control. Rook followed for about 1,000 feet, firing another burst and the EA was last seen dropping through the clouds, out of control. Confirmed by Lt Bond.

Casualties –

Capt N G McNaughton MC (Kia) & Lt A H Mearns (Kia), 57 Sqn, DH4 A7473 – took off 07:40/08:40 then last seen 9,000 feet over Becelaere in combat with EA on photographic-reconnaissance 08:30/09:30; Ritt Manfred von Richthofen, JGI, 55th victory [Becelaere at 08:30/09:30]

Capt W P Holt (Kia), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 23 B1607 – took off 17:55/18:55 then missing on offensive patrol 19:00/20:00; Vzfw Josef Heiligers, Ja30, 2nd victory [south-west of Beaumont at 18:40/19:40] ?

2nd Lt D P Collis (Inj), 23 Sqn, Spad VII B1531 - force landed near Dickebusch after being badly shot about in combat on offensive patrol

2nd Lt J W Eyton Lloyd (Killed) & Flt-Sgt FG Matthews (Killed), 10 Sqn, BE2g A2965 - collided with balloon cable at 40 KBS, G15b92 and crashed during artillery patrol

Flt Sub-Lt R G Saunders (Kia), 10N Sqn, Triplane N5358 – took off 07:30/08:30 then shot down in combat during OP Zonnebeke - Moorslede; Ltn Karl Allmenroder, Ja11, 28th victory Polygon Wood at 08:20/09:20] ?

Flt Sub-Lt A B Holcroft (Pow), 10N Sqn, Triplane N6306 – took off 07:30/08:30 then shot down in combat on OP Zonnebeke - Moorslede; Ltn Gisbert-Wilhelm Groos, Ja11, 2nd victory [Zonnebeke at 08:20/09:20] ?

2nd Lt W G Nicholls (Wia) & Lt A Sleep (Ok), 9 Sqn, RE8 A4297 – took off 20:15/21:15 then hit by anti-aircraft fire on artillery-observation

Lt W A N Smith (Ok) & 2nd Lt A S Goodwin (Ok), 9 Sqn, RE8 A4625 - brought down by AA fire near Vlamertinghe on artillery-observation

Graeme

[MASTIFF]

Other claims this date:

Ltn H Klein, Js4, balloon, N Armentieres, 1240hrs, 12th victory. British balloon 32-6-2 (BM131/D), 2/Lt BP Fletcher & Lt WJE Griffiths unharmed.

Ltn H Gontermann, Js15, balloon, Pontavert, 1515hrs, 22nd victory. French 65e Cie d'A.

Ltn K Muller, Js9, balloon, Chaude Fontaine, 2020hrs, first victory. French 90e Cie d'A.

Ltn H Dannenberg, Js13, Nieuport, Versigny, 2nd victory. Nieuport 17 2523, N.67, Cpl R Hegy POW.

Obltn E Schleich, Js21, balloon, Guyencourt, 4th victory.

OfStv Fahlke, Js37, Spad, SE Kemmel, first victory. Possibly B1531 of 23 Sqn, 2/Lt Collins (sic) injured in crash landing after being shot about.

Uffz Ruckser, Js37, Spad, unconfirmed. No other info.

Ltn Skarupke, Js37, Caudron, unconfirmed. No other info.


Losses:

Reiher loss noted above by Graeme, KIA on Albatros DIII (G 49).

Ltn Georg Weiner, Js20, injured in accident. No other info.


Tony

[Jos]

Hello all,

On this day Lieutenant T.M. Sturgess, 41 Squadron , R.F.C. on FE8 (A4925) became a POW.

This is what he said about the circumstances he became a prisoner:

2nd Lieutenant Sturgess, 41 Squadron, R.F.C., joins.

Sturgess: Think, just before taking off, our commander warned us because of the clouds, for attacking the balloons. When we reached about 2400 till 2700 m altitude, we saw a double squadron and we were just five. I had to go up till 3600 m, as I had a fight. At a height of about 4500 m I had a new fight, when another 3 planes came from the back. I was shot down and had no more opportunity to reach our own lines.


Regards,

Jos

[Graeme]

For some reason I had Sturgess listed under 26 June -

2nd Lt T M Sturgess (Pow), 41 Sqn, FE8 A4925 - fired a green Very light and seen going down under control over 28J34 on patrol

Graeme

[R Gannon]

Flt Lt R Collishaw, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Moorslede at 08:10/09:10 - Flight Lt R Collishaw, 10 Squadron RNAS, fired 40 rounds into an EA from behind at 25 yards; its wings fell off and it crashed near Moorslede.

Flt Sub-Lt J E Sharman, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout broke up Zonnebeke at 08:10/09:10 - Flight Lt J E Sharman of the same squadron fired 60 rounds at close range at one of 15 EA which were attacking two De Havilland 4s. The tail plane and right wing of the EA broke off and it crashed.

Casualties –

Flt Sub-Lt R G Saunders (Kia), 10N Sqn, Triplane N5358 – took off 07:30/08:30 then shot down in combat during OP Zonnebeke - Moorslede; Ltn Karl Allmenroder, Ja11, 28th victory Polygon Wood at 08:20/09:20] ?

Flt Sub-Lt A B Holcroft (Pow), 10N Sqn, Triplane N6306 – took off 07:30/08:30 then shot down in combat on OP Zonnebeke - Moorslede; Ltn Gisbert-Wilhelm Groos, Ja11, 2nd victory [Zonnebeke at 08:20/09:20] ?

Capt N G McNaughton MC (Kia) & Lt A H Mearns (Kia), 57 Sqn, DH4 A7473 – took off 07:40/08:40 then last seen 9,000 feet over Becelaere in combat with EA on photographic-reconnaissance 08:30/09:30; Ritt Manfred von Richthofen, JGI, 55th victory [Becelaere at 08:30/09:30]

As I have this one written up B & C Flights of 10 Naval (led by Collishaw & Sharman respectively) were providing an escort for two 57 Sqn DH4's on a photo recon E of Ypres (to assess counter battery effects) - Triplanes 2,000ft above the DH4's at 9,000ft. Between 12 & 15 EA scouts attempted to attack the DH4's and were engaged by the Triplanes.

Collishaw & Sharman each engaged Albatros as reported in Communiques; but Collishaw only saw his fall OOC before being attacked by 4 more EA. Sharman likewise drove down a mottle green EA but was then attacked by another EA. Here the fog of war kicks in; a short time later Sharman saw two tone green aircraft loose its R/H wings & tail 2,000ft below. Collishaw also claimed he saw the wings on one side of 'his' EA fall off.

Both Saunders & Hollcraft were part of Sharman's flight. Allmenroder & Groos claims for Dreidekers diesseits locations 5km German side.

Interestingly MvR claimed the 'DH DD' as his 56th luftseige and not chronologically his 55th, which was to come on the following day. Meaning there was a delay in MvR making the claim. The claim was post 25 June.

He would claim in his CR that leading a 6 strong Js 11 flight, he attacked the recon aircraft unimpeded. Clearly his men and clearly those of another un-named Jasta were fighting the Triplanes. MvR would claim the recon machine broke up under his fire, the body crashing on a hangar (Balloon hangar) and burst into flames. He provides no information as to how many rounds he fired.

Interestingly the escort DH4 crew simply reported that A7473, '..went down in a skimming nose dive hose dive..' Which the observer thought, 'he would come out ok'. Here is the rub, it was the escort which was attacked by two red nosed Albatros, and had to spin down to escape!

In hindsight it is clear A7473 broke up - a little point of detail; a 55 Sqn DH4 interestingly lost its tail in a dive during a combat on 25 May! I also believe this is also what Collishaw & Sharman almost certainly saw, but both optimistically believed it to be the EA they had each engaged.

As to whether MvR's fire caused A7473 to break up, or as to whether he was poaching credit for the wrecked DH4; possibly/probably having only ineffectively attacked the escort DH4 - well my jury is still out. The late submission of the claim strongly suggests it was far from clear cut on the German side.

Russ

[James A. Pratt III]

NB 19 has a FA 3 Rumpler CIV Unt Mertschat pilot attacked by 5 English fighters stalls recovers at low altitude and attacked by 3 triplanes . This happened in the Bailleul area at around 1100 hrs. FA 3 was attached to the German 4 Armee

CGAS has a MFA II crew killed this day can't tell who claimed them

There is a Belgian claim this day. No FASWC claims this far north

[James A. Pratt III]

IN looking at the FASWC it could be Schleich of J21 attacked but did not flame a balloon of 49 Cie d'Aerostiers.

RFC artillery cooperation:
2Lt Kerr and Lt Eletob(?) no 53 Squadron observing for Nos 2 and 5 RMA (15-in How) carried out a destructive shoot on Teubrielen obtaining 19 OKs. One shell was observed to completely wreck five houses.
For more info on the 15 inch howitzers of the RMA go to the: longlongtrail.co.uk or the Osprey book on British WW I artillery.

[R Gannon]

It may be that the FA 3 machine (which spun down 5,300m to 1,300m) may have been initially attacked by 23 Sqn; I have a claim by 2Lt D Buchanan on B1561 for a DFW apparently crashed, Comines at 0930 (1030GT). Apparently the FA 3 Rumpler briefly touched down east of Bailluel before getting the engine going again. The three Triplanes would be 1 Naval (based Bailluel a/d). Buchanan claim did not make Communiques.

MFA II crew Flmt H Morchel kia & Ltn H Klinge IIC/DOI Speermele (SE Nieuport). I'm hoping Jos can provide some additional visibility.

There is a 3 Naval 2-seat Driven Down claim by FSL JA Glen & FSL AB Ellwood Dixmude - Ghisteles.

Russ

[R Gannon]

As I understand it his piston rod broke and he landed and believing he was British side of lines and did not burn machine!

I think his 'bugged' account posted by Jos, was a face saving version of events, claiming to fellow POW's that he had been shot down by 3 EA.

As for the Germans they credited a 'Vickers' to KFlak 27 - Wietje-Verlorenhoek vL (meaning down German front line).

Russ

[R Gannon]

Lt W B Wood, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 19:00/20:00

Lt A S Shepherd, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 19:00/20:00

Capt W P Holt (Kia), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 23 B1607 – took off 17:55/18:55 then missing on offensive patrol 19:00/20:00; Vzfw Josef Heiligers, Ja30, 2nd victory [south-west of Beaumont at 18:40/19:40] ?

I believe this was same C Flight OP. Beaumont was 8km German side.

Russ

Believe the JWC listing of the u/c claim of Heiliegers on 21 Jun 17, same time & loc, is bogus listing of this claim.