100 years ago today - 7 December 1917

[Graeme]

FRIDAY, 7 DECEMBER 1917

General Headquarters, December 8th.

"On the 7th inst. low clouds and bad visibility made conditions less favourable for flying. Our aeroplanes observed for our artillery and carried out several low reconnaissances and the usual bombing raids. Hostile troops in their trenches were again engaged with machine-gun fire. Very little fighting took place. One German machine was brought down and another landed intact behind our lines. Four of our aeroplanes are missing."

RFC Communiqué number 117:

Low clouds prevented much flying being done during the day.

A low-flying reconnaissance was carried out by Lieut Crawford and 2nd-Lieut Abraham, No 2 Squadron. Four reconnaissances were carried out by machines of the 2nd Brigade, and useful information was obtained by No 69 Squadron and two were done by the 3rd Brigade, both by machines of No 11 Squadron. Machines of the latter Brigade also carried out seven successful contact patrols.

5,140 rounds were fired at ground targets.

Artillery Co-operation – With aeroplane observation 26 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun-pit was destroyed, eleven damaged, seven explosions and four fires caused.

With balloon observation of the 2nd Brigade four hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction and thirty-one other targets dealt with. One shoot was done in conjunction with an aeroplane.

Bombing - 1st Brigade: No 4 Squadron dropped eight 25-lb bombs on hostile trenches and 3 Squadron dropped three bombs on Benifontaine.

2nd Brigade: Machines of this Brigade dropped 51 25-lb bombs on various targets, and the 3rd Brigade dropped 39 25-lb bombs on various targets.

A photographic reconnaissance was attempted by machines of the 41st Wing, but, although the objective was reached, clouds prevented photographs being taken,

RNAS Communiqué number 11:

Owing to unfavourable weather conditions no war work was carried out.

Enemy Aircraft

Enemy aircraft activity was slight all day. One enemy scout landed in our lines near Vermelles under control. The machine was little damaged, but appeared to have been hit by both anti-aircraft and machine-gun fire.

Capt W Anderson & Lieut J Bell, 69 Sqn, two-seater crashed - Capt W Anderson and Lieut J Bell, No 69 Squadron (A.F.C.), were engaged on artillery observation when they encountered a German two-seater and drove it down out of control and it was seen by ground observers to crash

Casualties

2nd-Lieut J Sturrock (Wia) & ? (Ok), 12 Sqn, RE8 - slightly wounded by anti-aircraft fire

? (Ok) & Lieut J R Hodgkinson (Wia), 15 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in leg on artillery patrol

? (Ok) & 2/AM G Lawrence (Wia), 16 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in combat on artillery patrol

2nd-Lieut T W Calvert (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut A W Palmer (Pow), 13 Sqn, RE8 B5020 – took off 09:40/10:40 then missing on artillery patrol XVII Corps Front; possibly the ‘Martinsyde’ claimed by Uffz Kurt Reinhold, Js24, 4th victory [Mercatel - south of Arras at 10:30/11:30] ?

2nd-Lieut H A Yeo (Pow), 19 Sqn, Spad VII B3559 – took off 09:47/10:47 and last seen east of Moorslede at 10:30/11:30 on offensive patrol; Ltn Max Ritter v Müller, Js2, 35th victory [Moorslede at 10:55/11:55] ?

2nd-Lieut M G Gunn (Kia), 23 Sqn, Spad VII B3552 - last seen going down in a spin south of Passchendaele at 11:10/12:10 on northern offensive patrol; Vzfw Paul Bäumer, Js2, 16th victory [Zonnebeke at 10:55/11:55] ?

Graeme

[MASTIFF]

Other Jasta claims this date:


Ltn H Weiss, Js41, balloon, Lepuix, 1410hrs, 2nd victory. French 51e Cie d'A, observers S/Lt Gilbert & Asp Grandjean both KIA.

Uffz Walther, Js76, Caudron, Gewenheim, 1550hrs, first victory.

Vfw M Mallmann, Js19, Caudron, Berry-au-Bac, (no time), 3rd victory.


Jasta losses:

Vfw Max Wackwitz (4 victories & 2 u/c), Js24, on Albatros D.V 4545/17 (G 97), shot down by ground fire 1130hrs, POW.

Ltn Prasse, Js26, severely injured in accident. No other info.


Tony

[James A. Pratt III]

FASWC:
F 50 Letord 3 KIA probably by Walther J76

Mallmann j 19 Caudron claim possibly could be a letord of Sop 39 FTL during combat and destroyed by enemy artillery 3 OK

[Sethspeirs]

Originally Posted by Graeme

FRIDAY, 7 DECEMBER 1917

Capt W Anderson & Lieut J Bell, 69 Sqn, two-seater crashed - Capt W Anderson and Lieut J Bell, No 69 Squadron (A.F.C.), were engaged on artillery observation when they encountered a German two-seater and drove it down out of control and it was seen by ground observers to crash

Graeme

For the avoidance of doubt these two are:

William Hopton Anderson

John Renison Bell (Not to be confused with Captain John Bell who was with 2AFC/68RFC, shot down on 20/11/17 and died of wounds on 27/12/17)

[R Gannon]

Capt W Anderson & Lieut J Bell, 69 Sqn, two-seater crashed - Capt W Anderson and Lieut J Bell, No 69 Squadron (A.F.C.), were engaged on artillery observation when they encountered a German two-seater and drove it down out of control and it was seen by ground observers to crash

Casualties

I see this is listed as 7 Dec, however in Cutlacks' The Australian Flying Corps this is figured on 6 Dec 17 - indeed two pages are allocated to this mission, detailing in detail the fire mission they conducted, diecting guns of 155 Seige Battery mission 0925-1225, interrupted by the attack of the DFW.

Russ

[Graeme]

Checked back with the SRB and the action did indeed take place on 6 December, at 10:10/11:10 over U.6. Described as a 'two-seater DFW Aviatik', it went down after Bell had fired 90 rounds and was last seen diving steeply when lost to sight in the mist.

Graeme

[R Gannon]

? (Ok) & 2/AM G Lawrence (Wia), 16 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in combat on artillery patrol

The pilot was 2Lt PH Sadler ok; they were engaged by what they thought were two Albatros 2-seaters(sic) at 3,500ft over Acheville at 1035BT; shot up, tail damaged but returned. It would that were actually engaged by Js 24 who recorded a fight with 3 Martinsydes (sic) with Uffz Reinhold being credited with one of them – Mercatel 1130GT and given jenseits, but at coat of Vfw M Wachwitz who was Communiques reports’ ‘…landed in our lines near Vemelles under control. The aircraft was little damaged, but appeared to have been hit by both anti-aircraft and machine gun fire.’ This was Alb DV 4545/17 given as G 97. Vermelles is NW of Lens.

2nd-Lieut T W Calvert (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut A W Palmer (Pow), 13 Sqn, RE8 B5020 – took off 09:40/10:40 then missing on artillery patrol XVII Corps Front.

RPS says hit by AA/Flak at 3,500ft FTL & crashed near Douai – would appear the ‘RE8’ jointly claimed at Billy-Montingy by FlakBttr’s 6, 8, 102, 725 & 735. I think we can forget Js 24.

2nd-Lieut H A Yeo (Pow), 19 Sqn, Spad VII B3559 – took off 09:47/10:47 and last seen east of Moorslede at 10:30/11:30 on offensive patrol; Ltn Max Ritter v Müller, Js2, 35th victory [Moorslede at 10:55/11:55] ?

Part of NOP led by Lt Jennings which attacked a 2-seater only to be bounced by 6 EA scouts – it was extremely cloudy – RPS says engine hit & FTL. It would seem he was credited to Js B’s Ltn Muller credited with Spad-1 at Moorslede 1155 and given diesseits. Js B’s Vfw Baumer also claimed and was credited with a Spad-1, this time Zonnebeke, same time 1155GT, but given as jenseits. Yeo was 19 Sqn’s only casualty.

2nd-Lieut M G Gunn (Kia), 23 Sqn, Spad VII B3552 - last seen going down in a spin south of Passchendaele at 11:10/12:10 on northern offensive patrol; Vzfw Paul Bäumer, Js2, 16th victory [Zonnebeke at 10:55/11:55] ?

Three strong 23 Sqn NOP led by Lt Drewitt, came under a buffeting AA fire (Flak). Gunn’s machine seen falling in spin without an elevator. Drewitt felt a hit and the top wing of his B6761 was damaged. The third pilot believed they had collided. There was no Flak claim.

? (Ok) & Lieut J R Hodgkinson (Wia), 15 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in leg on artillery patrol

Pilot was 2Lt JH Schofield ok – their RE8 was attacked by 8 red Albatros scouts (Js 11?) over Graincourt at 4,000ft time 1320 – 2 EA diving and zooming at a time. Schofield & Hodgkinson believed they damaged one of their attackers.

I’m particularly indebted to TSTBF II for this particular post.

Russ