100 years ago today - 12 December 1917

[Graeme]

WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER 1917

General Headquarters, December 13th.

“On the 12th inst., in spite of low clouds and mist, a great many of our aeroplanes were in the air. The enemy's troops were engaged with machine-gun fire during their attack on our positions at Bullecourt, bombs were dropped, and low reconnaissances carried out. There was much air fighting, in which a Gotha aeroplane and one other German machine were brought down, and three other hostile machines driven down out of control. Another hostile machine was shot down in our lines by anti-aircraft gun fire. All our aeroplanes returned.”

RFC Communiqué number 118:

The weather was fine in the morning, but clouds interfered, with work in the afternoon.

Three reconnnaissances were carried out by the 2nd Brigade and 11 by the 3rd, who also did eight contact patrols.

Artillery co-operation: With aeroplane observation, five hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction by the First Army artillery. One was neutralized, five gun-pits were destroyed and three explosions and four fires caused.

Seventy-two zone calls were sent down, 63 of which were by the 3rd Brigade.

12,334 rounds were fired at ground targets; 1,100 were by pilots of Naval Squadron No 8 and 1,150 by No 24 Squadron.

Bombing: 1st Brigade - No 2 Squadron dropped four 25-lb bombs, and No 4 Squadron seven 25-lb bombs on various targets.

2nd Brigade – Seventy-five 25-lb bombs were dropped by Corps machines.

3rd Brigade – Fifty-four 25-lb bombs were dropped by machines of the Corps Wing, which also fired 2,177 rounds. Low-flying scouts dropped 20 25-lb bombs on troops aid other targets.

RNAS Communiqué number 11:

Two photographic reconnaissances were attempted by No. 2 Squadron, but had to be abandoned owing to thick clouds over all objectives.

Anti-submarine patrol was carried out by Seaplanes. Nothing to report.

Owing to weather few fighter patrols could be carried out.

Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 14 Squadrons, H.P.s: On the evening of the 11th and morning of the 12th a bomb raid was carried out on Bruges Docks.

Four 250-lb and thirty-four 112-lb bombs were dropped, but owing to the low clouds results were difficult to observe. It was noted, however, that one of the bombs caused a particularly large explosion.

All machines returned safely.

While making a sweep round by Ghistelles and Dixmude, nine Camels from No 10 Squadron encountered six Albatross scouts. A general engagement took place in which one of our machines was attacked and shot down by an Albatross. Flight Commander Macgregor immediately attacked the EA and drove him down out of control.

Other indecisive engagements took place.

Confirmation of the destruction of this EA has since been received from the Belgians, who state that a British and a hostile machine were seen to go down at this time, near Leke.

During the course of the patrols several hundred rounds were fired into enemy trenches.

Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft activity was slight on all fronts except the 2nd Brigade, where a number of combats took place, and a Gotha machine was destroyed.

Lieut V Wigg, 65 Sqn, Albatros Scout captured St Julien at 09:25/10:25
Lieut V Wigg and Lieut C B Matthews, 65 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Houthulst Forest - Ypres at 09:25/10:25

Another hostile machine was brought down in our lines by Lieut V Wigg, No 65 Squadron, who, with the assstance of Lieut C Matthews, drove one down out of control and then attacked the second, with which he nearly collided owing to the closeness of the fighting, and finally shot it down in flames in our lines; Uffz Kählert, Jasta 26, Pow

Lieut K A Seth-Smith, 70 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Westroosebeke at 09:30/10:30

2nd-Lieut F G Quigley, 70 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Westroosebeke at 09:30/10:30

Capt E Y Hughes, 3 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Cambrai at 10:20/11:20

Capt K M St C G Leask, 84 Sqn, two-seater crashed ? Hendecourt at 13:45/14:45

Capt W W Rogers, 1 Sqn, Gotha G broke up north of Frelinghem at 14:15/15:15 – Capt W Rogers, No 1 Squadron, flying a Nieuport, saw two formations of eight or nine Gothas flying west, so climbed up with his patrol. Observing one of the enemy machines turn back, he attacked and after firing three-quarters of a drum at from 20 to 30 yards' range, the machine burst into flames, fell to pieces and crashed just, north of Frelinghien. This is confirmed by infantry and anti-aircraft; Hpt Rudolf Kleine & Ltn Werner Bülowius & Ltn Gunther von der Nahmer & Gefr Max Weber, KG3, all Kia,

Capt A E McKay, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Houthulst Forest at 14:20/15:20 - Ja7 ?,

Flt Cdr N M MacGregor, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control east of Dixmude at 14:40/15:40 -

Capt W M Fry, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Staden at 15:00/16:00

Lieut L D Baker, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Staden - Oostnieuwkerke at 15:00/16:00

Casualty

Flt Sub-Lieut J G Clark (Pow), 10N Sqn, Camel N6330 - combat with Albatros Scouts at 14,000 feet shot down out of control north of Dixmude at 15:45/16:45; Ltn Paul Billik, Js7, 8th victory [Keiem at 15:30/16:30]

Graeme

[MASTIFF]

Jasta claims this date:

Ltn Erich Just, Js11, balloon, Hermies, 1320hrs, first victory. British balloon 31-18-2 (SB 211).

Ltn Theodor Rumpel, Js23, Spad, Cumieres, 1330hrs, 4th victory.

Ltn Otto von Breiten-Landenberg, Js9, Spad, St Souplet, 1402hrs, 4th victory. Spad VII 6024, Cpl B Walcott (1 victory) of Esc N.84 MIA.

Vfw Georg Strasser, Js17, balloon, Villers Faucon, 1550hrs, 7th victory. British balloon 29-14-3 (FM 134), observer 2/Lt B Thomas WIA.

Vfw Hans Horst, Js7, Spad, S Houthulst, 1615hrs, zlg.

Ltn zS Karl-Heinrich Voss, MFJ1, Camel, Leke, (no time), first victory.


Jasta losses:

Uffz Oswald Rottmann, Js14, KIA near Asch. No other info.

Ltn Walter Borner, Js27, on Albatros D.V (G 98) KIA over Boesinghe by Lt V Wigg, 65 Sqn, RFC.

Uffz Kahlert, Js27 (not 26?) only 4 days out of Jastaschule 1 when shot down POW.

Ltn Wilhelm Kolb, Js76, On Albatros D.V 5294/17, KIA 1630hrs over Habsheim.


Tony

[Graeme]

Vfw Hans Horst, Js7, Spad, S Houthulst, 1615hrs, zlg. – I have a note that this might have been Capt G W B Allen (Ok), 23 Sqn

Ltn zS Karl-Heinrich Voss, MFJ1, Camel, Leke, (no time), first victory – no Sopwith-type losses.

Losses:

Ltn Walter Borner, Js27, on Albatros D.V (G 98) KIA over Boesinghe by Lt V Wigg, 65 Sqn, RFC – Börner was only two days out of Jastaschule II; probably the shared Wigg & Matthews victory.

Uffz Kahlert, Js27 (not 26?) only 4 days out of Jastaschule 1 when shot down POW – Jasta 27 is correct; I have Kählert as Wigg’s victim as he claimed a machine that came down in the British lines [G.98?].

Ltn Wilhelm Kolb, Js76, On Albatros D.V 5294/17, KIA 1630hrs over Habsheim – I have it that Kolb was killed in a crash, rather than brought down in action.

Graeme