100 years ago today - 23 December 1917

[Graeme]

SUNDAY, 23 DECEMBER 1917

General Headquarters, December 24th.

“On the 23rd inst. a dense haze made little work possible in the air, except bombing and fighting, both of which were carried on with the utmost vigour. The enemy's artillery machines were very active, and five were brought down in air fighting, three of them falling in our lines. Two other hostile machines were brought down in our lines by anti-aircraft gun fire. One of these latter was a large twin-engined machine with three occupants, who were taken prisoner. After dark a thick mist set in which did not lift till the early morning. Our night-flying machines then left the ground and bombed several of the enemy's aerodromes with good effect. In daylight on the 24th inst. one of our squadrons bombed Mannheim-on-the-Rhine with excellent results. A ton of bombs were dropped, and bursts were observed in the large main station, in the works, and also in the town, where fires were started. Very heavy anti-aircraft gunfire was directed against our aeroplanes when over their objective, and one of our machines was damaged and forced to land. Several of the enemy's scouts made repeated attacks on our formations, but were driven off. All of our machines returned, with the exception of the one machine mentioned above.”

RFC Communiqué number 119:

The weather was fine but a thick haze allowed only a little artillery work to be done.

Six hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation. Three gun-pits were damaged and two fires caused.

With balloon observation, two hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction by artillery of the First Army and two neutralised, while artillery of the Second Army engaged eight for destruction, neutralised one and dealt with 22 other targets.

Three reconnaissances were carried out by machines of the 3rd Brigade, during which 320 photographs were taken. A total of 631 photographs were taken by Brigades during the day and 5,861 rounds fired ground targets. Of the latter, 1,100 were fired by pilots of Naval Squadron No 8.

None of our machines were missing during the day, but one was shot down in “No Man’s Land.”

Bombing: 1st Brigade - On the night of the 22nd/23rd, No 2 Squadron dropped 54 25-lb bombs on Meurchin and on the 23rd No 4 Squadron dropped two 25-lb bombs on Benifontaine.

3rd Brigade – Twenty-nine 25-lb bombs were dropped by Corps machines on various targets.

5th Brigade – Corps machines dropped 33 25-lb bombs on various targets.

9th Wing - On the night of the 22nd/23rd, No 101 Squadron dropped eight 25-lb bombs on Rumbeke Aerodrome where a dlirect hit was obtained on a hangar; eight 25-lb and two 40-lb phosphorus bombs on Scheldewendeke Aerodrome; two 230-lb and 84 25-lb bombs on Maria Aalter Aerodrome where five direct hits were obtained.

3,014 rounds were fired during this raid and some pilots carried extra 25-lb and incendiary hombs in the nacelles of their machines.

During the same night, No 102 Squadron dropped eight 112-lb and 80 25-lb bombs on Sotteghem, Audenarde, Courtrai, Menin and Comines Railway Stations and Scheldewendeke, St Denis Westrem and Cuerne Aerodromes.

Admiralty, December 24th.

“During the night of December 23rd-24th bombing raids by naval aircraft were carried out on the following objectives:— Bruges Docks, enemy aerodromes at St. Denis Westrem and Ghistelles. About 3 tons of explosives were dropped on the docks; and about 1½ tons on the two aerodromes. All machines returned safely.”

RNAS Communiqué number 12:

Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 14 Squadrons, H.P.s: During the evening of the 22nd a raid was carried out on the following aerodromes. Eight machines took part in the raid.

Mariakerke, twenty-eight 112-lb bombs. Bombs were observed to burst close to and among the sheds and buildings in the N.W. and N.E. portions of the aerodrome.

St Denis Westrem, four 250-lb and twenty-two 112-lb bombs. Two direct hits were claimed and in addition, a certain number of bombs were observed to burst close to the sheds and hangars.

Oostacker, twelve 250-lb and thirty-two 112-lb bombs. Two direct hits were claimed, bombs also burst among principal group of sheds.

Many useful observations were made by pilots and observers during the raid.

All pilots and machines returned safely.

Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft were not particularly active and nearly all the machines encountered were two-seaters.

Seven enemy machines were brought down, five within our lines. Three of these were by Capt McCudden, No 56 Squadron, who shot down a fourth on the enemy's side; and two were by anti-aircraft, one which was a Gotha. The Gotha machine, which was hit by anti-aircraft of the Third Army, landed near Achiet le Grand and the three occupants were taken prisoners.

The Communique reported “This is the first occasion on which one pilot has shot down four EA in a day, and Capt McCudden's accounts are as follows:—

Left ground 10.50 to look for EA west of our lines, and at 11.15 saw three EA two-seaters together over Vendelles, N-W of St Quentin, at 13,000 feet. As they were above I could not engage them decisively, but drove them all east of the lines. At about 11.10 an LVG came W just north of St Quentin at 17,000. Chased him and caught him up over Etreillers. He then turned south. I secured a firing position and fired a burst, from both guns, when EA’s engine stopped and water came pouring from the radiator in the centre section. EA turned south and I tried to turn him west because the observer was waving his rightn arm, apparently in token of surrender, but the machine was still going south-east very faSt. However, I fired another burst at close eange, whereupon he went down in a steep dive and crashed completely between the canal and the road at Anguilcourt, which is NE of La Fere, at 11.25. I returned north climbing, and 11.50 saw a Rumpler at 17,500 just south of Peronne. I climbed for 20 minutes and attacked EA over Beanvois at 18,200 feet at 12.15. Going SE, EA fought extraordinarily well and we got down to 8,000 feet over Roupy, when after a burst from both guns at close range EA's right hand wings fell off and the wreckage fell in our lines near Contescourt at 12.20. Returned north climbing and at 12.50 attacked two LVG's over Gouzeaucourt at 16,000. However, both machines co-operated very well, using their front guns as well the rear, and I fought them east of the lines and then left them I had no more petrol.

“Leading my formation E over Ytres towards the lines at 14,000 feet, at 2.30 I saw a Rumpler coming W over Metz at 14,000. EA saw my formation and then turned east, nose down. I caught up to EA at 13,000 feet over Bois de Gouzeaucourt, and engaged him down to 6,000 feet, when EA went into spiral dive and crashed in our lines NW of Gouzeaucourt at 2.40 pm. Reformed my patrol and crossed lines at 13,000 over Masnieres. At about 3.5 engaged six Albatross Scouts over Fontaine at 13,000. My patrol fought these EA down to 8,000 feet over Bourlon Wood and then left EA who dived eaSt. The fight was indecisive except that Lieut Galley, in fighting one E.A end on, got hit in the oil tank and had to land at Advanced Landing Ground, and apparently he hit the EA's engine and he went off down E as if to land. The EA scouts (red-nosed Albatross) kept rolling and spinning down. After the fight, whilst reforming the patrol over Flesquieres, I saw an LVG coming West over Trescault at 12,000 feet. I got into position at close range, fired about 20 shots, when EA went down absolutely out of control, alternately stalling, turning upside down and then spinning for a short distance before stalling again, etc. EA took five minutes to reach the ground and in a vertical dive landed on a train in our lines a few hundred yards west of Metz at 3.30. Returned at 3.50.”

Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, LVG C crashed Anguilcourt at 11:25/12:25
Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, Rumpler C captured Contescourt at 12:20/13:20 - G.107

Capt E R Pennell and 2nd-Lieut W H Brown, 84 Sqn, two-seater out of control north of St Quentin at 13:00/14:00
Lieut J S Ralston, 84 Sqn, two-seater out of control St Quentin at 13:10/14:10

Lieut J Ralston, No 84 Squadron, drove down one enemy machine out of control, while another fell out of control after having been engaged by Capt E Pennell and 2nd-Lieut W Brown

Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, Rumpler C captured north-west of Gouzeaucourt at 14:40/15:40 - G.106

2nd-Lieut F C Gorringe, 70 Sqn, two-seater in flames north-east of Hollebeke at 15:15/16:15 - 2nd-Lieut F Gorringe, No 70 Squadron, observed a large amount of anti-aircraft fire over Ypres so flew that direction and found a German machine which he attacked and shot down

Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, LVG CV captured Metz-en-Couture at 15:30/16:30 - Vfw Kurt Boje (Kia) & Vfw Friedrich Neimann (Kia), Schsta 12, G.108

Casualties:

2nd-Lieut A C Youdale MC (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut J E Mott (Kia), 21 Sqn, RE8 B5088 - reported to have been brought down in flames by EA on reconnaissance Ypres; anti-aircraft fire

Graeme