100 years ago today - 28 February 1918

[Graeme]

THURSDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 1918

General Headquarters, March 1st.

"Our aeroplanes took advantage of the few fine intervals on February 28th to carry out work in conjunction with the artillery and also to drop bombs on two of the enemy's ammunition dumps south of Lille, as well as on railway Sidings at Courtrai and Deynze {south-west of Ghent). One of our machines is missing. After dark our machines again took the air in the intervals between the hailstorms. Four tons of bombs were dropped on a large hostile aerodrome midway between Tournai and Mons, and on billets in the neighbourhood of Douai. All our machines returned."

RFC Communiqué number 129:

The weather was bad, but there were occasional bright intervals.

Five reconnaissances were carried out by the 1st, 2nd and 5th Brigades.

Twenty hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation and 12 neutralized. Fifteen of the batteries engaged for destruction were by machines of the 1st Brigade. Six gun-pits were damaged, 16 explosions and five fires caused.

Fifty-five zone calls were sent down.

Bombing - A total of 194 photographs were taken and 246 bombs dropped follows:-

1st Brigade: Seventy-five photographs. No 18 Squadron dropped two 112-lb and 28 25-lb bombs on [the] dump at Annoeullin; six 122-lb and 12 25-lb bombs on [the] dump at Bauvin, and Nos 2, 4 and 5 Squadrons dropped 67 25-lb bombs on various targets.

2nd Brigade: 107 photographs. No 57 Squadron dropped 14 112-lb bombs on Courtrai railway sidings, and 2nd Wing dropped 14 25-lb bombs.

3rd Brigade: 25 25-lb bombs.

5th Brigade: 15th Wing dropped 46 25-lb bombs.

9th Wing: No 27 Squadron dropped 32 25-lb bombs on Deynze railway junction.

On the 28th February, balloons of the 1st Brigade registered six targets, five of which were hostile batteries, and located seven active hostile batteries, while those of the 2nd Brigade registered 11 targets (four being hostile batteries), and located two active hostile batteries. One of these shoots was carried out in conjunction with an aeroplane.

Enemy Aircraft:

Lieut R W Howard, 2 AFC, Albatros Scout out of control Carvin at 12:30/13:30 -

2nd-Lieut A F W Beauchamp-Proctor, 84 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control south-east of La Fère at 16:20/17:20 -

Flt Lieut H T Mellings, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control north-east of Ypres at 16:45/17:45 -

Capt W D Patrick and Lieut F P Magoun, 1 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Gheluvelt at 17:10/18:10 -

2nd-Lieut P J Clayson, 1 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Passchendaele - Zonnebeke at 17:10/18:10 -

Casualties:

2nd-Lieut E O Krohn (Kia), 84 Sqn, SE5a C5379 - took off 15:25/16:25 and last seen above St Gobain forest at 16:35/17:35 engaged by 3 EA on OP St Quentin; Ltn d R Hermann Becker, Js12, 5th victory, Vzfw Ulrich Neckel, Js12, 6th victory and Ltn Koch, Js12, 2nd victory [three claims but a single RFC loss]

Graeme