100 years ago today - 10 June 1918

[Graeme]

MONDAY, 10 JUNE 1918

In his Despatch of 21 December 1918, Haig wrote: “Later, on the 10th June, the same division [2nd Australian Division] in a highly successful night attack on a front of about two miles south of Morlancourt, effected a substantial advance, taking over 300 prisoners.”

General Headquarters, June 11th.

“On the 10th inst., in spite of cloudy weather, our airmen on the French battle front worked early and late, dropping eight tons of bombs on enemy troops and transport, ammunition dumps, guns, and trenches. Direct hits were obtained on the railway at Roye-sur-Matz, and on concentrations of infantry in the triangle Montdidier-Ricquebourg-Roye. Flying low, our machines attacked with machine-gun fire every target that offered itself along the roads behind the fighting line, and an immense number of rounds were fired from the air with good effect. In this area we shot down six enemy aeroplanes and drove seven down out of control, ourselves losing five machines. On the British front there was little aerial activity. One German aeroplane was destroyed and one driven down out of control. We lost two machines. During the night 10th-11th inst. we dropped 7 tons of bombs on Cambrai and Bapaume. All our night bombers returned safely."

RAF Communiqué number 11:

Weather, rain; some bright intervals.

Twelve reconnaissances, 171 contact and counter-attack patrols (of which 159 were by 9th Brigade).

Twenty-four hostile batteries engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation, 21 neutralized, 74 zone calls sent.

Ten and a-half tons of bombs dropped.

Enemy Aircraft:

Activity was slight.

Capt G Fox-Rule & Lieut E H Tredcroft, 49 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames by Fox-Rule Assainvillers at 04:40/05:40 - Ltn d R Walter Balzer, Ja 44, kia (?)

Capt G Fox-Rule & Lieut E H Tredcroft, 49 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control [by Tredcroft] Assainvillers at 04:40/05:40 -

Lieut E D Asbury & 2nd-Lieut W N Hartley, 49 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Assainvillers at 05:00/06:00 -

Lieut E D Asbury & 2nd-Lieut W N Hartley, 49 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Assainvillers at 05:02/06:02 -

Lieut J Balfour, 73 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-west of Rollot at 07:05/08:05 -

Lieut J Balfour, 73 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-west of Rollot at 07:05/08:05 -

Capt W H Hubbard, 73 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-west of Rollot at 07:05/08:05 -

Lieut L P Coombes, 210 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-east of Kemmel at 08:15/09:15 -

Lieut L K Baker, 80 Sqn, two-seater crashed Dives (north-west of Noyon) at 10:35/11:35 -

Capt F C Ransley & ?, Capt C R Steele & ?, Lieut J E Drummond & 2nd-Lieut J A Galbraith and 2nd-Lieut H A Oaks &, 48 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Roye at 17:45/18:45 -

Lieut G L Graham, 73 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Mesnil (east of Montdidier) at 18:30/19:30 -

Lieut H Ford & Lieut H H Jones, 49 Sqn, Pfalz Scout in flames Fignieres at 18:40/19:40 -

Lieut C B Ridley, 43 Sqn, Albatros crashed south of Cuvilly at 19:05/20:05 -

Lieut C C Banks, 43 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed north of Monchy at 19:15/20:15 -

Capt C F King, 43 Sqn, Albatros Scout broke up west of Ressons-sur-Matz at 19:15/20:15 - Ltn d R Walter Balzer, Jasta 44, Kia

Lieut G A Lingham, 43 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Cuvilly (west of Ressons-sur-Matz) at 19:25/20:25 -

Lieut R C Bennett & Lieut P W Anderson, 18 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control Lens at 20:00/21:00 -

Lieut C W Peckham & Sergt J Grant, 57 Sqn, Fokker DrI in flames [by Grant] Grévillers - Vimy at 20:10/21:10 -

Lieut A D R Jones & Sergt J T Ward, 57 Sqn, Albatros Scout broke up Bapaume at 20:15/21:15 -

Lieut C W Peckham & Sergt J Grant, 57 Sqn, Fokker DrI out of control [by Peckham] Grévillers - Vimy at 20:25/21:25 - HA crashed ?

Casualties:

? (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut J H T Davies (Wia), 15 Sqn RAF, RE8 - shot up on photography

Lieut W K Macfarlane (Ok), 43 Sqn, Camel C8299 - ran into balloon cable in mist on special mission between Gournay and Hemevillers

Lieut C C Banks (Ok), 43 Sqn, Camel D1809 - force landed near Bois de Ressons after petrol tank shot through on special mission and burnt due to advance of enemy

Lieut L R Charren (Ok) & Lieut F E Dennison (Wia), 49 Sqn, DH9 D5585 - shot through by enemy aircraft and A.A. fire during bombing Montdidier

Lieut R W Robinson (Ok?) & A/G H A Claydon (Ok?), 218 Sqn, DH9 B7667 – reported missing from raid last seen 12-14,000 feet out to sea off Nieuport in rain, but safe?

1st Lieut P Hooper (Kia), 32 Sqn RAF, SE5a C9626 – took off 04:45/05:45 then spiralled down and crashed near Sorel Château 05:15/06:15 during ground strafing; Gefr Willi Laabs, Js13, 1st victory [Sorel Château, no time]

Lieut A A Callender (Ok), 32 Sqn, SE5a C1884 – took off 06:00/07:00 then shot about by E.A. in combat and force landed south-east of Compiegne on ground strafe Montdidier – Cuvilly - Roye

1st Lieut B W deB Leyson (Pow), 73 Sqn RAF, Camel D1963 – took off 06:00/07:00 then last seen to attach himself to SE5 formation out of control during low flying; suggested as Vzfw Heinrich Gockel, Js33, 1st victory [Gournay at 06:45/07:45] or Ltn d R Josef Carl Peter Jacobs, Js7, 20th victory [south of Poperinghe at 07:45/08:45]

Lieut J Balfour (Ok), 73 Sqn, Camel D8117 – took off 06:40/07:40 then badly shot in petrol tank and force landed on low strafe Cernoy

Lieut F G Powell (Ok) & Sgt-Mech J Little (Ok), 27 Sqn, DH9 C6169 – took off 16:20/17:20 then longeron shot through during low strafing Boulogne

Lieut J G Manuel DSC (Kia), 210 Sqn RAF, Camel B7249 – took off 17:10/18:10 and seen to go down in pieces after colliding in air with Camel D9590 between Laventie and Neuve Chapelle 18:15/19:15 on OP

2nd-Lieut F C Dodd (Kia), 210 Sqn RAF, Camel D9590 – took off 17:10/18:10 and seen to go down in pieces after colliding in air with Camel B7249 between Laventie and Neuve Chapelle 18:15/19:15 on OP

2nd-Lieut T Noad (Kia) & 397981 Sgt T Sterling (Kia), 27 Sqn RAF, DH4 A7677 – took off 18:50/19:50 reported by French as fallen in pieces near Gourney during bombing

Graeme

[MASTIFF]

Jasta claims this date:

Vfw Heinrich Gockel, Js33, Camel, Gournay, 0745hrs, first victory. JWC links this with Balfour on D8117.

Vfw Willi Gabriel, Js11, balloon, no location, 1635hrs, 4th victory.

Ltn Walter Balzer, Js44, Spad, Ressons-sur-Matz, 1725hrs, 2nd victory. *

Uffz W Kretzschmar, Js44, Spad, no location, 1730hrs, first victory. *

Ltn Georg von Hantelmann, Js15, Spad, Plessing-Brion, 2010hrs, 2nd victory. *

Ltn Felix Buchner, Js13, Spad, S Vauxaillon, no time, 3rd victory. *

* 3 French Spads lost, one each from Spa.69, Spa.87 and Spa.151


Jasta losses:

Ltn Walter Balzer, Js44. JWC has KIA, Ressons-sur-Matz, body not found until 2 weeks later in his smashed machine.


Tony

[Graeme]

The Gockel/Balfour match has its merits; No 73 Squadron was then located at Fouquerolles and I assume that 'Gournay' is Gournay-sur-Aronde, some 30 Km east of Fouquerolles. However, Balfour took off at 06:40/07:40 and Gockel's claim was timed at 06:45/07:45 and I doubt a Camel could cover that distance in only 5 minutes.

A better match for Gockel's claim is Leyson, who had taken off at 06:00/07:00 and was last seen over Cuvilly, only 8 Km north of Gournay-sur-Aronde.

Graeme

[James A. Pratt III]

NB
loss 1 aircraft air combat 1 MIA and 1 balloon
claim 16 aircraft with 7 by flak 1 balloon

5GP
214 Sqn night bombs Thourout,Bruges Zeebrugge
217 Sqn bombs Zeebrugge

FASWC
Lt lavergne balloon claim
BAS Coppens balloon claim

J 44 Balzer KIA probably MdL Parresse Spa 153
J 11 Ltn Willi Gabriel shot down not harmed possibly patrol Spa 94

[James A. Pratt III]

FASWC casualties
MdL Ondet (P) & Adj Bethemy (O) both WIA Breguet 14 (French V Armee)
Brig Bernada Br 11 (P) WIA Breguet 14 (Aisne area)

Uffz Friedrich Woitow (P) & Ltn Manfred Witte BG 4/BS 21 Canizy both KIA possibly a 73 Sqn claim
Ltndr Walter Schenk BG 4 KIA Noyon (possible Baker 80 Sqn claim)
Uffz Karl Korner (P) & LtndR George Niemeyer (O) FAA 248 Ytres (S of bapaume RAF?)

LtndR (Wilhelm) Becker (P) SS10 WIC (SF!)

(no WIAs again!?)