100 years ago today - 14 July 1918

[Graeme]

SUNDAY, 14 JULY 1918

General Headquarters, July 15th.

“On the morning of July 14th our aeroplanes completed several reconnaissances and carried out much observation for our artillery. The afternoon was wet and stormy. The sidings at Roulers, the ammunition dumps at Warneton and Bapaume, the docks at Bruges, and dredging parties at Zeebrugge were heavily bombed. Nine hostile machines were brought down, and three balloons shot down in flames. Five of our machines are missing.”

RAF Communiqué No 15:

Weather, fine early; overcast later.

Forty-seven reconnaissances, nine contact and counter-attack patrols.

One hundred and twenty-four hostile batteries engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation, 15 neutralized, 62 zone calls sent.

Thirty-three and a quarter tons of bombs dropped.

On the 14th instant, 33 hostile batteries engaged for destruction with balloon observation and fire observed on 113 other targets.

During the night No 207 Squadron dropped 132 112-lb and 33 25-lb bombs on the railway between Blanc Misseron and Thulin and on the Valenciennes – Mons railway from heights varying from 300 to 3.500 feet. Eight hits were obtained on the line at Blanc Misseron. Eight 112-lb bombs were dropped on a train from 900 feet, causing several explosions. Explosions were also caused in the railway works at Quievrechain.

Enemy Aircraft:

Fairly active in early morning, otherwise quiet.

Capt F J Davies, 29 Sqn, Halberstadt CL crashed north-east of Estaires at 05:30/06:30 – confirmed by another pilot

Lieut S T Liversedge, 70 Sqn, Albatros C crashed Armentières at 07:00/08:00 -

Capt J F Chisholm & Sergt R J Williams & formation, 218 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Zeebrugge at 07:10/08:10 -

Lieut N C Trescowthick, 4 AFC, AGO C crashed Laventie at 07:15/08:15 -

Capt A H Cobby, 4 AFC, Balloon in flames Estaires - La Bassée at 07:18/08:18 -

Lieut C L W Brading & Sergt F Smith, 218 Sqn, Fokker DrI out of control off Zeebrugge at 07:20/08:20 -

Lieut A C Lloyd & Sergt J Harris, 218 Sqn, Fokker DVII crashed in the sea at 07:30/08:30 -

Lieut R G Landis, 40 Sqn, Pfalz Scout crashed Épinoy at 07:30/08:30 -

Capt G E H McElroy, 40 Sqn, Hannover CL crashed north of Drocourt at 07:30/08:30 -

Capt A C Randall, 85 Sqn, Pfalz Scout crashed north of Merville at 08:35/09:35 -

Maj E Mannock, 85 Sqn, Fokker DVII crashed east of Merville at 08:35/09:35 – confirmed by another pilot

Lieut J C Rorison, 85 Sqn, Fokker DVII crashed south-west Estaires at 08:45/09:45 -

Capt G C Dixon, 85 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control Estaires at 08:55/09:55 -

Lieut W H Longton, 85 Sqn, Albatros C crashed north-east of Estaires at 08:55/09:55 -

Capt D Latimer & Lieut T C Noel and Lieut A T Iaccaci & Lieut R W Turner, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-east of Ypres at 09:00/10:00 -

Capt D Latimer & Lieut T C Noel, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-east of Ypres at 09:00/10:00 -

Maj E Mannock, 85 Sqn, Halberstadt CL crashed/forced to land? north of Merville at 09:05/10:05 - [turned over on landing]

Lieut C P Brown and Lieut G F C Hopewell, 213 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames Ostende at 09:25/10:25 -

Capt R C L Holme, 29 Sqn, Balloon in flames Merville at 09:50/10:50 – confirmed by another pilot

Capt P J Clayson, 1 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Neuf-Berquin - Estaires at 17:35/18:35 -

Casualties:

Lieut H A Whittaker (Wia), 29 Sqn RAF, SE5a D405 - anti-aircraft fire

Lieut R A Yates (Pow), 73 Sqn RAF, Camel F5920 - last heard of after force landed requiring oil and petrol 1 mile from Nogent on travelling flight from Planques then no further news

2nd-Lieut H H Palmer (Wia) & 2nd-Lieut W C Snowdon (Ok), 211 Sqn, DH9 D2782 - hit by A.A. fire on bomb raid to Zeebrugge

Lieut L N Franklin (Kia), 56 Sqn RAF, SE5a D6064 – took off 04:10/05:10 and last seen going down in flames over Hendicourt 06:00/07:00 on patrol

Lieut A M Anderson (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut C J Swatridge (Wia), 218 Sqn RAF, DH9 B7673 - anti-aircraft fire Zeebrugge 07:30/08:30

Lieut S Moxey (Kia) & Lieut J E Weston (Kia), 4 Sqn RAF, RE8 C2444 - attacked by E.A. and shot down 36a.E.19 [east of Morbecque] 07:45/08:45 on artillery observation

Lieut B N Garrett (Pow), 64 Sqn RAF, SE5a C6447 – took off 08:00/09:00 then missing from OP 1st Army front

2nd-Lieut N H Marshall (Pow), 85 Sqn RAF, SE5a C6490 – took off 08:05/09:05 and last seen over enemy lines in combat north of Estaires 08:35/09:35

Four credited ‘SE’ victories:

Ltn d R Willy Rosenstein, Js40, 4th victory [south-east of Vieux Berquin at 08:30/09:30]
Ltn d R Carl Degelow, Js40, 10th victory [south-east of Vieux Berquin at 08:35/09:35]
Ltn d R Carl Degelow, Js40, 11th victory [west of Merville at 08:40/09:40]
Ltn d R Hermann Gilly, Js40, 3rd victory [near Vieux Berquin at 08:40/09:40]

2nd-Lieut D Mallett (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut J S Burn (Pow), 18 Sqn RAF, DH4 A7939 - last seen going east near Arras 09:40/10:40 during bomb raid; AA battery state that machine seen to be brought down at 57c.B.6 [west of Écoust-St-Mein] and believed made safe landing; anti-aircraft fire ?

Lieut C M Wilson (Ok), 29 Sqn, SE5a C9575 – took off 09:15/10:15 then overturned in cornfield in forced landing Sh27.v.24.C.8.4 [east of Hazebrouck] 10:10/11:10 after magneto hit by hostile machine-gun fire on offensive patrol

2nd-Lieut A Duncan (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut JH Dunbar (Ok), 18 Sqn, DH4 A7900 - overturned after hitting light railway track in forced landing Ligny junction 10:20/11:20 after radiator shot through and engine seized during bombing

Lieut R C Nelson (Pow), 4 Sqn AFC, Camel E1410 – took off 09:45/10:45 and last seen south-west of Estaires 11:00/12:00 on patrol

Graeme

[MASTIFF]

Other Jasta claims this date:

Ltn Erich Lowenhardt, Js10, Breguet, Verdilly, 0815hrs, 35th victory. From Esc Br.233.

FlgMt Held, MFJ2, Spad, at sea off Ostende, 0850hrs, 2nd victory.

Ltn Emil Thuy, Js28, Spad, no time or location, 25th victory.

Ltn Carl Degelow, Js40, SE5, Bailleul-Merris, unconfirmed.

Ltn Hans von Freden, Js50, Spad 2, Vaissient-Veneuil, no time, 5th victory.

Uffz Carl Graper, Js50, Nieuport 28, Vaissient-Chambry, no time, first victory. #6177, marked '14', 95th Aero, 1/Lt Quentin Roosevelt, KIA.


Jasta losses: Nil


Tony

[Willi Von Klugerman]

Yesterday I was reading Black Fokker Leader and looked at the photograph of the Jasta 40 and Jasta 7 airmen with the two captured RAF airmen after fight with Degelow. I then realized that photograph was taken exactly 100 years ago. It was a bit if a sobering thought and will remember the event due to the fact.

[josquin]

Aircrew--
4 Squadron:
Lt Sydney Moxey (General List & RFC/RAF) born 15 December 1898, Brotton,
Yorkshire; embarked to EF 17 April 1918, to 4 Sqn 21 April 1918
2Lt John Everard Weston ((General List & RFC/RAF) born 4 January 1892, Glenfield,
Leicestershire; 1901 residence, Glenfield; 1911 residence, Leicester, Leicestershire;
joined RFC 5 October 1917; embarked to EF 25 April 1918, to 4 Sqn 26 April 1918
56 Squadron:
Lt Leslie Nansen Franklin (General List & RFC/RAF) born 7 March 1898, Eastbourne,
Sussex; prewar residence, Eastbourne (1911 Census); joined RFC 21 June 1917;
embarked to EF 24 October 1917, to 56 Sqn 29 October 1917

Josquin

[James A. Pratt III]

NB
losses 1 aircraft air combat 1 brunt?, 1 balloon, 2 aircraft crash?
claim 12 aircraft 2 by flak

5 GP
38 Sqn 13/14 bomb Ostende area
214 Sqn 13/14 bomb Bruges, La Brugeoise works , Zeebrugge, Oostcamp Aerodrome
218 Sqn Zeebrugge and Ostende area
210 bombs Westende
211 Sqn bombs Zeebrugge


FASWC
casualties S/lt Barthelemy Sal 280 (O) WIA Salmson 2A2 might be the J 50 Freden claim

[James A. Pratt III]

CGAS
LtndR Anton Linseis (P) FAA 286 L'Ecaille (NNE of Reims FASWC has V Armee 31 DCA claim Gueux near Reims but its 36 km away by road)

Uffz Friedrich Arnbeck (P) & LtndR Eugen Schmidt (O) FAA 208 both KIA Monchy (there is a Monchy-le-Preux E of Arras the McElroy 40 Sqn claim at Drocourt is 16 km by road away. This is the nearest RAF claim)

Vfw Kurt Stobschinski (P) WIA & (O) OK FAA 224 Hill 110 can't tell which RAF claim

Uffz Schroer (P) & Vfw Flink (G) FAA 250 both IIC Menin A/F (combat related?)