100 years ago today - 30 July 1918

[Graeme]

MONDAY, 30 JULY 1918

General Headquarters, July 31st.

"On July 30th haze and ground mist again interfered with observation, but, nevertheless, a large number of successful photographs were taken by us, and over 11 tons of bombs dropped on enemy sidings and dumps. Rather more enemy machines were encountered, 15 being brought down and six driven down out of control. Six of our machines are missing. During the night 3½ tons of bombs were dropped by us without loss. In addition to those already reported a hostile machine was shot down by infantry fire on the 29th inst."

Headquarters R.A.F., Independent Force, July 30th.

“On the morning of the 30th inst. our squadrons successfully bombed the railway station at Offenburg. Good results were obtained. In the course of the combats, three enemy machines were shot down and one other driven down out of control. One of our machines is missing.”

RAF Communiqué No 18:

Weather fine, ground mist, visibility indifferent.

Thirty-seven reconnaissances and three counter-attack patrols.

Nineteen hostile batteries engaged for destruction with aeroplane observation, two neutralized, seven zone calls sent.

One and a quarter tons of bombs dropped by night and 16¾ tons by day.

Enemy Aircraft:

Active in morning, and in Northern sector in evening.

2nd-Lieut W J Garrity & 2nd-Lieut H T Melville, 99 Sqn IF, E.A. out of control -

unidentified crew, 99 Sqn IF, E.A. out of control -

Lieut H R Little & Lieut T W Addison, 88 Sqn, E.A. crashed -

Lieut H R Little & Lieut T W Addison, 88 Sqn, E.A out of control -

Capt V Beecroft & Lieut B S W Taylor, 99 Sqn IF, Albatros Scout out of control Lahr at 07:10/08:10 -

Sergt H H Wilson & Sergt F L Lee, 99 Sqn IF, Albatros Scout [pilot fell out] Lahr at 07:15/08:15 -

Capt A D Taylor & Lieut H S Notley, 99 Sqn IF, Albatros Scout in flames Lahr at 07:20/08:20 -

Capt F Williams & 2nd-Lieut E R Stewart, 55 Sqn IF, Albatros Scout out of control Offenburg at 07:25/08:25 -

Capt H A Whistler, 80 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Fismes at 08:15/09:15 -

Capt H A Whistler, 80 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames Fismes at 08:15/09:15 -

Lieut S C Joseph, 210 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control east of Dixmude at 09:55/10:55 -

Capt E D Crundall, 210 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control east of Dixmude at 10:00/11:00 -

Lieut E H Johnson & 2nd-Lieut A R Crosthwaite, 205 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control La Flaguye at 10:15/11:15 -

2nd-Lieut W J B Nel, 84 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Wancourt - Caix at 10:15/11:15 -

Capt S M Kinkead, 201 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-west Armentières at 10:15/11:15 -

Lieut N W R Mawle, 84 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south of Warvillers at 10:15/11:15, Fokker DVII collided with another south of Warvillers at 10:20/11:20 and Fokker DVII collided with another south of Warvillers at 10:20/11:20 – Lieut N W R Mawle, No 84 Squadron, dived on one of seven enemy scouts at which he fired 300 rounds, sending it down in a series of stalls and spins. He was then attacked from above by another machine, but succeeded getting on its tail by a series of climbing turns when he was attacked by three more E.A., to avoid which he put his machine into a slow spin, and on coming out saw two of them had collided. A third E.A. made off East; Ltn d R Paul Vogel, Js 23, OK [?]

Lieut C Findlay & 2nd-Lieut B Digby-Worsley, 88 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control Richebourg at 10:35/11:35 -

Capt G H D Gossip, 204 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control south-east Ostende at 10:55/11:55 -

Lieut R T Minors & Lieut W H Lyall, 18 Sqn, Pfalz Scout out of control Vitry - Quierry la Motte at 11:15/12:15 -

Maj K L Caldwell, 74 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control west of Armentières at 11:30/12:30 -

Capt A C Kiddie, 74 Sqn, Pfalz Scout crashed Merville at 11:45/12:45 -

Lieut M L Cooper and Lieut C J Sims, 213 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Bruges at 11:50/12:50 -

Capt F R McCall and Lieut W G Claxton, 41 Sqn, Albatros C crashed Guillancourt at 12:00/13:00 -

Capt J W Pinder, 213 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-west Ostende at 12:05/13:05 - Ltn Lothar Wieland, SFS 1, Wia

Capt J I T Jones, Lieut H G Shoemaker and Lieut G W G Gauld, 74 Sqn, Rumpler C crashed Ypres at 12:10/13:10 - confirmed by another pilot (2 Brigade summary mentions only Shoemaker)

Capt J I T Jones, 74 Sqn, LVG C crashed south of Merville at 12:30/13:30 -

Lieut E J Lussier, 2nd-Lieut N Cooper and Lieut A McConnell-Wood, 73 Sqn, LVG C crashed north of Vezilly at 14:00/15:00 -

Capt J I T Jones, 74 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control east of Armentières at 17:50/18:50 -

Lieut O J Rose, 92 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Estaires at 18:05/19:05 -

Lieut J R Orr, 80 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Fismes at 18:15/19:15 -

Lieut L K Baker, 80 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control Fismes at 18:15/19:15 -

Capt D G Loudon, 43 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames Fère-en-Tardenois at 19:10/20:10 -

Lieut J G Beck, 43 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control north-east Fère-en-Tardenois at 19:10/20:10 -

Capt C F King, 43 Sqn, Fokker DVII driven down ? Fère-en-Tardenois at 19:10/20:10 -

Lieut V E Groom & 2nd-Lieut E Hardcastle, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames Bailleul at 19:30/20:30 -

Lieut V E Groom & 2nd-Lieut E Hardcastle, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames Bailleul at 19:30/20:30 -

Lieut P T Iaccaci & 2nd-Lieut H L Edwards, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames by Iaccaci north-east Bailleul at 19:30/20:30 -

Lieut L T E Taplin, 4 AFC, Fokker DVII out of control north of Armentières at 20:05/21:05 -

Lieut N C Trescowthick, 4 AFC, Fokker DVII out of control north of Armentières at 20:05/21:05 -

Lieut R King, 4 AFC, Fokker DVII out of control north of Armentières at 20:05/21:05 -

Lieut S Carlin, 74 Sqn, Fokker DVII crashed east of Dickebusch Lake at 20:05/21:05 -

Lieut J M Purcell & Pbr J Hills, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control north of Armentières at 20:10/21:10 - Uffz Wilhelm Meyer, Js 16, Wia [?]

Lieut A R Strachan & Pbr J Penrose, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII out of control north-west Armentières at 20:10/21:10 - Uffz Wilhelm Meyer, Js 16, Wia [?]

Lieut W Shell & Sergt J D C Summers, 20 Sqn, Fokker DVII in flames [by Shell] north-west Armentières at 20:10/21:10 - Uffz Wilhelm Meyer, Js 16, Wia [?]

Casualties:

Lieut R W Frean (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut H H Fitzsimmons (Wia), 52 Sqn, RE8 E53 - shot through in attack by enemy aircraft during bombing Martinpuich

Capt J I T Jones (Ok), 74 Sqn, SE5a D6895 - damaged by machine-gun fire from hostile E.A. on special mission

2nd-Lieut G Martin (Wia) & 2nd-Lieut S G Burton (Kia), 99 Sqn IF, DH9 C6210 - radiator hit by machine gun fire on return from bombing, crashed on landing Jaeninenie

1st Lieut P Dietz (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut H W Batty (Kia), 99 Sqn IF, DH9 D7223 - broke up in combat with 5 E.A. north-west of Schlettstadt, east of Lille,

2nd-Lieut S T C Roberts (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut D P Ogilvy (Kia), 52 Sqn, RE8 C2237 – took off 09:25/10:25 then shot down by E.A. near Forceville and destroyed by fire during bombing Martinpuich

Lieut K V King (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut J Kelly (Kia), 52 Sqn, RE8 C5056 – took off 09:25/10:25 then shot down by E.A. near Mailly-Maillet and destroyed by fire during bombing Martinpuich

Capt R T Barlow (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut H G Scott (Kia), 52 Sqn, RE8 E2 – took off 09:25/10:25 then missing from bombing Martinpuich

Three confirmed ‘RE’ victories:

Oblt Josef Mühlfeldt, Js23, 1st victory [west of Albert at 10:30/11:30]
Vzfw Michael Hutterer, Js23, 3rd victory [south-west of Albert at 10:30/11:30]
Ltn Heinrich Seywald, Js23, 3rd victory [Englebelmer (north-west of Albert) at 10:30/11:30]

Note that Martinpuich is north-east of Albert; both Forceville and Mailly-Maillet are north-west of Albert

Lieut K W A Symons (Pow), 73 Sqn, Camel D9480 – took off 13:30/14:30 and last seen over Fère-en-Tardenois going west on patrol; Ltn Erich Löwenhardt, Js10, 48th victory [Arcy at 14:10/15:10] ?

Lieut L H Parsons (Ok?), 43 Sqn, Camel F6087 – took off 17:25/18:25 and reported missing on patrol but okay?

Lieut G W Gorman (Ok), 73 Sqn, Camel B7867 – took off 18:00/19:00 then fuel tank shot up

Lieut H G Zellers (Kia) & 16814 Sergt J D Cormack (Kia), 20 Sqn, Bristol F.2B C904 – took off 18:25/19:25 then seen to go down in flames on offensive patrol; said to be Vzfw Franz Piechulek, Js56, 10th victory [Kemmel at 07:45/08:45] but time?

78171 Sergt J J Sergt Cowell MM (Kia) & 2767 Corpl C Hill (Kia), 20 Sqn, Bristol F.2B E2471 – took off 18:25/19:25 and seen to burst into flames and fall to pieces in air at 10,000 feet near Locre on offensive patrol; Ltn d R Fritz Ritter von Röth, Js16, 18th victory [south of Ypres at 20:00/21:00]

Graeme