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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0573.PDF
JULY 6, 1916. (/DUD BRITISH AIR WORK. THE following second resume of incidents extracted from recent reports of the Rojal Flying Corps in France has been issued by the Air Board :— May 31.—A British reconnaissance was attacked by three Fokkers when in the neighbourhood of Cambrai. The enemy were first seen diving at our machines from the rear, with the sun behind them. Our machines, which were heavily fired at, retaliated as occasion offered. Soon after the fight began one of the Fokkers was seen to turn half a loop, sideslip badly and nose-dive. It was last seen nose-diving, having apparently been hit by our fire. One of our machines was last seen soon after the commencement of the fight ; but owing to the fact that all the machines were busily engaged in the running fight, which was of a persistent nature, its fate was not obseived. About the same time, however, Lieutenant C, pilot of one of our machines, reports that a machine, apparently out of control, dived over him, almost touching his top plane, and disappeared, no more being seen of it. The two remaining Fokkers pursued our reconna'ssance, one breaking off the fight or else being compelled to descend before reaching the lines, while the third fol owed until within the zone of the advanced German anti-aircraft guns. June 1.—Lieutenant D., with Lieutenant E., while on artillery duty, attacked a hostile machine near Laventie. Fire was opened at about 300 yards, but at this moment Lieutenant D. was attacked by a Fokker from above and behind. The Fokker dived to within forty yards, when Lieutenant D. swerved slightly to avoid the enemy's fire. Lieutenant E. then attacked the Fokker at point- blank range. The Fokker banked over to the left, and something which looked like a box fell out. The machine then nose-dived, and was last seen spiralling down close to earth. From other sources it is reported that the Fokker was seen to fall to earth at the north-east corner of Bois de Biez. A kite balloon was carried away by a sudden gust, the cable run ning off the winch, at 7.25 p.m. The occupants both made parachute descents, landing safely. Lieutenant F. helped Lieutenant G. before descending himself, and consequently landed close to the trenches. Hostile machine-guns opened fire on him, but he escaped unhurt. The balloon drifted over the German lines. June 8th.—Lieutenant H. and Lieutenant J. directed a battery on to a train at Salome. Six direct hits resulted, and the train was set on fire, and was seen to be still burning one hour and a half later. Lieutenant K. and Captain L. ranged a battery on to a railway station. Large explosions were seen in a shed, which was totally demolished. June 10th.—Lieutenant K. and Captain L., in a machine, when on artilleiy duty, saw a Fokker flying over the enemy's trenches. They followed the German for about l£ miles in the direction of Lille, where h: turned to attack. Our officers opened fire at a range of about 50yards. When level with the tail of our machine the enemy turned sharply and dived, and was further fired at as he turned. He dived more steeply, and was observed by Lieut. K. to crash to earth in a field near Haubourdin. June 17th.—Lieutenant M. and Lieutenant N. left their aerodrome at about 12.45 P-m- to intercept a hostile reconnaissance. Eight hostile machines were observed at 7,5cm ft., appproaching from the direction of Doullens. The British machine flew towards them, and when almost directly underneath, Lieutenant N. opened fire. The British machine then turned, and when at about 400 ft. below the German formation, opened fire into one of the tail machines. A few minutes later, this machine was seen to glide down, and passing low over the trenches, land just north of Bois de Biex. Lieutenant M. now endeavoured to cut off the main body of hostile machines. In _|his he failed, but succeeded in catching the last hostile machine, just over the trenches at 6,000 ft. When within too yards the German dived steeply, followed by our machine firing at about fifty yards range. The enemy observer appeared to be out of action, as no reply was made to our fire. lieutenant M. continued the pursuit until within 2,500 ft. of the ground, when the German was seen to land in a field about a mile north-east of Achiet le Petit. Our machine recrossed the trenches at 2,500 ft. Altogether there were thirty comba's in the air on this day. June 18th.—Two machines, Pilots Captain O. and Lieutenant P., Observers Lieutenant Q. and Sergeant R., working together, en countered two Fokkers east of Lens at 4.15 p.m. at about 9,000 ft. The machines chased the Fokkers down, diving steeply in small circles, and firing all the time. Captain O. beiog short of petrol left his opponent diving vertically at about 2,500 ft. The other Fokker was shot down by Sergeant R., and fell to earth from 4,000 ft. Lieutenants S. and T., No 3 Squadron, engaged and dispersed a column of infantry in Martinpuch with machine-gun fire. A machine, Pilot Lieutenant U. and Observer Corporal V., when patrolling over Annay at about nine p.m., attacked three Kokkers seen behind the enemy's lines. One of the latter went off. The remaining two made for Lens, towaids another British machine, which they attacked. Lieutenant U. followed and joined in the fight, diving on to one of the attacking Fokkers, which turned away, and dived perpendicularly. It was seen by an anti-aircraft battery to fall to the ground. When Lieutenant U. turned again the other British machine and Fokker had disappeared. This British machine is missiDg, and is reported to have landed in the enemy's lines. Captain Y., on a Nieuport, and Lieutenant Z., on a de Havilland, engaged a hostile reconnaissance of six machines in the neighbour hood of Arras, driving one down, near Terre Mesnil, east of Doullens, where it landed on its left wing, the pilot and observer being captured. One of them was slightly wounded. The following account of the incident which occasioned the death of Lieutenant Immelmann is furnished by the Air Board :— " On June 18th last one of our F.E. aeroplanes, whilst patrolling over Annay, at about 9 p.m., attacked three Fokkers. One immediately retired, whilst the other two turned towards Lens and proceeded to attack another F.E. which was then approaching from that direction. "The first-mentioned F.E. (Pilot Lieutenant McC, observer Corporal W.) followed and joined in the fray, and, diving steeply on one of the attacking Fokkers, caused it to plunge perpendicularly to the ground. It was seen to fall to earth by one of our anti aircraft batteries. " A subsequent report from another machine in the neighbour hood states that the Fokker went to pieces in the air and both wings broke off. Extracts from the German newspapers relating to the death of Lieutenant Immelmann make it clear that the pilot received his death as outlined above." AIRCRAFT WORK AT THE FRONT. British. General Headquarters (Fiance), Jme 27th. " Yesterday in the air numerous hostile aircraft were encountered on the enemy's side of the line. Five of our machines engaged four Fokkers, two of which were brought down and fell out of control. Two more of the enemy's machines were driven down in the course of the day. Our casualties, one machine missing." General Headquarters, June 2%th. " Bad weather yesterday prevented much flying." General Headquarters, June yath. "The weather yesterday was unfavourable for aerial work. As a result of one of the few combats in the air an enemy aeroplane was driven to the ground with a damaged engine. The Germans' heavy artillery has beea in action during the day on tpe front between Souchez and Hohenzollern and also about Oitztje." General Headquarters, July 1st. " Yesterday, in spite of a high wind, a large amount of successful work was done in the air. An important railway depot was attacked with powerful bombs, and a large number of other bombs were dropped on depots, railway junctions, batteries, trenches, and other points of military importance in the enemy's lines. " Considerable aerial activity has taken place to-day during the battle, but full details have not yet been collected. " Our machines attacked a railway train on the line between Douai and Cambrai. One of our airmen descended to below 900 ft. and succeeded in dropping a l>omb on one of the trucks, which exploded. Other pilots saw the whole train in flames and heard further explosions." General Headquarters, July 2nd. " Yesterday our aeroplanes were very active in co-operation with our attack north of the Somme, and afforded valuable assistance to our operations. Numerous enemy headquarters and railway centres were attacked with bombs. In one of these raids our escorting aeroplanes were attacked by twenty Fokkers, which were driven off. Two enemy machines were seen to crash to earth and were destroyed. " Some long-distance reconnaissances were carried out, in spite of numerous attempts by enemy machines to frustrate the enterprises. Three of our aeroplanes are missing. Our kite balloons were in the air the whole day." General Headquarters, July yd, 2.30/.W. " A very large amount of work was done by our aircraft yester day. In the early part of the day several attempts at offensive 573
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