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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0364.PDF
HONOURS. Honours for the R.F.C. IT was announced in a supplement to the London^Gazette on March 26th that the King has been pleased to confer the following rewards for gallantry and distinguished service in the Field. The acts of gallantry for which the decorations have been awarded will be announced as early as practicable:— Distinguished Service Order. Lieut. (Temp. Capt.) G. H. Bowman, M.C., R. War (S.R.) and R.F.C.Capt. R. M. Drummond, M.C., R.F.C. Bar to Military Cross. " . •;" Capt. W. E. Molesworth, M.C., R. Muns. F. and^R.F.C. (M.C. gazetted September 26th, 1917).Temp. Capt. F. G. Saunders, M.C., R.F.C. (M.C. gazetted June 4th, 1917). " Lieut. R. M. Smith, Aus. L.H., attd. Aus. F.C., M.C. (M.C. gazetted May nth. 1917). The Military Cross. Temp. Lieut. R. A. George, Gen. List and R.F.C.Temp. Lieut. G. E. Gibbs, R.F.C. Temp. Capt. T. Gran, Gen. List and R.F.C. AP»IL 4, 1918. Temp. znd.Lieat. R. W. Hobbs, S.W. Bor., attd. R.F.C. and Lieut. J. S. Jones, R.G.A. (S.R.), attd. R.F.C. Temp. Capt. R. K. Kirkman, Gen. List and R.F.C. Lieut. R. S. Larkin, R.F.C. (S.R.). 2nd Lieut. (Temp. Capt.) K. M. St. C. G. Leask, DevoB and R.F.C. 2nd Lieut. G. E. H. McElroy, R.G.A. and R.F.C. *r;:: Temp. Capt. F. Nuttall, R.F.C. . -• - " "- • 2nd Lieut. T. L. Steele, Gen. List and R.F.C. Temp. Capt. J. H. Tudhope, Gen. List and R.F.C. Temp. 2nd Lieut. A. B. Whiteside, Gen. List and R.F.C. Temp. Capt. H. T. O. Windsor, Gen. List and R.F.C. Capt. R. N. Wolton, R.F.A. and R.F.C. .. Temp. 2nd Lieut. A. J. Wright, Gen. List and R.F.C. •; ;- D.C.Ms, for the R.F.C. IT was announced in a supplement to the London Gazette on March'agth that the King has been pleased to award the Distinguished Conduct Medal to the following for gallantry and distinguished service in the field :— 1753 Flight Sergt. G. A. F. Gibson, R.F.C: 2015 Sergt. F. HoppeT, R.F.C. 7756 1st Air-Mech. A. Leyland, R.F.C. BOMBING THE " GOEBEN.1 FROM a. trustworthy source details have been receivedregarding the aerial operations carried out against the " Goeben " and " Breslau " from January 20th to January29th. During this period 270 nights were made by our aircraft, about fifteen tons of bombs were dropped, and atleast sixteen direct hits on the " Goeben " were recorded. Air patrols were sent out on January 20th as soon as newswas received that the " Goeben " and " Breslau " were out, and as a result of the harrying action of our aircraft the" Breslau " forced to steer a zig-zag course, entered one of our minefields north-west of Rabbit Island, and struck amine. Shortly afterwards she was hit by an aircraft bomb and sank. The " Goeben " headed for the Dardanelles. Soon afterthis she struck one of our mines and developed a list to port of 15 deg. She thereupon altered course to port, and steeredfor the entrance to the Straits, at not more than ten knots. Aircraft continued to bomb her while she entered the Straits ;her speed declined to " dead slow," and she ultimately ran aground at the point at Nagara Burnu. After the " Goeben "had been definitely located ashore at 10.30 a.m. on January 20th orders were "sent for machines to be collected for abombing raid at one p.m., and a special reconnaissance to report on the " Goeben's " position was carried out. At dawn the following day a raid was made on the " Goeben "by five bombers. It was commenced in semi-darkness aud the Narrows were obscured by clouds, so that the ten heavybombs were dropped during anti-aircraft fire in the estimated position of the " Goeben," and no observation could be made.At midday a bombing raid commenced in which fourteen machines took part, going up at intervals of ten minutes.Shortly after six p.m., nine machines made a night raid. Four searchlights were observed, two coming from the"Goeben," which were immediately extinguished when the attack commenced. Continuous anti-aircraft fire was di-rected on the machines from shore batteries, and also from the " Goeben." Six heavy bombs were dropped on the" Goeben " from heights of 2,500 to. 3,000 ft. The target -was difficult to define, and while no claim to a direct hit can bemade, certainly one explosion took place in close proximity to the two searchlights on the " Goeben," which seemed tobe the reasoB for their immediate extinction. All the machines returned safely. On the morning of the 22 nd operations were again hinderedby the dense mist ; but about nine a.m. four machines made a* raid, which was most successful, the machines returningwithout damage. One machine made a direct hit amidships, and a volume of steam and smoke appeared directly after-wards from the ship. This observation was confirmed by the other machines, each of which had also released twobombs, which, although not making direct hits, fell very close on different sides of the ship. Three plates were exposedfrom which plans were prepared for observers, showing the exact position of the " Goeben." All the machines reportedhaving seen a Turkish cruiser in the vicinity of the "Goeben." An R.F.C. flight also attacked the " Goeben " that afternoon,and later R.N.A.S. machines at 1.45 p.m. dropped eight bombs, which fell close to the " Goeben." One pilot reached his objective after some difficulty, owingto poor visibility, and dropped his bombs on or near the ship from 4,000 ft., the results not being clearly visible. . The anti-aircraft fire was intermittent and poor, the majority of the shells bursting beneath him. No searchlights were seen.He had to land midway between Lemnos and Imbros owing to engine trouble on changing petrol supply to rear tank.On gliding to the surface six shots were fired at his machine, apparently by a submarine, when at a height of approximately600 ft. He was not molested, however, when on the water, and although Very lights were fired from the seaplane, andcalcium flares dropped, he received no assistance during the night of the 22nd. At 5.30 a.m. on the 23rd a seaplanewhich had been sent out in search found the seaplane and towed her to the mouth of Mudros Harbour, where she wastaken in tow by a destroyer and brought in undamaged. On the morning of the 23 rd four machines dropped twobombs on the " Goeben." All bombs dropped close, and two small boats pulling towards the ship were not seen againafter the bombs dropped. A raid in the afternoon reported bombs dropped close around " Goeben." A further raidduring the evening claims three direct hits on the " Goeben." The anti-aircraft batteries at Nagara Point, eight in number,were very active. Soon after dark on the 24th a raid was made by five machines piloted by the Royal Flying Corpsand three bombers. They attacked the " Goeben " at in- tervals of ten minutes, and dropped twenty-two bombs.They made one direct hit. Early on the morning of the 27th a seaplane reconnoitred the Straits in adverse air conditions,and reported the " Goeben " still in position. On January 28th seaplanes reported that the " Goeben " had disappeared,and that there was no wreckage floating around the spot where she had been. A reconnaissance of the Constantinoplearea to locate her was made on Jan. 29th, and she was lying near the inner of the two bridges spanning the Golden Hornby the Arsenal, and stretching half-way along that bridge. From Germany to Holland. INCLUDED in the party of officers who arrived at Scheveningen from Germany for internment in Holland on March 24th were :— Capt. D. Crosbie, R.F.C. Lieut. C. A. Gladstone, attd. R.F.C. Work of the French Naval Flyers. DURING February French naval aviation forces carried out more than 2,100 flights. Patrols and reconnaissances by airships amounted to about 200, and by captive balloons to 100. On several occasions mines were discovered or sub- marines successfully attacked. 36O
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