RFC

EI'Ite Units '@ " A vlatlon

No S6 Sqn RAFjRFC

OSPREY PUBLISHING

ALEX REVELL has been interested in World War 1 pilots and aircraft since the age of six, when he began reading the famous John

Aviation Elite Units

Hamilton series of aviation classics. Other interests intervened in his teens, but he began serious aviation research in the early 1960s. Primarily interested in people and their role in the 1914-18 air war, he traced and interviewed many ex-members of the RFC/RAF/RNAS, and is particularly proud that many of them became personal family friends. An internationally acknowledged researcher into the history of the RFC/RAF and RNAS during World War 1, Alex has had many articles published in specialist aviation magazines and the journals of Cross & Cockade International and The First World War Aviation Historical Society, of which he is a founder member. He has also written a number of aviation-related World War 1 titles over the years.

HARRY DEMPSEY has been passionate about World War 1 aviation for more than 30 years, resulting in his production of some of the most technically accurate artwork on the subject for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series. He has illustrated all the World War 1 titles in Osprey's ever-growing range of aviation titles.

No 56 Sqn RFC/RAF

OSPREY PUBLISHING

Aviation Elite Units • 33

o S6 Sqn FC/RAF

Alex Revell Senes editor Tony Holmes

OSPREY PUBLISHING

Front Cover

First published in Great Britain in 2009 by

On 30 January 1918 - a bright winter's

Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford 0X2 OPH,

morning - No 56 Sqn ace Capt James McCudden took off alone at 0945 hrs. The previous day the engine of his SE 5a had

443 Park Avenue South,

ew York,

sprey Publishing, K

Y 10016, USA

E-mail;[email protected]

CONTENTS

been fitted with high compression pistons, and McCudden hoped that they would

© 2009 Osprey Publishing Ltd.

sufficiently increase the power of his Hispano-Suiza 8B motor to enable him to catch and engage the enemy's high-flying,

All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study,

Maybach-powered, Rumpler Cs. After two

research, criticism or review, as permined under the Copyright, Designs and

unsuccessful engagements involving a

Patents Act, 1988, no parr of this publication may be reproduced, stored

Hannover Cover Bullecourt and five Albatros

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

scouts south of Vendhuille, McCudden saw

electrical, chemical, mechanical, optical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,

five more German fighters climbing for height above Anneux. Oeteooined as ever to follow his own dictum 'to destroy as many

without the prior wrinen permission of the copyright owner. Enquiries should

CHAPTER ONE

PROMISE FULFILLED 6 CHAPTER TWO

FRANCE 13

be addressed to the Publishers.

as possible of the enemy at the least risk and casualties to one's own side', the veteran

A CI P catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ace waited until the aircraft had reached 14,000 ft before using a 5IlOO-ft height advantage to dive on them; 'Oown I went, and very quickly got

CHAPTER THREE ISBN: 978 I 846034282

ESTREE BLANCHE 28

E-book ISB : 978 I 84908 104 7

behind the leader, into whom I fired a burst at very close range. He at once went down vertically, with pieces of three-ply wood falling off his fuselage, and he was seen to

Edited by Tony Holmes

CHAPTER FOUR

Page design by Mark Holt

strike the ground by our "Archie" gunners.

Cover artwork by Mark Postlethwaite

I hadn't time to watch him, as I was fighting

Aircraft Profiles by Harry Dempsey

four more scouts now and had my attention

Index by Alan Thatcher

fully occupied. However, I got into position

Primed in China through Bookbuilders

OVER THE SALIENT 48 CHAPTER FIVE

behind a Pfalz, and after a short burst from the good old Vickers he went down in a spiral dive and crashed also.'

09

I0

II

I2

I0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

I

NEW YEAR AND NEW TACTICS 77

The remaining three enemy scouts, in McCudden's own words 'now evinced

FOR A CATALOG

signs of alaoo'. He fired at another Albatros,

MILITARY AND AVIATION PLEASE CONTACT:

E OF ALL BOOK PUBLISHED BY OSPREY

CHAPTER SIX

ORTH AMERICA Osprey Direct, C/O Random House Distribution Cemer, 400 Hahn Road,

KAISERSCHLACHT 88

tail of the Albatros and opened fire, but after only a short burst both guns stopped - his

Westminster, MD 21157

lewis gun was out of ammunition, and the

E-mail [email protected]

which spun away, but was then attacked by a second machine from behind. McCudden quickly reversed the positions, got onto the

belt of his Vickers had broken. McCudden now felt 'awfully brave', and realising the remaining Albatros and Pfalz were 'awfully dud', stayed to fight them, chasing the scouts south of Cambrai before heading home. The leader of the formation, VIw Adam Barth of

Jasta 10, flying Albatros 0 V

ALLOTHER REGIO S Osprey Direct, The Book Service Ltd, Distribution Centre, Colchester Road, Frating Green, Colchester, Essex, C07 7DW, UK E-mail [email protected]

LAST OFFENSIVES 109 APPENDICES 120 COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY 126

4565/17, was killed, whilst the pilot of the Pfalz - McCudden's second victory

CHAPTER SEVEN

www.osprcypublishing.com

of the day, and his 46th overall- survived

(Cover artwork by Mark Postlethwaite)

the crash

INDEX 128

LU

Z

o a: LU

f-

e... <J:

PROMISE FULFILLED

::r:: u

6

S

unday, 30 Seprember 1917, dawned fine and brighL In France, ar Esrn~e Blanche aerodrome, near rhe River Lys, rhe pilors of No 56 Sqn Royal Flying Corps (RFC) had waired wirh some imparience for flrsr lighr. The unir's score of enemy aeroplanes dew'oyed had reached a roral of 198, and each pilor hoped ro have rhe disrincrion of claiming rhe 200rh vicrory. The quesrion of which flighr should perform rhe flrsr parrol of rhe day had led ro a heared discussion ar dinner rhe previous eveni ng, ar which each of rhe fl ighr com manders had pur forward rheir own case wirh some force. By rhe rorarion of parrols, however, ir was B Flighr's rurn ro fly rhe flrsr parrol, and irs commander, high-scoring ace CaprJames McCudden, had sruck quiedy bur firmly ro irs righr ro do so. The SE 5as ofB FI ighr rook off ar 0745 hrs. Enem y rerri rory was al mosr rorally obscured by a rhick ground misr, and, consequendy, ull[i1 rhe sun began ro disperse ir ar around 0900 hrs, rhere was lirde enemy aeriviry. Ar 0915 hrs McCudden arrempred ro lure a form arion of Alban'os 'V' SULJ[rers under a formarion ofBrisrol F 2B Fighrers from No 22 Sqn, bur rhe war)' German pilors [lIrned easr, refusing rhe baiL Five minures larer McCudden saw five more Alban'os scours over Hourhem. He arracked one of rhese, driving ir down ro 2000 fr, bur failing ro gain any decisive resulL B Flighr re[llrned ro Esuee Blanche, disgrunded by irs failme ro score. During rhe remainder of rhe morning and ill[o rhe earl)' afrernoon a number of pilors flew solo missions, bur all wirhour resulL A and C Flighrs rook off ar 1630 hrs, wirh wearher condirions having b)' now improved considerably. Capr Geoffrey Bowman led C Flighr ro Ypres, ar which poill[ he was forced ro rurn back wirh a bursr oil rank. The remaining members of rhe flighr - Lrs Richard Maybery and Reginald Hoidge- flew on, keen ro scorerhe 199rh and 200rh vierories for C FlighL Ar 1700 hrs Mayber)' and Hoidge arracked five Pfalz D 1][ scours over Roulers. Maybery's opponenr [lIrned under him, and as he dived ar rhe Pfalz, Hoidge came berween rhem, forcing Mayber)' ro break off his pursuiL Finding himselfbenearh a second Pfalz, he pulled down his Lewis gun and fired half a drum of ammunirion ar rhe enem)' scoue The Pfalz dived away and Maybe,)' followed, firing shorr bums. The German scour conrinued down and crashed wesr ofRoulers, giving 056 Sqn irs 199rh vierory. Mayber)' rhen came under arrack from yer anorher Pfalz, so he [lIrned wesr and rejoined Hoidge, who had had no luck in rhe Frghr - persisrell[ gun sroppages had robbed him of an almosr cerrain vicrory. A shorr while larer borh pilors arracked a [Wo-searer over rhe easrern end ofHourhulsr Forese Again, gun jams forced Mayber)' and Hoidge ro break off rheir arracks, allowing rhe [Wo-searer ro escape ro rhe ease They nexr chased a pair of rwo-searers rhar rhey had sporred over rhe norrhern end of rhe foresr, bur borh aircrafr dived away ro rhe easr as well. The 200rh vierory was proving elusive. Maybery rhen sighred yer anorher [Wo-searer, wesr of Menin. He dived ro arrack ir bur afrer a shorr bursr his Lewis gun sropped. He had used up rhe drum.

Diving under rhe enemy machine, Maybery franrically began hanging magazines, bur in his eagerness and exciremell[ he failed ro place rhe drum correcdy and ir fell off, hirring him a glancing blow on rhe head before bouncing over rhe side of the cockpir! Maybery, his head pinning- a full Lewis gun drum was no mean weighr - [lIrned for horne, having no more ammunirion lefe His Vickers gun had been inoperarive rhroughour rhe parrol. Hoidge had had no berrer luck. He subsequendy arracked a group of four Pfalz scouts single-handedly, bur his guns conrinued ro give rrouble and he was forced ro break off rhe acrion and rerurn home, having run low on fuel. Furrher sourh, A Flighr had been in acrion wirh eighr enemy scours over Comines. Flighr commander Capr Gerald Maxwell had selecred his opponell[ carefully. A full drum of Lewis and 100 rounds of Vickers 'from very close range' senr rhe Alban'os down our of conrrol, nose over rail. When A Flighr landed back ar Esrree Blanche, rhey found thar ofC Flighr only Ma)'bery had rerurned. They eagerly compared nores, bur ir was nor unril all the pilors had finally landed rhar ir was esrablished rhar Maybel)' had scored rhe 199rh vicror)' and Maxwell rhe 200rh. Maybery's vicrim was esrimared ro have crashed ar 1700 hrs and Maxwell's 30 minures larer. By rhe rime rhe com bar repons had been made our, wirh 'Grandpa' Marson, rhe Squadron Recording Officer, presiding, ir was nearly dark. The enrire unir assembled ourside rhe sheds. Ar rhe word of command from No 56 Sqn's commanding officer, Maj Richard Blomfleld, rhe squadron's ell[ire srock of Very lighrs (flares) was fired inro rhe evening sky - 40 red, whire and green lighrs lir up rhe counrryside. Dinner rhar nighr was a gala affair. The food was excellell[, rhe squadron's band played and rhere was 'much speechmaking'. Afrer a grear deal of high-spirired horseplay in rhe all[e-room, rhe pilors well[ ro bed, well pleased with rhe successes of rhe day, and elared and proud of rhe squadron's record. The following day a lerrer of congrarularion was received from Gen Hugh Trenchard, General Officer Commanding (GO ) rhe RFC in rhe Field. Ir said, in parr; 'The work of rhis squadron has been really wonderful, and ir reflects rhe grearesr credir on you as a Squadron om mander, rhe Flighr Commanders, pilors and rhe COs and men, and ir has no doubr helped largely rowards reducing rhe enemy ro a proper frame of mind in rhe air.' The 200rh vierory and Trenchard's lerrer ser rhe seal on No 56 qn's growing repurarion as rhe mosr successful flghrer squadron in rhe RFC. This achievemenr was rhe culminarion of five months - aparr from two weeks spenr defending London - of inrense and fiercely conresred air flghring.

(I)

m .."

C r.."

rr-

m

o

EARLY DAYS On 9 June 1916 rhree 2nd class air mechanics were posred from Farnborough [Q Fon Grange, in Gospon, Hampshire, as a nucleus flighr for 05 qn. By 17 June, rhe number of men assigned [Q rhe unir had risen [Q around 20, and rhe squadron's flrsr commanding officer, Maj E L Gossage, had raken command. Ar a noonday parade on 23 June 1916, No 56 Sqn r k n ir wn idenriry from No 28 Sqn (irs parenr unir), and on 14 July ir

7

moved to London Colney, are ndy '~IJbli~hed large training aerodrome in Herrforclshire. During the remaind r lhe year the squadron gradually built up to full strength. On 6 FebrualY J 917, after four more hanges of command, the CO who was to take the squadron to Fran e, and lay the foundations of its traditions and greatness, took comm nd. Maj Richard Graham Blomfield, described by one pilot as 'the prin e of organisers', was determined to make his unit the finest in France, and he chose his pilots - especially his three flight commanders - carefully. He also left no avenue unexplored to ensure that the COs and men assigned to No 56 Sqn were also the best available, pa'Ticularly those who would service and maintain the unit's aeroplanes. Blomfield was also a great believer in morale, and fully realising the parr that music could play in its upkeep, he formed an excellent and highly

LU

Z

or

a

a: LU

l-

e...

« I

u

No 56 Sqn CO Maj Richard Graham Blomfield was described as being 'Tremendously energetic and keen. He was always to be seen hurrying here and there, giving close personal supervision to every detail of the squadron's work - activity and organisation personified'

professional squadron orchestra, exchanging non-mu i al craftsmen for ones who were. He also saw to it that a number of or he tral musicians who were then being drafted under the Fir t Military ervice Bill were taken into the RFC and sent to his squadron. quipment officers from other squadrons were wined and dined, and names of parricularly efficient mechanics in their units were gently extracted from them to also find their way into 056 Sqn. Knowing their imporrance, Blomfield selected his three flight commanders carefully. The first two were Capts AJberr Ball and Ian Henry David Henderson. Blomfield's 'captLIre' of Ball gave the squadron an immediate reputation, for he was then the leading ace of the RFC. Credited with 30 victories, he had been awarded the Military ross and a Distinguished Service Order with two Bars. Sent home on extended leave in the late autumn of 1916, Ball had been pressing the authorities to allow him to return to active duty in France just as 056 Sqn was being formed at London Colney. Capt Henderson was also a pilot ofsome experience, having flown with No 19 Sqn during the battles of the Somme in 1916. The third flight commander was Capt Ernest Foot, who was known throughout the RFC as 'Feet'. A brilliant pilot, he had served with Ball in No 60 Sqn - no doubt Ball had influenced Blomfield in his choice of Foot. However, Blomfield's careful plans seemed doomed from the outset. Firstly, Henderson broke his nose and was posted away, to be replaced by Capt Cyril Marconi Crowe, a fine pre-war pilot who had served in France with os 4 and 8 Sqns. The bad luck continued when rowe fell ill wirh measles and was taken to hospital. The influence of Ball is apparent in Blomfield's next choice too, as Capt Henry 'Duke' Meintjes had also flown with him in 060 Sqn. Ball also toured the various training establishments as a talent scout looking for promising pilors. Lts Gerald Constable Maxwell, Leonard Barlow and Arrhur Rhys Davids were three of his recommendations. There were no doubt orhers, but in the coming months these three officers alone, all of whom would become high-scoring aces, were to prove Ball's ability for picking emblyonic air fighters.

(IJ

m

-n C

r

-n

r

r m CJ

Capts Albert Ball lIeft) and Cyril Crowe pose informally for the camera at london Colney in April 1917

Capt Albert Ball is seen here in SE 5 A4850 at london Colney on 6 April 1917. This aircraft was the only SE 5 to be extensively modified before the squadron left for France. Its large windscreen was removed and a smaller 'Avro' type substituted. A new centre section was also fitted which incorporated an internal gravity-fed petrol tank, the controls to the tailplane were altered, and the seat was removed and replaced with a wooden one, which had the effect of seating Ball lower down in the aeroplane. 'Bristol type' wheels were fitted and a small

8

Capt E l Foot in an SE 5 at london

head fairing added. The Vickers gun and its Constantinescu gear were

Colney in April 1917. One of the original flight commanders, Foot

also removed, its position in the top fuselage then being decking

was injured in a car accident on the

faired over. The space that this

evening of 6 April and was unable to fly to France with the squadron the

modification saved was filled with a larger capacity petrol tank. An extra

following morning. This photograph clearly shows the large canopy

lewis gun was also installed, firing downwards through the floor of the

so disliked by the pilots. Neither

cockpit. Most of these modifications

a lewis gun or Aldis gunsight have been fitted to this machine

were later removed in France by order of HQ RFC

9

u.J

-0 :D

Z

a

a

s:

a: u.J

en

I-

c...

m

«

-n

I

C

U

r

-n

r r

m

a

Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge in SE 5 A4862 at London Colney in April 1917. This aircraft is in standard form, awaiting fitment of both an Aldis gunsight and Lewis gun

Capt Henry 'Duke' Meintjes had previously served in No 60 Sqn, with whom he had scored four victories. Meintjes led No 56 Sqn's advance party to Vert Galant on 5 April 1917

10

Efficiency was Blomfield's warchword. Alrhough a srricr disciplinarian, he was a genial man, and despire working his pilors hard during rhe day he [LIrned rhem loose in London - only 18 miles away - ar nighr. 'They had ro be rip-rop aviarors and bring down Huns. orhing else marrered', he recalled posr-war. The squadron's firsr aeroplane, a BE 2c, arrived on 7 Augusr, wirh more following during rhe monrh - a urriss, some Brisrol Scours, Sopwirh rwo-searers and a variery of BE rypes. The squadron had been designared as rhe firsr ro be equipped wirh a new fighrer in rhe form of rhe SE 5, designed by rhe ream of F Green, H P Folland and J Kenworrhy ar rhe Royal Aircrafr Facrory ar Farnborough. Grear rhings were expecred of rhe SE 5, bur when Ball ferried rhe firsr example from Farnborough ro London Colney on J 5 March 1917, and subsequenrly complered a res I' hop around rhe airfield, ir proved ro be a grear disappoinrmenr. No 56 Sqn's engineering officer, Huberr hades, recalled 'Everybody couldn 'I' believe rhar rh is was rhe SE 5 fighrer? The rh ing looked hopeless - a joke. Jr was hopelessly slow, and Ball obviously didn'r wanr ro do any aerobarics i'n ir'. Several faull's were immediarely found wirh rhe SE 5, bur rhese were mainly associared wirh irs producrion rarher rhan rhe scour's basic design, and Blomfield, anxious rhar norhing should delay rhe squadron leaving for France on rhe specified dare, ordered rhar only essenrial work was ro be underraken by Charles and hi mechanics. The laner remembered, 'The aim of all our efforrs was simply ro gel' rhe aeroplanes ro fly ro France wirh rheir Lewis guns, engines and conrrols working, and leave rhe quesrionable operabiliry of irs Vickers gun, and a ociared inrerruprer gear, unril we gor rhere'.

On 5 April an advance parry of men, led by Capr Meinrjes, 2Lr Maurice Kay and rhe adjuranr, 2 Lr Thomas Marson, lefr for France wirh aeroplane spares and general srores. Their desrinarion was a small farm in norrhern France - Ven Galanr.

DO WELL AND FEAR NOT Snow fell on 6 April 19 J 7, which was also Good Friday. ThaI' evening, a farewell dinner parry was held in a small horel in rhe nearby village of RadlerI'. Capr Cecil Lewis recalled rhar all rhe pilors rerired early ro bed srricrly sober; 'I I' was our ambirion ro do whar no orher squadron had previou Iy done. amely ro arrive ar our aerodrome overseas wirhour losing a single mach ine by rhe way.'

Officers pose for a photograph at London Colney prior to leaving for France. They are, in the back row (from left to right!. G J C Maxwell, W B Melville, H M T Lehmann, C R W Knight, L M Barlow and K J Knaggs. In the front row (from left to right) are RCA Lewis, J 0 Leach, R G Blomfield, A Ball and R T C Hoidge. This historic photograph was commissioned by the father of H N Charles, the squadron's engineering officer No 56 Sqn SE 5s lined up on London Colney aerodrome on the morning of 7 April 1917

"

FRANCE A

LJ.J

Z

o a:: LJ.J

ICL

«

::c L.l

'T1

::D

» z n

m

fter landing at St Omer for lunch, the 13 SE 5s flew to Vert

Galant aerodrome, six miles south of Doullens abreast the Douliens-tO-Amiens road. The squadron shared the aerodrome

with the other fighter squadrons of the 9th Wing, namely Nos 66 and 19 Sqns. The Sopwith Pups of No 66 Sqn used the field to the west of the road, whilst the SPAD Vlls of No 19 Sqn and the SE 5s of No 56 Sqn flew from the larger field on the east side of the aerodrome. On 9 April the work of modifying the SE 5s began. Engines and guns were made more reliable through a number of smaller modifications, and the large cumbersome windscreens, which were universally unpopular with the pilots, were removed. This work was not completed until20 April,

Kenneth John Knaggs on the morning of 7 April 1917. He is wearing the lifebelt that was issued for the flight across the Channel. It remains unclear as to whether these were actually worn for the crossing Above right 'Revving up and ready to go'. Ball, in SE 5 A4850. is slightly ahead of the other machines

The next morning all was ready. The waiting was over. The aerodrome

and some idea of its importance can be seen by the fact that the squadron

was the scene of organised activity, and by j 045 hI's all the pilots were in

was unable to take part in the Battle of Arras, which had begun on 9 April.

their cockpits. Ball, as usual, was bare-headed. He had met and become

The squadrons of the RFC were particularly hard-pressed at this time.

engaged to a local girl during his time at London Colney, but he had asked

In the late summer of 1916 the Germans had begun to re-organise their

her not to come to see him leave that morning. He handed a letter to

experimental KampfeinsterKommandos, in wh ich a few si ngle-seater fighters

her brother. On the back, scribbled in pencil, was the message 7th April

were on strength, into true fighter squadrons, each comprised of a dozen

1917.8.30. Goodbye Bobs. Albert'.

aeroplanes. These units were entitled JagdstaffiLn (H unting Echelons),

At I 155 hI's the SE 5s were 'revving up and ready to go'. At a signal

and the first seven were in existence by the autumn of 1916. A total of

from Maj Blomfleld, Cecil Lewis led the squadron out onto the field. One by one they turned into the wind, took off and circled the field

37 JagdstaffiLn had been set for the spring of 1917, and by ovember 1916, 25 Jasta had been formed, and an additional seven were at the front by the

once, the pilots waving. Then, quite suddenly it seemed to the watchers

end of December.

on the ground, they were almost out of sight, flying to the east. I twas

The equipment of these early JagdstaffiLn was superb. By the late summer of 1916 the pendulum of technical superiority in the air war had

exactly noon. A mile from the aerodrome, in the village of Shenley, there is a small circular building. Dating from the eighteenth century, it was built as a

swung once more strongly in favour of the Luftstreitkl'afte. The 01

2s

and FE 8s of the RFC, which had stemmed the Fokker scourge, were

lock-up to cool off the minor miscreants of the village. On panels above its

themselves now outclassed by the German Albatros, Pfalz and Halberstadt

extreme right!. flown by C A Lewis, took off on 7 April at approximately

twO small wi ndows is an inscription - advice to any would-be lawbreakers,

fighters of the new JagdstaffiLn. During late March and early Apr'il 1917,

1155 hI's. Ball, in A4850. is nearest

yet strangely appl icable as parti ng counsel on that April morn ing in 1917.

the improved version of the Alban'os D 11, the 0 [11, began to appear at the

'Do well and fear nor. Be sober and vigilant'.

front, the sesquiplane wing layout giving it the V-Strut configuration which was to become so familiar to the pilots of the RFC, and earn it the

The first SE 5 lin the air on the

the camera

colloquial name of'V' Strutter. The fighter aeroplanes available to the RFC at this time were the Sopwith Pup, the Nieuport 17 and 23 and the SPAD VII, plus the excellent Sopwith Triplane (used exclusively by the squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service). Although these machines were, in the main, more manoeuvrable than the German fighters, their armament consisted ofJUSt a single Lewis or Vickers gun. The AJbatros, Pfalz and Halberstadt scouts were fitted with twin Spandau guns. The British machines were also appreciably slower, which meant that German pilots could avoid, initiate or break off combat at will, placing their Allied opponents at a serious tactical disadvantage. By the beginning of the third week of April the modifications to the squadron's SE 5s had been completed, and on 19 and 20 April a great deal of test flyi ng was done. These changes had made a signi flcant difference to the aircraft's capabilities, and the pilots were n w keyed up for the 22nd, 12

when the squadron would complete its first war patrol in France.

13

o

5

l-

cc w l-

e...

«

:r: u

14

Ar J 0 18 hrs rhar morning, and under sn'in orders nor ro cross rhe Frondine, Ball led Five SE 5s on a defensive parrol over Aix, Neuville and Sr Leger. Flying ar I J ,000 fi: between Lievin and Croiselles, Ball saw an Alban'os [Wo-searer near AdinFer. He Fired a red Very lighr and headed For rhe enemy aircraFt. The Albarro immediarely [lIrned and dived rowards irs own lines, bur Ball srill gor ro wirhin 150 yards of rhe machine. He Fired rhree drums worth oFLewis rounds ar rhe fleeing two-searer, bur his shors had no visible eFFecr and rhe Alban'os merely sreepened irs dive For rhe saFety of irs lines. MindFul of rheir orders, rhe SE 5 pilors ler ir go. Several hours larer, B Flighr, led by Capr 'Duke' Meinrjes, flew aJong rhe same parrolline bur saw no enemy aeroplanes. It had been a disappoinring day. On rhe 23rd rhe squadron undertook irs Firsr offensive parrol. Led by Capt Cyril Crowe, C Flighr rook of at 0600 hrs and parrolled From Farbus ro Monchy ar 8000 Fr unril heavy and accurare anri-aircraFt Fire at the junction of the River Scarpe and the Canal de la Sensee Forced them up ro 13,000 Ft. The patrol rerurned ar 0800 hrs, having seen no enemy aircraFt. Ball had aJso taken oFF alone at 0600 hrs in a Nieuporr 23. He was still unhappy wi rh the SE 5, much preFerring the more manoeuvrable N ieuporr wirh which he had scored his early vicrories. Indeed, upon his re[llrn ro France with 0 56 Sqn, Ball had gained the approval of Gen Hugh Trenchard, GOC of rhe RFC, ro conrinue using a Nieuport For his individuaJ parrols, whilsr flying an SE 5 when pan'olling with the resr of rhe unit. Ball flew ro rhe Douai-Cambrai area, knowing that any enemy aeroplanes making For their aerodromes in rhis vicinity would have ro pass by him Fi rst. Ar 0645 hrs, whilst parrolling over Cambrai at 8000 Fr, Ball sporred a pair of enemy [Wo-seaters - possibly Albarros C Ills. They were below him, so he dived underneath rhem in order ro achieve his Favourire arracking posirion. Ball then pulled down rhe Lewis gun mounred on rhe rop wing of rhe Nieuport, bur before he could open Fire rhe Firsr Albarros pilot dived ro the east. Unperrurbed, Ball posirioned his Fighter benearh rhe second German machine and Fired haiFa drum oFLewis rounds inro it. The Alban"os wenr down, Followed by Ball (who was srill Firing), and crashed by rhe side of rhe Tilloy-ro-Abancourr road. Borh crewmen perished. Ball had scored the Firsr vicrory For No 56 Sqn. A Few minures larer Ball sporred another Alban"os, just sourh of Arras, which was using rhe cloud cover ro mask its approach ro rhe rown. Ball again dived and atrempred ro come up underneath ir, but rhe enemy pilot was an old hand and rhrorded back, causing the RFC ace ro overshoot. For a brieF momenr Ball came inro rhe sighrs of the enemy pi lor, and a well-aimed bursr hit the Nieuport in [WO wing spars. He dived away, and the Alban'os pilor made good h is escape by diving ro rhe east. Ball Finished our his parrol rime, bur rhe ieuporr would nor be ready ro fly again unril rhe aFternoon oF27 April. The enemy pilot had pur a bursr of 15 rounds inro the wing spars, resulring in borh lower wings having ro be replaced. Ar 1045 hrs Ball again rookoFFalone, rhis rime flying his SE 5 A4850. He arracked an all-whire AJbarros [Wo-searer over AdinFer, diving undernearh ir and opening Fire wirh his Lewis gun. AFrer only Five rounds rhe weapon jammed, so BaJl broke oFF the action and landed ar 060 Sqn's aerodrome ar Le Hameau ro recrifY rhe Faulty gun. This done, he rerurned ro rhe Cambrai area.

Ar J 145 hrs Ball chased Five single-searer Alban"os scours beFore Finally c10si ng wirh rhem over Selvigny. He Fired 150 rounds From h is Vickers gun inro rhe nearest of rhe German Fighrers, which Fell away our of conrrol beFore bursring inro flames. The remaining enemy pilors rhen arracked Ball, purring Five rounds inro rhe righr spar oFhis SE 5, Four inro rhe wings and [WO inro the Fuselage jusr behind rhe pi lor's head. Using rhe superior speed oFhis scour, Ball dived away and shook rhem oFf Some 45 minures larer he arracked anorher all-whire Albarros C III north oFCambrai, Firing half a drum oFLewis rounds inro it. The Alban"os dived sreeply away and made a good landing, rhe pilar, VFw Eberr of FLieger Abteilung (FLAbt) 7, helping our his observer, Lrn Berger, who had suFFered a bad neck wound. This ended rhe squadron's Firsr day of oFFensive parrols. Only Ball had scored, bur morale was high neverrheless. Ir was now decided ro exrend rhe period of rime during which rhe squadron could fly offensive parrols. This was achieved by reducing rhe number oFSE 5s ina parrol ro rhree. Wirh a savi ngoF[WO machi nes From each flighr, ir was possible ro fly [WO addirional parrols. The flrsr parrol of rhree leFr Vert GaJanr ar 0700 hrs on rhe morning oF24 April. 'Duke' Meinrjes, leading Cecil Lewis and Henry Lehmann, arracked severaltwo-searers and enemy scours easr of Arras, bur all rheir arracks were Frusrrared by conrinuaJ gun Jams. The second oFFensive parrol of rhe day, led by Cyril 'Billy' Crowe, had berrer luck. Ar I I 10 hrs rhe SE 5s arracked a pair of [Wo-searers be[Ween Gavrelle and Bullecourt. Crowe dived and opened Fire From 50 yards, bur

-n :JJ

l>

Z n m

Cecil Arthur Lewis, seen here with 'Jock', served with No 3 Sqn during the Somme battles of 1916. After his service with No 56 Sqn, Lewis flew Camels with Nos 44 and 61 and 152 Sqns. After the war, he led an extremely varied and interesting life, being a flying instructor in China in the early 1920s, a founder member of the BBC, a producer and director for the theatre and films in the 1930s, and an Oscar winner in 1938 for his screenplay of Pygmalion" Lewis also found time to write one of the legendary volumes on World War 1 air fighting, Sagittarius Rising, based on his exploits in combat. He served in the RAF in World War 2, after which he farmed in Africa before retiring to Corfu. When he died in January 1997, Lewis was the last surviving pilot of No 56 Sqn in World War 1

15

o

his Vickers gun jammed after juSt a few rounds. Maurice Kay, just behind Crowe, also managed to get off a few shots before the Constantinesco

Low clouds and bitter cold made Aying impossible the Following day, and the next patrol was not Aown until the evening oF26 April when Ball

(CC) gear of his Vickers gun failed as well. Kay then came under

led Four SE 5s out at 1815 h rs. Soon aFter taking ofF the panol split up, Ball

CL

determined and heavy fire from the enemy observer, but this failed to

Aying to his Favourite hunting ground west of Douai. Barlow, Lehmann

:::r::

deter him. Slipping under the tail of the enemy machine, he got in a good

and Melville saw no action, but a Few miles to the southeast, the RFC ace was fighting For his liFe.

S

I-

cr: UJ

I-

«

u

burst of20 rounds from his Lewis gun. Leonard Barlow attacked the same two-seater, closing to within 20 yards and firing both guns until his

Arriving over the Douai area, Ball had watched a Formation of FE 2ds

CC gear failed too. Before finally turning away, Barlow fired a drum of

approaching him From the direction of Cambrai on their way home.

Lewis into the enemy machine, which turned over and went down out

As he watched the ungainly pushers, Ball observed a number of enemy

of control, finally hitting the ground near Bellone.

scours taking oFFFrom an aerodrome to the east oFCambrai - possibly the

Crowe and Kay then joined forces with two Nieuports and, ten minutes later, attacked five Alban'os scoutS that had bright red tails and Fuselages.

fighter, closing to within 20 yards and firing a Full drum of Lewis and

range of 100 yards until the gun again jammed. Seeing Crowe rum away,

50 rounds oFVickers into the white-painted Albatros. For once his guns

Kay attacked the scout, firing only his Lewis - his Vickers was also out of

worked splendidly, and the German fighter went down out of connol and crashed in a small wood northeast oFCambrai.

under heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire, so he broke off the pursuit,

Ball turned For the British lines, but his retreat was cut off by the

climbed back to 11,000 Ft and rejoined Crowe. Barlow now reappeared,

remaining five enemy scouts who had managed to get to the west of him.

and the three SE 5s returned to base. The victory over the two-seater, possibly a machine From Fleiger

Abteiling (A) 224, was shared between the three pilots, as it was considered that all three had put in good shooting at it. Crowe had seen the Albatros

enemy machines in pursuit. One of the German pilots outdistanced his

scout attacked by Kay land near Douai. 1n view of their colour, and

companions, and Ball turned to Face him, firing both guns. The Albatros, went down. The rest of the enemy pilots now caught up with Ball, but he

Douai, a green Alban'os scout was sighted Aying at 10,000 Ft. Maxwell came

successFully evaded their fire, Aew to the southwest and finally crossed the Fronrlines at dusk.

From a range of just ten yards. The Alban'os rolled over onto its back and

Weather conditions were again bad on 27 April, and only slightly better

dived towards Hamel. Maxwell and Knight Followed it down to 1500 ft, at

the next day. Two patrols tOok off in the morning but saw no action,

which point they were Forced to clear the area after coming under heavy fire

reporting low cloud and poor visibil ity. An aFternoon patrol leFt the ground

From the ground. Both Maxwell and Knight were credited with a share in

at 1650 hrs and saw plenty of action, however. Intercepting three Alban'os

the destruction of the Albatros, but Maxwell had no doubt. That night he

lwO-Seaters over Cambrai, Ball fired a red light and went down alone

wrote in his diary, 'Got my first Hun. Single-seater Albatros scout. Came up

through the cloud cover to within 150 yards of the enemy ma hines.

under his tail to about ten yards and loosed off. Enemy aircraFt dived to earth

attack was Frustrated by gun jams, and he climbed back through the clouds

and crashed'. A young Scot who was outwardly calm but inwardly jubilant, Maxwell would claim a Further 25 aeroplanes destroyed beFore the end of the war. The next patrol of three SE 5s leFt Vert Galant at J 500 hrs, anxious to play their part in this day of success. They were not to be disappointed. Almost at the end of their patrol time, the pilots attacked five AJbatros

lis

to rejoin his Aight. Clearing his jams, Ball again descended through the

clouds and renewed his attack on the two-seaters, one of which he forced down. Ball then dived on the third enemy two-seater. This time he made no mistake, and it crashed at Fontaine, just west oFCambrai. Due to the heavy cloud cover in the area, Ball had lost contact with the other SE 5s during this engagement, so he 'sat above the clouds until a

scouts - one green and Four red - over Fresnoy. Kenneth Knaggs selected

lwo-seater Albatros came up above them at Epehy'. The enemy machine

the green Alban'os and the pilot made the Fatal mistake of diving away.

dived away From Ball's attack and, intent on the chase, he followed it down

Knaggs gave the Albatros twO bursts From his Lewis gun and it spun down

to within 500 Ft of the ground. The German anti-aircraft gunners put up

over the Arras-tO-Douai road, JUSt east of Fresnes.

a tremendous barrage to assist their Fellow countrymen, shooting Ball's

At di nner that nigh t there was an air oFjubilation, the pilots excited wi th

controls away. The SE 5 Fell intO a spin, but the ace managed to regain

the successes of the day. Three enemy machines had been brought down.

control and Ay gi ngerly back to Vert Galant wi th only his left elevator Fully

They had met and routed the enemy fighters, and had Found that the

working, and this with only one top wire intact.

perFormance of the SE 5 had enabled them to initiate or break oFF combats

Ball taxied the damaged SE 5 to the hangars, the elevators Aapping loose and the nose of the scout covered in black Auicl From a riddled oil tank. He

at will. Ball's dislike of the aircraft seemed to be unFounded. However,

16

Aown by Vfv,r Eisenhuth ofJasta3, burst into Aames along its right side and

The next patrol was led by Ball, taking off at 1300 hrs. Just south of up under its tail and fired a whole drum of Lewis rounds into the aircraft

m

He made straight For them, firing his Vickers, but the enemy pilots reFused to scatter, boxing Ball in and Forcing him to turn continually to escape their fire. He finally managed to evade their attacks and broke Free, the

position, it is probable that these scouts were From Jasta I I.

n

base of Jasta 3 at Awoingt. The ace 'went and sat over Cambrai', waiting until the enemy scouts had reached 6000 Ft. He then dived on the nearest

Crowe attacked the nearest, firing a good burst of Vickers into it From a

action. The Albatros pilot dived away. Kay Followed, but at 6000 ft he came

":xJ

» z

there was one problem - the almost universal gun jams that had possibly

climbed shakily From the cockpit, calling angrily For a rag, his Face and

robbed them of additional victories. They had to be solved.

shoulders smothered in oil. Wiping off the oil as best he could, Ball literally

17

a ~

I-

a: UJ

ICL


18

,t.ll11pcd ro rhe sheds. Twenry minures larer his Nieuporr lefr rhe ground, a ,till furiou\ Ball ar rhe conrrols. He returned ar 2020 hI's, rhe lasr of rhe 'qu.ldron's scours ro be our. Ball had seen norhing on which ro venr his ang r, perhaps fortunarely for him, as rhe day of rhe brave, headsrrong, n n-ra rical fighrer was coming ro an end. Cunning was now needed ro urvive following rhe reorganisarion of rhe German fighrer force. , raid Maxwell was also a vicrim of accurare anri-aircrafr fire rhar same day. Whil r parrolling ar 10,000 fr, his SE 5 was hir in rhe elevarors and radiaror. H is engine finally seized over rhe rrenches ar Combles, easr of Albert, and he force-landed ar Srarion 126 on rhe Decauville railway. Maxweillarer recorded in his diary, 'Complere wreck. Engine fell our of machine and machine rurned righr over. Me nor hurr. H ir ground ar abour 140 mph'. AJrhough remarkably unhun, Maxwell was sufficienrIy shaken ro enrer rhe incidenr on rhe wrong day of his diary. On rhe morning of 29 April wearher condirions were srill poor. Ar 0900 hI's Capr Meinrjes led his flighr from Verr Galanr wirh orders ro parrol between Virry and Villers. The SE 5s were passing between rhe villages of Hamel and Recoun when rhey were arracked by six Albarros scours, grey in colour, which came ar rhem from 'our of rhe eye of rhe morning sun'. Meinrjes, an experienced fighrer pilor, immediarely wenr inro a sreep climbing rurn, coming our above rhe enemy scours. He dived ro arrack rhe nearesr Albarros, which in rurn fell away, wirh Meinrjes following, firing borh guns - for once rhese were working well. Ar 6000 fr, jusr prior ro enrering a cloud bank, rhe Albarros rurned over onro irs back and wenr down our of conrrol. Canadian Reginald Hoidge was in a righr spor, however. In rheir firsr pass rhe enemy fighrers had shor rhrough his elevarors, ailerons and back spar, one accurare bursr hirring rhe SE 5 jusr behind his head. His Vickers gun conrrol wire had broken prior ro crossing rhe lines and his Lewis was now jammed. Keeping exrraordinarily calm for an inexperienced pi lor, Hoidge used rhe superior climb andmanoeuvrabiliry of his fighrer ro ger above rhe enemy scours. Wirh remarkable courage he rhen dived ar rhe nearesr one, forcing rhe Albarros pilors ro break off rhe engagemenr and dive away. AJI rhe SE 5s made ir back ro Ven Galanr. The rhird parrol of rhe day, made by Crowe, Leach and Kay, senr an Alban'os two-sea reI' down our of conrrol over Bugnicourr, before flying ro rhe Cambrai area. Here rhey were arracked by a formarion of enemy scours, silver-grey in colour, and wirh rheir black crosses on whire square backgrounds. There was a sharp fighr, during which rowe drove one of rhe enemy scours down ro 3000 fr in a sreep dive our of conrrol over Waziers. This vicrory for rhe furure ace, claimed ar 1500 hI's, was confirmed by a patrol of ieupons from No 60 Sqn. Afrer some inrense fighring rhe German pilors cleared ro rhe easr. Crowe reformed rhe parrol and led rhem over Douai, home of rhe 'Richrhofen Circus', Jagdgeschwader I' I. While Kay and Leach srayed ar 5000 fr, Crowe coolly dropped down ro look ar rhe enemy aerodrome. He larer reponed, 'rhe aerodrome is nonheasr of Douai, nonh of rhe "S" Dorignies, and quire near rhe rown ofDouai'. Ball led rhe lasr patrol of rhe day. Brirish anri-aircrafr fire poinred our an enemy rwo-searer ro rhem, heading nonh over Adinfer. The German pi lor saw the SE 5s coming and dived for rhe safery of his own lines. Ball caughr

--n

up wirh rhe two-sea reI' over rhe enemy rrenches nonh of Lens, bur his guns jammed afrer only twO shors and rhe pilor made good his escape. The fighring on 30 April resulred in 0 56 Sqn suffering Irs firsr casualry. The dawn parrol had had a brief, indecisive skirmish wirh an enemy scour, described as 'an HA ieupon, coloured ilver wirh a yellow nose'. The nexr parrol had a rragicourcome. Crowe led Leach and Kay down ro arrack a form arion ofenemy scours rhar were abour ro engage a formarion of FE 2ds. These German aircrafr were from Jasta 20, coloured silver wirh green wingrips, and in Crowe's words 'a very srubborn ding-dong fighr ensued, some Hun aircraft being above and some below rhe SE 5s'. Crowe came under arrack from one of rhe enemy cours. Alrernarely fighring and chasing each orher, rhey moved away from rhe main engagemenr. Crowe broke off rhe acrion ro recrifY a gun sroppage and rhe enemy pi lor losr sighr of him. Crowe rhen saw him 1500 fr below and dived, firing all rhe way as he closed ro 20 yards. The enemy scour wenr srraighr down and crashed. Leach and Kay were borh hard pressed by rhe orher enemy pilors, who were obviously experienced. Leach zoomed above rhe fighr, and looking down he saw Kay fighring wirh twO of rhe German scours, one of which

:D

:l>

Z n m

Maurice Alfred Kay (top) was the squadron's first casualty, being killed on 30 April 1917. He is seen here with his close friend Keith Muspratt while at the Central Flying School in 1916

19

o

S f-

a:: w f-

e..



Z n m

Phillip Bernard Prothero. who was A Flight commander. always flew in a kilt. When asked why he did not wear trousers to protect him from the extreme cold at high altitude. Prothero replied. in broad Scots. 'You wouldna have me taken prisoner in disguise. would you now laddie?' Prothero was killed in action on 26 July 1917. having claimed eight victories prior to his demise

the second pilot from 056 Sqn co fall victim co German flak in the space of JUSt eight days. French was unwounded, however, and he managed co set flre co his machine before being [aken prisoner. everal pa[rots were flown on [he 20th, and although all the flights saw plenty of aCtion, none of them proved co be decisive until the third patrol of the day, when Capt Edric Broadberry shot down an Albatros scout om ofcon trol over G uesnai n. The next victories came on 23 May, when eci I Lewis sent an Alban·os [wo-seater down out of comrol over Beaumont, and in the flnal patrol of the day Crowe deSl"royed ano[her [wo-seater over Tilloy. Crowe led the flrst pa[rol on 24 May. At 10,000 ft, somh of Douai, [he flight attacked a number of enemy scouts. A 'velY sharp engagement' followed in which all the E 5s fought enemy machines down CO 6000 ft. One Alban·os, flown by Ltn rnst Bauer of Jasta 3, went down in a slow spiral, which developed inco a spin and then a dive. Bauer was killed. The flight next spotted a two-seater, escorted by flve Alban·os D Ills that were some 2000 ft above it. Whilst the remainder of the flight stayed above ro prevelll any interference by the escorting Albatros scouts, Hoidge and Rhys Davids dived co attack the [\vo-seater, shooting it down in flames

25

o

S f-

a: UJ

f-

a..

«

:r:

Cyril Marconi 'Billy' Crowe was the original commander of B Flight, and his example and teaching did much to raise morale after the casualties of 7 May 1917. Crowe would serve two

On 26 May, 2Lt]ack Toogood failed to retllrn from patrol. He was seen attacking a pair of two-seaters, and the German redited his demise to

:n

Vfws Dietz and Woidt of SchutzstafJel19. However, Toogood later wrote

n

"

l> Z

m

from captivity to say that he had been hit by a piece of anti-aircraft shell, which had almost severed his right leg. Having landed behind German

tours of duty with No 56 Sqn

u

lines and been taken prisoner, his leg was later amputated. On 27 May, Leonard Barlow attacked a two-seater over Plouvain, killing the observer and riddling the enemy machine. The enemy pilot dived steeply then flattened out. Barlow resumed his attack, and at 3000 ft he shot off the two-seater's port wings. It spun down 'like an arrow', and after falling for another thousand feet its starboard wings also broke off. The aircraft crashed just north of Pouvain and burst into flames, killing Uffl Max Hofmeier and Lrn Adam Wolffof FIAbt(A)288. Barlow then attacked another two-seater, sending it down to crash within a mile of the first. After an indecisive fight with one of the two-seaters, Rhys Davids fought with an Albatl·os scout, hitting it in the engine and forcing it to land. He later attacked another two-seater, which began to glide down, its engine stopped. Rhys Davids found himself at low altitude at the successful conclusion to this engagement, and whilst flying back to British lines, his SE 5 was hit in the petrol tank and radiator by ground fire. He force-landed east of Bully-Grenay, turning the scout over in a shell hole. Rhys Davids emerged from the wreckage unhurt. In the general fighting, Crowe had attacked an AJbanos scout, which

Keith Knox Muspratt learned to fly

crashed in a field near Erchin. 2Lt Edgar Lloyd failed to return, however,

at 16 while still attending Sherborne

having been shot down by Lrn Altmaier of Jasta 33 and taken prisoner. In an evening patrol, Prothero shot an Albanos down out of control, as

School. On joining the RFC, he became an instructor. After scoring eight victories with No 56 Sqn,

did Broadberry and Lewis. Capt Bowman also despatched a two-seater in

Muspratt was posted to Martlesham Heath as a test pilot, where he was

a slow spin over Auberchicourt. The next morning, B Flightsawagreatdeal ofaction. Seven hostilescouts were seen, but as the SE 5 pilots flew towards them they were joined by

subsequently killed in a flying accident on 19 March 1918

an additional six machines. This enemy formation made no move to attack the British fighters, and Hoidge and Melville went down to attack a pair of over Gouy-sous-Bellone. The enemy fighters made no attempt to protect

two-seaters instead. Suddenly, a Nieuport from No 60 Sqn, flown by unit

their charge, sheering off instead as the SE 5s climbed up to their height. Reforming, the flight then caught another two-seater over Sans. Rhys

CO (and future ace) Maj A] L Scott, dived straight in among the enemy scouts, firing a good burst at close range, before zooming up to join the

Davids wounded the observer and the enemy machine went down,

SE 5s. As though this were a signal, the

smoking badly. Crowe and B Flight were again in action the next morning, the former

then dived to attack the enemy scouts, and a general engagement began.

being attacked by an Albatl·os D J I L that had a 'very yellow fuselage'. The

yards of another and sent it down out of control. Hoidge and Melville,

enemy pilot overshot in his attack and attempted to zoom back up to a higher altitude. Crowe, finding himselfdirecrly underrheAlbarros, pulled

busy with the two-seaters, were attacked by several of the enemy scouts.

down his Lewis gun and fired an entire drum at point blank range into the

threat and saw Maj SCOtt shoot down another enemy machine. Despite

Barlow forced one Albatros to land and Muspratt gOt to within ten

Hoidge carried on after the two-seaters, but Melville turned to meet the

belly of the enemy scout. The fighter rolled over onto its back and went

the fierceness of the fighting, only one of the squadron's pilots had scored

down between Dourges and Courcelles. Rhys Davids and Keith Muspratt had also been su cessful. The latter pilot

- M uspratt was credi ted with a scou t out of con trol.

had actually taught Rhys Davids to fly bacl in England, and pupil and

Martinsydes of No 27 Sqn that were sent to bomb the railway station at

Later the same morning, Prothero, Broadberry and Wilkinson escorted the

teacher attacked a two-seater, Musprarr fr m the side and Rhys Davids

Busigny. On the way home Prorllero saw 15 Albanos scouts, but only one of

from underneath. The enemy mach ine, pou ri ng smoke, wen t down to crash by the side of the Lens-to-Douai road. ffz. Wihelm Miltner and Vfw

them was actually making an attack on the bombers. Prothero dived on the scout and shot it down. During this escort Geoffrey Wilkinson was wounded

Ferdinand Wens of SchutzstafJel24b, in Albatros

26

056 Sqn aircraft and the Nieuport

were both killed.

VII No C.1237/ J 6,

by anti-aircraft fire, but he managed to bring his badly damaged SE 5 back to V rt Galant. His wound was 'sl ighr', but he was taken to hospital nevertheless.

27

L.U L.U

a::

:r: f-

a:: L.U

f-

e...
:r: u

enemy scout on his tail. Although Rhys Davids made no claim, he was credired wirh an Albatros scout from this anion. However, from a combat report by Fullard of 0 1 Sq n, it seems more likely that the AJbatros scout was shot down by Dickinson before he was himselfbrought down by Vfw

ESTREE BLANCHE L ow cloud and misr currailed war flying for the next two days. On 31 May, the 9th Wing headed north for the coming Battle of Messines, and its fighter units ( os 19,66 and 56 Sqns) moved to rhe large aerodrome that was officially named Lierrres, bur which was

bener known throughout the RF as Estree Blanche. Wirh irs departure from Vert Galanr, the squadron had complered irs first seven weeks in France. [n35 days offlghting it had claimed 23 enemy aeroplanes desnoyed, and another 34 sent down out ofcontrol, for the loss of ten pilots. No 56 Sqn had weathered the crippling losses of7 Maycrippling both in terms of quantity and quality - and was about to enrer perhaps its most successful period. Indeed, the un it"'s exploits over com ing months would see its fame spread throughour the RFC and even to 'the orher side of the hill' to the messes of the German air force. On 4 June a morning patrol by B Flighr saw a great deal ofaction. Rhys Davids was flying alone until he joined up with some Sopwirh Pups from No 46 qn. Seeing a snong force of enemy scouts being attacked by Sopwith Triplanes from 'Naval I' Squadron and three Nieuport 17s from o I Sqn, Rhys Davids and the Pups joined in the melee. The fighting gradually broke up into smaller combats, Rhys Davids noting 'AJI five Hun aircraft, especially the leader (red fuselage, red, grey and black wings, V-strut type srruts, pilot wearing a grey fur flying hat) manoeuvred very well'. These Albarros were from Jasta 28, and the pilot described by Rhys Davids was probably Ltn Karl Schafer, the scours' StaffeLfiihrer. During the general fighting, Rhys Davids saw an AJban'os going down, irs propeller stationary, and Thomas Dickinson spiralling down with rwo

Leonard Monteagle Barlow enjoyed a highly successful tour with No 56 Sqn, scoring 20 victories. Barlow was killed in a flying accident in England on 5 February 1918 while testing a Sopwith Dolphin at Martlesham Heath

Thomas Malcolm Dickinson was wounded in action and taken prisoner on 4 June 1917

Dickinson's SE 5 A8920 'B4' is seen here in German hands

Wittekind ofJasta 28. A note was later dropped by the Germans, signed by Dickinson - 'I have been wounded in both legs and am being well looked after'. On 5 June came noriflcation of awards of the Military Cross (MC) to Capr Crowe, Rhys Davids, and Hoidge, There was a great deal of aerial activity the following day as the commencement of the Battle of Messines drew near. During a morning parrol Bowman shot down an Albatros scout, rhe pilot of the laner machine being unaware of the SE 5's presence unril 50 rounds smashed into his machine. Seeing Hoidge hard pressed by three other enemy scouts, Bowman went to his aid and sent one down out of control. There were several more German fighters above them, and the patrol re-crossed the frontlines at 4000 ft. Once back at Estree Blanche, Bowman commenred that the whole experience had been 'Very unpleasant'. Harold Hamer was killed during the patrol when he fell vicrim to future ace Vfw Rudolf

m

en --l

:xl

m m o:J r-

» z

"

:r: m

Francke ofJasta 8 for his second victory. The Battle of Messines opened on 7 June. Zero hour was at 0310 hrs, and ten minutes later Leonard Barlow took olt alone. His duty was to strafe the German aerodromes at Bisseghem and Redeem, and Barlow was at a heighr of just 400 fr when he located rhe former. Bisseghem was situated right alongside a mineral water factory - a f,'lcr which Barlow ascertained by reading the advertisemenrs on the facto'y wall I Barlow flew twice along the lengrh of the hangars, firing both gu ns, then wenr down to 20 ft and gave the hangars another burst. Barlow rhen sponed a goods train, and he anacked this from 50 ft. The locomorive stopped in a cloud of sream and smoke, Barlow having rwice flown along irs length, firing all rhe time. Tiringof this, he then flew to Wevelgem and strafed some troops in the main street, scattering rhem into the roadside houses. Afrer anadung rhe railway junction, Barlow flew at 50 ft along the Menin road to Recleem aerodrome. As at Bisseghem, rhere was no sign of any activiry, but as he fired on the sheds a solitary machine

28

gun opened up. Barlow silenced it. Wirh all his Lewis gun ammunition

29

L.U L.U

now cxpended, Barlow made for home. A two-seater over Reckem fired a burst at the SE 5 as Barlow passed under it, shooting away his left e1evawr, but he landed safely at 0500 hI'S. This action earned Barlow an MC While Barlow was out, the first squadron patrol saw a great deal of a tion. RJ1YS Davids sent down an enemy scout, possibly Fritz Kuhn of Marine-FeldJasta I who crashed near Staden and later died ofhis wounds, and Harry Rogerson claimed another. The next patrol spotted a pair of two-seatcrs over Poelcappelle. Broadberry a[[acked one, and later recalled that 'thc enemy machine flopped about and went down out of co Il[ro 1'. Hc thcn chased another two-seatcr for two-and-half miles before shooting it down w crash in a field near Ledeghem. AJI these patrols strafed ground targets, and after firing at transport on the Hollebeke·w-Houthem road, Lewis attacked two AJbatros which were fighting an RE 8. Driving off one, Lewis sent the other down w crash 'straight inw Wervicq'. This was possibly the machine flown by Lrn Ernst Wiessner ofJasta 8.

a:: ::r: I-

a:: L.U

I-

a...

«

::r:

u

Harry Rogerson's SE 5 A8919 on the airfield at Moorseele, which was home to Ff Abt (A) 33. Rogerson was shot down and taken prisoner on 14 June 1917

The day had gone well. On the ground, the British trOOps had achieved all their objectives. The squadron had strafed enemy troops, brought down five enemy aeroplanes and Barlow's morning aerodrome a[[ack on Bisseghem had inflicted signiflcall[ damage on the enemy. Morale was high in 056 Sqn. Thc pace on 8 June was more leisurely. Hoidge shot down a pair of twoscaters during the day and Muspratt flew the first operational flight w be made in a 200 hp SE 5a (A8923). Weather conditions curtailed war flying

shot down by Ltn Ki.ippers of Jasta 6, however, the British pilot being taken prisoner. Maxwell and Prothero shot down a two-seater on 15 June, the enemy machi ne crashing near Fort CarnoL Crowe destroyed another the next day, which crashed near Passchendaele. Kenneth Knaggs was wounded during this patrol, the pilot being taken w hospital and struck off squadron strength. The second patrol was badly hit by 'Archie' - the RFC's nickname for anti-aircraft fire. Broadberry had all his aileron controls shot away, and only h is superb piloting skills enabled him w return, earning him the clyptic comment in the squadron record book 'H it by hostile anti-aircraft fire and obliged w return'. On 17 June, Harry Spearpoint and William Turner-Coles were both shot down and taken prisoner. The former had fallen victim w Ltn Krebs of

en --l :D

m m Ul

r

l> Z

n

::r: m

This photograph of William TurnerColes was taken in 1916 for his Royal Aero Club Certificate No 2805. Turner-Coles was shot down and taken prisoner on 17 June 1917

Turner-Coles' crashed SE 5 A8922,

Jasta6, while Turner-Coles was downcd by both Lrn Pollandt ofJasta 6 and

showing how fortunate he was to

the crew of a two-seater that he had been attacking -

escape being shot down uninjured

',,'

,..1.

.A!- .,,'\

30

m

for the next few days. Only one patrol was flown on 12 June, Bowman forcing an enemy scout w land on the aerodrome at Reckem. The weather was better on the morning of 14 June. In an afternoon patrol, Bowman first destroyed a two-seater, which was confirmed by AA ba[[eries. He then sent an enemy scout down out of control tail first, the airuaft eventually falling in a series of side slips until it hit the ground. Bowman wrote in his logbook, 'Shot down enemy scout which nearly fell on Maj Sanday. Confirmed by him'. Lewis had shot another enemy scout off Bowman's tail during the course of this engagement, and he watched it land on the enemy aerodrome at Lendelede. Harry Rogerson had been

...

.....

fh Heidingsfelder

......::..

.

31

UJ UJ

m

---

a:

:x: I-

a: UJ

I-

a..

«

:x:

(/)

-4 ~

m m OJ

r

:J> Z n

u

:I:

m

was impressed wirh rhe young pi lor's keenness, derermi ned rhar McCudden should come ro No 56 Sqn ror his nexr rourordury in rhe rronrline. The Gorhas railed ro reappear, so rhe squadron flew back ro France on 5 July, arriving back ar Esrree Blanche ar 5.00pm. The nexr day rhe Gorius again bombed London. Back in France, morale was high in No 56 Sqn, rhe pilors being borh rerreshed and keen ro ger back inro acrion. The firsr parrol on 7 July saw a grear deal orfighring, wirh no posirive resulr, bur enemy 'Archie' was again rroublesome. Hoidge had his pressure pipe and exhausr hir and Rhys Davids' propeller was shor rhrough and wing spars sharrered. Flying an SE 5a ar rhe ri me, he reporred 'I n pursui ng rhe Albarros scours, rhe 200 hP SE 5a gave me a lirrle exrra climb and speed, which was mosr userul'.

Above Harry Spearpoint's SE 5 A4862, marked 'C3', down behind German lines on 17 June 1917 Right Spearpoint's utter dejection after his capture is only too evident in this photograph. The German officer facing the camera is Ltn Hailer

Sgt Vousden poses proudly with Keith Muspratt's SE 5 A8913 at Bekesbourne

and Lrn Romberg or FIAbt (A) 292, who were awarded rhe vicrolY. T urnerColes was helped rrom rhe wreckage or his machine by a Lrn Fuerholzer, who rook him ro a dugour and gave him a srrong coFFee. Sevenreen years larer rhey were ro meer again, in Shanghai. Lewis avenged Spearpoinr by shooring down Pollandr, who was wounded.

ENGLAND - A.BRIEF INTERLUDE

32

On 13 June a large rormarion orGorha bombers had rargered London ror rhe firsr rime. Included in rhe 594 people killed or injured were 43 dead children. A public ourcry ror a more effi ienr derence againsr rhe Gorhas boughr 056 Sqn back rrom France on 2\ June, Band C Flighrs being srarioned ar Bekesbourne, in Kenr, and A Flighr ar Rochrord, in Essex. The resr was welcome afi:er rhe gruelling oFFensive pan·ols. Family members arrived and a social armosphere devel ped, wirh dinners, dances, flying displays and concerrs. One visiror ro B kcsbourne was Capr James McCudden, who nored rhe squadron' 'wond rrul spirir'. Blomfield, who

Far left 'Billy' Crowe's comfortable pose against the nose of an SE 5 at Bekesbourne typifies the relaxed attitude to both life and war of the B Flight commander Left Thomas 'Grandpa' Marson, the squadron recording officer, and Crowe, still in slippers and pyjamas, fool around at Bekesbourne

33

L.U L.U

C A Lewis, G H Bowman, I Henderson, V Cronyn, A Rhys Davids and Thias Marson at Bekesbourne. This photograph perfectly captures the informality of life on a wartime aerodrome in England in 1917

0:: :I: I0:: L.U

l-

e...

Z n :I:

m

37

m

of control on 23 July and Richard Maybery forced one cout ro land and its companion ro crash. The largest dogfight of the war ro date rook place on the evening of 26 July. Enemy two-seaters were working at 5000 ft, and 3000 ft above

UJ UJ

a:: :I: f-

a:: UJ

f0...



Z n :I:

m

In the summer of 1917 No 56 Sqn procured a small boat, fitted it with a motor and Maj Blomfield conducted its first trials. Gerald Maxwell reported, 'Great success. Does about 6 mph'. Here, 'Beery' Bowman, the ever, present pipe firmly clenched, seems a little apprehensive at the expertise of his CO at the tiller

StaffeLfiihrerofJasttl27, The following day saw another large fight - SE 5s, Sopwith Camels, FE 2ds, DH 5s and opwith Triplanes all fighting between 25 ro 30 enemy machines. No 56 Sqn was credited with only one vicrory, shared between

38

the pilots orB Flight. On 20 July, C Flight forced an AJbatros ro land behind the enemy trenches northeast ofWieltje, but on I' turning it was found that Lts Jardine and Messervy were missing. They had both been shot down and killed. The next evening, James McCudden, on a refresher course with No 66 Sqn, Aew a patrol with A Flight. There was again a great deal of fighting in the evening sky, and McCudden helped ro 'put the draught up some V Strutters' by shooting at a silver-grey AJbatros, which 'turned east and wobbled lam'ally'. McCudden later made no claim from the evening's fighting, considering that the AJbatr was under control, but Rhys Davids was credited with a black and white Alban'os and Prothero was credited with another, which went down ut ofcontrol over Langemarke, Canadian Verschoyle Cronyn was credited with a large green and white two-seater for the squadron's 100th vi rory, The fighting continued with the am intensity over the next few days, but no further vicrories were scored until H idge claimed an AJban'os out

39

LU LU

a: :r: I-

a: LU

ICL

Z

forcing rhe A1barros down ro 500 fr, where rhe enemy pilor 'lose' his engine and finally Ia.nded easr ofSr Pierre-Capelle 'apparenrly OK'. Maybery was conrenr wirh a moral vicrory.

n

::c m

On rhe morning of J 4 Augusr, Barlow desrroyed a rwo-searer, which crashed in a small wood norrh of Moorslede, and M usprarr senr anorher down rrailing smoke from irs engine. These rwo-searers were possibly from Fi Abt (AJ 224, wirh Lrn Kamrorh being killed in acrion and his pi lor, Gundermann, wounded. Schu5ta 12 had Vfw Kurr Boje wounded and his gunner, ffl Hermann Hornberger, killed. During an evening parrol, Maxwell and Roberr Sioley senr a large green rwo-searer down wesr of Roulers, bur as rhe SE 5s dived away, rhey were arracked by nine A1ban'os and 2Lrs John Young and Dudley Page were borh shor down and raken prisoner. Page larer died of his wounds. During rhe evening Capr James Byford McCudden arrived ro rake command ofB Flighr. McCudden larer wrore, 'I don'r rhink I have ofren experienced such pleasure as when 1 was able ro call myself a flighr commander in 056 qn'. McCudden's flighr consisred of Arrhur Rhys Davids, Leonard Barlow, Keirh M usprarr, Maxwell Coore and Canadian Verschoyle Cronyn. McCudden described rhem 'as splendid a lor of fellows who ever ser foor in France'.

Arthur Rhys Davids took the camera from his flight commander in order to take this snapshot of McCudden. flanked by Muspratt and Coote

43

li.J li.J

a: :r: I-

a: li.J

I-

a..

«

:r:

m

No 56 Sqn's three flight I dr. Capts J T B McCudden, I H 0 Henderson and G J C Maxw II. This photo was taken just b for Henderson relinquished command B Flight to McCudden on 15 Augu I 1917. Maxwell led A Flight

en

-i :D

m m

co r-

:.>

z

n

u

:r: m

Maxwell Henry Coote served with No 56 Sqn from 4 June 1917 until 27 November 1917

Richard Tihel Leighton, who was wounded and then captured on 17 August 1917

44

The Barrie of Langemarck opened on 16 Augusr and rhe fighrer squadrons of rhe 9rh Wing Aew cOll[inuous close offensive parrols From dawn w dusk. All rhe Aighrs saw a grear deal of figlHing, bur wirh no posirive resulL The next day, over Ypres, Bowman saw an all-red AJbarros, which was leading a large Formarion, dive w arrack a balloon rhar had broken Free From irs moorings. Richard Leighwn larer wrore; 'A very large Formarion of Huns was above us all rhe rime, From 15 w 25. One of rhem dived on rhe balloon. They would nor fighr, despire ournumbering us by more rhan rhree-w-one.' 17 Augusr saw some success, bur ar rhe cosr of [WO casualries. C Flighr was in acrion wirh 12 Albarros From jasta 28, led by an all-red ma hine. Borh David Wilkinson and Richard Leighwn were shor down, wirh rhe latter writing w his mother, Lady Leighwn; 'I was brought down on 17 Augusr, I had a fighr wirh several German machines at well over 12,000 Fr and all my conrrols were shot away. I was shot through rhe wp of rhe shoulder and the side of the Forehead, rhe machine was shot all over wo, and came down wirh a terrific crash in a paddock in the middle of a village eighr kilomerres behind rhe erman lines. My leFr arm was broken high up and my Forehead badly cut in rhe crash.' Leighwn survived rhe war wirh a sreel plare in his head, a mememo of 17 Augusr 1917. He had been claimed by Lm Groos of jasta I I. David Wilkinson was badly wounded in rhe back and died of his wounds on 27 AugusL He was rhe 23rd vicwry of OFFz Srv Max Muller of jasta 28. Thar same evening Barlow shor down an Albauos, rhe enemy machine Falling 'obviously our of conuol in a series of wmbles'.

18 Augusr saw rhe end of the Barrie of Langemarck. In rhe morning Maxwell shor down a black and whire Albarros near Moorslede, wounding rhe pilor, Lm Weinschenk of jastal8. McCudden sell[ an Alban'os, possibly from jasta 14, down 'in a rerrific spiral' which was larer confirmed by Barlow. Ir was McCudden's fir r vicwry wirh rhe squadron, and his eighrh overall. During rhe day's fighring, Capr Harold Rushwonh was shor down and raken prisoner. He had been arracking a two-searer from Schusta II when irs observer, fFz Elschenbroich, hir him in rhe Foor and his SE 5 in the perrol rank, engine and rudder bar.

Oftz Stv Max Miiller of Jasta 28 poses with the wreckage of OS Wilkinson's SE 5 A8903 by the side of the canalised River Lys at Bousbecque on 17 August 1917. Wilkinson, who was the Bavarian pilot's 23rd victory, died of his wounds ten days later

Capt James Thomas Byford McCudden joined No 56 Sqn on 15 August 1917, taking command of B Flight. He was the squadron's most successful pilot, scoring 52 of his 57 victories while with the unit

45

UJ UJ

a::

:r: f-

a:: UJ

fCL

«

:r: u

The weather was no\ v h to u'pr.lll wrote home, 'a ripping bath in the afternoon which av d m frum dl"olving. The heat is appalling, but flying and washing give gr t r Ii f. Rhy' L avids is on leave, so Lam all alone, but bearing up'. ext day, v r ,hcluvell, McCudden shot down anAlban'os marked with red andy II wstrip s,andthefollowingevening he downed VFw Josef Oehler ofjrtstfl hler's Albarros fell in flames and crashed in a small copse east f P Iyg n Wood, starting a fire which was still burning an hour later. eeing A Flight fighting a group of Albarros, McCudden dived into the engagement and shot at two 'V' trutters thaI were attacking an SE 5. Driving off the first, McCudden then losed to within 30 yards of the second, firing a long burst from both gun. he enemy pilot dived, then zoomed. Mc udden followed, again firing both guns, and 'continuing to do so until I nearly crashed intO his tail. By Jove! It was close'. McCudden did not see the end of this machine, but it was confirmed by JohnstOn. Barlow was credited with another of the enemy scout, which went down in a series of I 5 spins, and Robert Sioley was also credi ted with an AJbatros out of control. The following evening, a large patrol of ten SE 5s went to the aid of Bri tOl Fighters fightingsix Albatros 'V' Strutters eastofDixmude. Maxwell later reported; , Es spotted enemy formation, dived on them and enemy aircraft made offeast. Followed them, some enemy aircraft climbing, some going down. I climbed on to one enemy aircraft's tail, when I noticed an SE (Lt Wilkinson) a long way below over Tholll'out with two enemy aircraft on his tail and going down rapidly. I therefore dived from 14,000 ft to 5000 ft and gOt ontO the tail of one of the enemy aircraft. He was painted black and white with curious "V" markings around the fuselage. Fired a drum of Lewi and about a hundred rounds of Vickers into him and he stalled,

a two-seater crashed on this side of the lines and one other fellow in B Flight gOt another two-seater. We are wildly bucked with life and I am allover myself. I am going to try to see the machine I got tomorrow.' The fine warm weather now gave way to I I days of rain and strong winds, but offensive patrols cominued to be flown nevertheless. On 25 August an evening parrol of six SE 5s fought with seven Albatros 'V' Stru tters of jasta 18 two miles east of the fron tl ines. Jeffs sen t one of the enemy scoutS 'spinning down' over Roulers and Hoidge fired at a blue Albatros that went down steeply and landed under control east of the Menin-to-Roulers road. This was possibly the aircraft of Lrn Otto Schober ofjasta 18.

The Headquarter's Flight pose in the summer of 1917. Only the following individuals have been identified to date - rear row, CPT Davies (extreme left). P P Rossini (third from left). H Fincham (ninth from left) and A Beer (extreme right). Middle row, PC Tomlin (second from leftl, Capt G Green (third from left). Lt H Charles (fourth from left), A Cox (second from rightl and B Beer (extreme rightl. Front row. S Pegg (extreme left)

m t/)

-; :xl

m m CD r):>

Z n

:r: m

No further patrols were flown unril the last day of the month, when Maxwell and McCudden took their flights out at 1800 hI'S. Maxwell led his pilots down to attack eight Albatros scouts circling Moorslede at 12,000 ft. The flight commander's opponent gOt behind him and hit his SE 5 in rhe tail. Maxwell truggled to fight back due to stoppages in both guns, and he dived for the cover of the British AA batteries over Ypres, 'chased by a very good reel-nosed enemy aircraft who kept on my tail and fireel a large number of rou nels'. GeofFrey Wi Iki nson fi nally shot VFw Reiss of jasta 3 ofF Maxwell's tail, the German going down out of control, as conhrmedbyLtTaylorof 066 qn. The continuing rain of the last weeks of the month had turned the ground surrounding the Belgian tOwn ofYpres into a morass. This in turn meant that any ground attacks that were made were purely localised. However, plans were being laid for a resumption of the Ypres offensive as soon as the ground had dried sufficiently, and a heavy programme was being set out for the RF squadrons to suppOrt this campaign.

side-slipped and crashed north ofThou rout.' These successes continued on 22 August. The morning sky over Houthulst was 'swarming with enemy scouts', Sioley counting more than 25. The SE 5s

46

attacked the lowest of the enemy formations and Maxwell sent one scout down with smoke pouring from its fu elage - possibly Lrn Auffarrrh ofjasta 29. Charles Jeffs, in his first action, shot down another of the 'V' tutters, which crashed near Gheluvelt. The fighting had been very hotly contested, and Maxwell wrote in his diary, 'Splendid scrap. About 40 Huns over Ypres'. In the evening, McCudden badly damaged a two-seater and Muspratt destroyed another, which fell in a flat spin for 12,000 ft before finally crashing west ofZonnebecke. This machine was from FlAbt (AJ 210, and its crew, Lrn d R Albert Wolluhn and Gefr OttO Koch, were both killed. C Flight also saw a great deal of fighting, Bowman shooting down an Albarros near Roulers, and Maybery, attacking five enemy s outS over Houthulst, sending a green-painted Alban'os down to crash near Vierkavenhock. This was possibly Lrn Luer ofjasta 27. 22 August had been a highly successful day for No 56 Sqn, as 11 enemy aeroplanes had been brought down. Writing home that night, Mu pratt caught the mood of the unit; 'I wasout in the evening, there being four from each flight. There was great excitement as the flights' scores were as follows- A had 46 victories, B had 48 victories and Chad 47 victories. There was a race to be the first to get 50. [gOt

47

a: ::::>

o

u...

a: LJ.J

I-

OVERTH SALIENT

a..

« I U

48

N

o 56 Sqn was by nowa very rmiclabl flghring unir. In McCudden and Bowman ir had rw rhe flnesr Righr commanders in rhe RFC, and . eraJd Maxw II, lespire having no previous combar experience, had also dev loped illl an able Righr commander and aggressive flghrer. Orher pilors, rhe raw beginners of a few horr monrhs ago, were now experienced and resolure com bar vereran , and in Arrhur Rhys Davids rhe squadron considered ir had aJlorher Ball. Leonard Monreagle Barlow had also fulfilled his early promi e. An elecrrical engineer before rhe war, Barlow foughr wirh economy and preci ion, as beflrs an engineer. Richard Aveline Maybery was a profes ional oldier. Tall, reserved and modesr ro a faulr, by rhe end ofAugusr 1917 he had become one of rhe squadron's rop scorers wirh nine vicrories ro his name. The Canadian Reginald Theodore

'Star Turns' of C Flight in the summer of 1917, namely R T C 'Georgie' Hoidge, Geoffrey H 'Beery' Bowman (flight commander) and R A Maybery. Bowman's leg is still bandaged after an accident with a hot exhaust pipe

Carlos Hoidge - nicknamed 'George' - was depury leader of C Flighr. An archirecr in ivilian life, Hoidge was a cheerful exrroverr and a magniflcenr pianisr. There were orher promising and developing pilors roo, bur rhese four men, rogerher wirh rhe Righr commanders, formed rhe hearr of rhe squadron. Wearher condirions were changeable duri ng Seprember 1917, bur rhere was a grear deal ofinrense and fiercely conresred air flghring nonerheless. Wind, rain and low cloud sropped Rying for rhe flrsr rwo days of rhe monrh, bur 3 Seprember was fine and bright. In an evening parrol, Turnbull shor down an Alban·os jusr ro rhe norrh ofHourhulsr Foresr and Porrs sropped rhe engine of anorher scour, which wenr down wirh irs propeller srarionary. C Flighr was also our, and Maybery desrroyed an Albarros rhar crashed close by rhe village of Hourhem. This scour had also been fired on by borh Hoidge and Rhys Davids, and was rherefore shared by all rhree pilors in rhe squadron's vicrolY lisrs. In an evening parrol on 4 Seprember, William Pons shor down Lrn Gebhard Emberger ofJasta 29. He jumped from his blazing Albarros and hir rhe ground on rhe sourhern edge ofHourhulsr Forest. Flighr saw a grear deal During an evening parrol on 5 Seprember, of acrion. Togerher wirh Camels, ieuporrs, some FE 2s and Brisrol Fighrers, rhe SE 5s a[[acked eighr 'V' rruners easr ofRoulers. Rhys Davids shor down one of rhe enemy scours, smoke pouring from irs engine, before arracking anorher above him. This scour, which had a red fuselage circled wirh a black band, dived in from of Rhys Davids. A bursr from borh guns caused rhe Alban·os ro 'wobble' and go sreeply down. Rhys Davids rhen zoomed up and looked back. The scour had broken up, wirh one wing and rhe fuselage spinning down very fasr, whilsr rhe righr wing Roared down in small pieces. For his rhird vicrory of rhe evening, Rhys Davids shor down Vfw M urh of Jasta 27. The laner's machine, paimed a dull green overall, wirh a yellow band around rhe fuselage, crashed a mile norrheasr of Poel apelle. Maybery and Hoidge also scored, each claiming a black and whire Albarros, and Roberr Sioley shor down a rwo-searer, bringing rhe roral for rhe evening ro six. Only one parrol was Rown on 6 eprember, bur ir was norable for providing 056 Sqn wirh irs flrsr sighring ofrwo German enemy cour - rhe Fokker Dr I rriplane and rhe Pfalz 0 Ill. An early morning pan·ol, led by McCudden, sighred rhe enemy force, which included a Pfalz (described as a 'Fokker biplane') and rwo Fokker rri planes. Sioley arracked rhe Pfalz, which dived under rhe cover of irs companions. One of rhe rriplane pilors fired a long-range bursr ar loleyas he rurned away, bur came no nearer. Sioley commemed rhar rhe pilor f rhe rriplane 'showed lirrle dererminarion in spire of a very favourable posirion'. Leaving rhis formarion, rhe SE 5s larer acracked rwo 'V' Srrurrers and Jeffs shor one down ro crash jusr easr of Poelcapelle railway srarion. Wearher condirions haired all Rying unril 9 Seprember, when an evening parrol saw a grear deal of incidenr. Turnbull and Porr collided in mid-air, bur luckily neirher E 5 was badly damaged and rhey rerurned safely. Rhys Davids experienced several indecisive brushes wirh enemy scours, rhe ace being frusrrared by gun rroubles. He evenrually joined up wirh loley and arracked an Albarros, Rhys Davids' fire hicring rhe flghrer

o

< m

:D

-; I

m V>

:t> r

m

Z -;

49

the wckpit and centre section - smoke and boiling water poured out lO the scout crashing in Houthulst Forest. This suu:ess wok Rhys Davids' tally to 19 vicwries, five of which had come in

a:

111

=> a

of Its raoiawr prior

u...

a: u.J

~

plember alone. n 10 eptember Potts and Hoidge claimed enemy scouts out of ontrol and Maybery destroyed a red-nosed AJbacros, which went down with n wing breaking away from the fuselage. It hit the ground southeast of II ulhul t Forest. AJthough the German lists, as they so often do, show n I ss r, r the day, it is hard to see how the pilot of this Albatros could

f--

" a u...

a: LJ.J

E R Taylor, D J Reason, H A J hn l n and A P F Rhys Davids pose for lh camera at Estree Blanche in September 1917

l-

e...



o

u...

cc w l-

e...

« I

u

58

No 56 Sqn COs Majs Rainsford Balcombe Brown (left) and Rich rd Graham Blomfield stand outsid lh squadron office in late October 1917. This photograph was taken to record the moment when Blomfield handed over command to Balcombe Brown. The famous sign on the office door reads 'Officer Commanding. Enter without knocking'. All credit must go. of course, to Maj Blomfield for laying the foundations of the squadron's successes in 1917, but he never flew in action with the unit. Indeed. it was officially forbidden for commanding officers to do so. Consequently, Blomfield was a rather distant figure to those pilots who had joined the squadron in late 1917. In fact they found some of his mannerisms and morale boosting schemes rather irritating. Balcombe Brown was a fine pilot. and he was the only CO of the squadron to be killed on active service. However, his manner was inclined to be supercilious, and he was rather scathing in his remarks to pilots on their flying abilities - 'try to land on the World the next time' was his favourite comment on a bad landing, perhaps made under some stress. Unfortunately. these tendencies cost him the liking and respect of some of the pilots. Nevertheless. he commanded the squadron through perhaps its hardest period of duty

on 31 Ocrober. Larer in rhe morning, Keirh Musprarr shor down a rwo-searer rhar crashed inro a row of rrees near Sradenberg. The afrernoon saw a furious Fighr berween A and C Flighrs and enemy scours soumwesr of Roulers. Hoidge forced one Albarros down our of comrol and Herberr Johnsron senr anorher - painred black and whireover onro irs back before ir wenr down in a spin, Finishing in a sreep dive. Maybery Fired ar a red and yellow Alban'os, almosr cerrainly flown by ace Lrn Erwin Bohme, Staffelfiihl'el' of jasta 'Boelcke', who evaded his arrack. The larrer rhen shor down a black and blue Alban'os rhar crash-landed in a large Field. Maybery was now very low, and Bohme gor in a good bursr ar close range, hirring rhe SE 5 in rhe perro I rank and sropping rhe engine. Maybery wenr down, looking for a place ro land, rhen, remembering his emergency fuel rank, swirched ir on. H is engine resrarred and he managed ro rerurn home. This combined parrol ofA and C Flighrs was rhe lasr flown in Ocrober. Ir had been a bad monrh for 0 56 Sqn, bur wirh rhe prospecr of rhe wimer wearher, and irs slackening of acriviry, rhere would be rime ro renench and nain rhe new pilors. Low clouds and rain kepr rhe squadron on rhe ground for rhe Firsr seven days of November. During a parrol on rhe 8rh, in a Fighr wirh black and whire Alban'os scours over Moorslede, Felix Cobbold was shor down by Ltn Frirz Loerzer of jasta 28 for his Fifrh vicrory - Cobbald survived as a PoW. A second parrol broughr anorher casualry for no gains when Capr Phillip Cowan was shor down and killed by Ltn Hans von HableI' of jasta 36. There was no furrher flying unril 13 ovember, when rhe squadron moved ro a new aerodrome ar Lavieville, near AlbeiT. The unir was now under rhe command of rhe 13rh Wing, being added ro irs srrengrh for rhe coming Barrie of Cambrai. In view of me impending onser of wimer, the move was welcomed, for instead of the renl'S ar Esrree Blanche, pilors and groundcrew were now housed in issen hurs and rhe aeroplanes in iron hangars. Alban'os wem down wirh irs engine srill full on, and ir was seen ro crash near Dadizele. Muspratt rook B Flighr our rhe following morning, and ir arracked nine Albatros 'V' rrurrers somhwesr of Roulers. M uspratt wem afrer a scour rhar was flying a srreamer from each elevaror, and his Fire caused rhe lefr hand side of irs rail plane ro complerely crumple up. Maxwell Coore shO[ down anorher of rhe 'V' Srrurrers, which was confirmed by Harry Slingsby. The parrol's combar reporrs were counrersigned for rhe Firsr rime by rhe 056 Sqn's new commanding officer, Maj Rainsford Balcombe Brown. Larer rhar same day Bowman shor down a Pfalz D III, which crashed near rhe railway line ro rhe nonh of Moorslede. He also wounded rhe observer in a rwo-searer. A farewell dinner for Maj Richard BlomField rounded our rhe day. 'Everyrhing was rhe same excepr Rhys Davids was nor rhere', Bowman recalled. Low clouds and rain sropped all flying on 30 Ocrober. The nexr day, afrer several indecisive combars, Maybery Finally scored, shooring down an AJbanos rhar fell away wirh smoke pouring from ir. This machine was possibly flown by UfFl Reinhold of jasta 24, who was wounded in acrion

o

< m

:D

-; I

m (/)

:t> r m

Z -;

Felix Cobbold's SE 5a B630 came down behind German lines on 8 November 1917. Cobbold had been wounded and shot down by Ltn Fritz Loerzer of Jasta 26. the brother of Bruno Loerzer, the Staffelfiihrer

59

cc

I he flrsl patrol on the new Fronc took oFF on 18

=0

ovember. McCudden

a

u...

duly ShOI down an LVG, which crashed into a trench, For his 19th victory.

cc

I I 'r lhat same morni ng Lt John Waters was killed while testing an SE 5a,

w

a < m

:JJ

-i

:r:

his ma hine breaking up at 1000 fe. The next day Reginald Hoidge was

f-

e...
pS1'1 co I lome Establishmem, leaving only Gerald Constable Maxwell

u

o th original pilots who had flown to France with No 56 Sqn seven m mh arlier.

:r:

m (I)

»

r

m Z -i

h unit's orders For the Battle oFCambrai were Deep Offensive Patrols, but while their less Fo rCLI nate compatriots in the Camel and D H 5 squadrons were ground strafing, suffering a casualty rate of 30 per cem, bad weather kept 056 ql on the ground. The morning of 23 ovember was overcast, bue conditions were improving, and McCudden took out B Flight at 1040 hrs. Over Cambrai, he attacked the leader oFFour AJbatros scouts. Th is aircraft had a green tail, a red nose, yellow fuselage and a letter 'K' on its top wi ng. This was the fi rSt appearance of 'Greemail', as the Albatros was nicknamed - an aircraft that was to be met many times over the coming months by pilots from No 56 Sqn. No results were gained From this fight, bue McCudden later shot down an AJbatros, the enemy machine hitting the ground with

'a fearFul whack' becween Noyelles and Rumilly. This was possibly OFFz Stv Karl Bey ofJasta 5, who was killed. Maybery and A Flight were also oue that day, diving on a cwo-seater. Burdette Harmon Forced the enemy machine down and it overcurned on landing. The pilot, From FlAbt25, was uninjured, but the observer, Ltn d R Erich Herold, perished.

Ltns Schliimer !leftl and Oppenhorst with Alexander Dodds' SE 5a B4890. On 29 November 1917, Dodds was forced to land on the aerodrome of Jasta 5 at Boistrancourt by Ltn Schubert of Jasta 6

In the aFcernoon, 'Beery' Bowman shot down a brown-coloured Alban'os, which crashed just northeast of Cambrai. There had been a great deal of fighting on the 23rd For very linle positive result, and Maj Balcombe Brown recurned home with his SE 5a badly damaged. Anacking an enemy cwo-seater, he had turned the wrong way and his scoue was hit in the pen'ol tank by the enemy gunner's fire. BaJcombe Brown ruefully remarked that shooting down a cwo-seater was harder than it looked. There were no Further successes umil the morning of 29 November, when McCudden attacked a DFW over Bellincourt and literally shot it to pieces, the Fuselage hining the ground soueh of the village. This aircraFt, From FIAbt (AJ 202, was crewed by Len d Rs Kurt Demich and ManFred Hoettger. Maybery and his flight were also in accion, fightingAlbatros scouts. He sem one down out of comrol and Eric Turnbull's opponem turned over onto its side and spiralled down in a slow spin. These fighters were from Jasta 5, records showing that the unit's Alban'os D V 2082/17 crashed on landing aFter a combat at 1020 hrs. The pilot was unhure. During this clash Lt Alexander Dodds was shot down and taken prisoner. He had been attacked by Len Schubert of Jasta 6 and Forced to land at Jasta 5's aerodrome at Boistrancourr. Eric Leslie Lowe Turnbull was

60

In an afternoon pan'ol, McCudden shot down another DFW that shed

the commander of A Flight from

all Four oFits wings prior to the Fuselage hitting the ground near Rouvroy.

19 December 1917 through to 26 January 1918

The crew, Len d R Georg Dietrich and Ltn Deitrich Schenk, of FLAb (AJ

61

a::

=> o

u...

a:: L.U

tO-

«

:r: u

268 were both killed. Hal' II

,11k rdinc shot down a companion

two-seater, which crashed at uvir uil. On 30 November, Mc udden l1linu d his success with two-seaters by shooting down an LVG Fi Abf 19. This LVG landed relatively unscathed in the British lines, and 'udden, his radiator having been hit by fi re from the observer, land d n ,rby - the E 5a h it a shell hole and ended up on its nose. McCudden pulled d wn the scout'S tail and hurtied over to the LVG. The pilOt, Vfw FI hrig, was badly wounded and died on his way to hospital, but the observer, efr E kerle was unhurr. This LVG

r

C V 9458/17 was given the RFC number 94. Later that day Maybery attacked a two-seater, but he had to turn away when his guns jammed. George Cawson then attacked the machine, but accurate return fire from the enemy gunner caused his SE 5a to break up and he was killed. Cawson was credited to Vfws Voigt and Kruse of Schusfa 12, who were ultimately forced to land. MaybelY had better luck during an afrernoon patrol, shooting down an Albatros which crashed, engine full on, west of Bourlon Wood. He then attacked another scout, which exploded and broke up under his fire. This was possibly LtnJohann von Senger of jasta 12. The day was ended by Bowman shooting down a Pfalz DIll, which crashed by the canal at Call[aing. This machine was possibly Rown by Ltn d R Friedrich Demandt of jasfa 10. In a later patrol, Maurice Mealingshot an Albatros down out ofcOll[rol, but three others attacked Ronald Townsend, whose SE 5a burst into Rames at 1000 fr. The RJ~C pilot was claimed by Vfw Josef Mai of jasfa 5 as his fifth victory. Townsend was the last of six pilots lost by 0 56 Sqn during ovember, and although they were all relatively inexperienced, it could ill afford such losses. Despite weather conditions ruling out flying for a number of days in December, there was still a great deal of ill[ense and fiercely cOll[ested fighting during the mOll[h. Although hampered by strong winds, patrols were flown on 2 December, but the adverse conditions caused several pilots to crash upon returning to Lavieville. Just after 1100 hrs on 5 December, McCudden took off alone to look for high-flying Rumplers. While at 19,000 ft over Havrincourt Wood, he saw a two-seater coming west at the same heighr. Waiting ull[il the Rumpler was well west of the British lines, McCudden finally attacked it over Boursies. 'I velY quickJy secured a good firing position, and after firing a burst from both guns, the Rumpler well[ down in a vertical dive. All of its wings fell off at 16,000 ft and the wreckage came down in our lines near Hermies'. This Rumpler, from FLAbt45, was crewed by Ltns Pauly and Sauter, both of whom were killed. Later in the day, Bowman attempted to shoot down a balloon, but he dived so enthusiastically that three wings spars of his SE 5a snapped. He Rew home as fast as he dared, anxiously watching the wingtips, 'which

62

were wobbling about like jelly'. Maybery and a young Indian pilot by the name of Lt Indra Roy were the first pilots to take offon 6 December, and they duly went to the aid of Bristol Fighters that were being attacked by seven 'V' Smmers. Maybery's opponell[ had a light blue tail, and he reported that the enemy pilot was 'very good'. Maybery evell[ually hit this Alban'os in the engine but was driven offby its companions before he could finish the scout off. B Flight

Richard Aveline Maybery was killed in action on 19 December 1917. Hearing of Maybery's death, Blomfield wrote, 'Capt Maybery was, I think, the bravest and most dashing air fighter I have ever come across'

had taken off five minutes afrer Maybery and Roy, and McCudden shot down another Rumpler in his usual workmanlike manner. At 8000 ft the wings came off the enemy machine, and it hit the ground near Holnon Wood. Ltn Becker and UfFz Pohlisch of FLAbt255 were both killed. After lun h B Flight fought a patrol from jasta 5. McCudden sell[ one AJbatros, sporting a light blue rail, down in a vertical dive, petrol pouring from its fuselage, and Mealing claimed another, leaving its engine smoking. However, these German pilots proved to be worthy foes, Mc udden commenting, 'By Jove! They were a tough lor. We continued scrapping with them for half-an-hour, and they would not go down, although we were above them most of the time'. The next patrols were not flown ull[il J 0 December. In the afternoon, both Bowman and Leslie Franklin claimed scoues out of control, whilst Mc udden shota two-seater in the radiator and Maurice Mealingdowned a balloon in Rames. On \2 December, after dispersing some Pfalz Dills that were ground strafing British troops, McCudden attacked a DFW, but found it more than he could handle. 'The enemy aircraft put up a most determined and skilful fight, and I was not able to use his blind SPOtS for a single second. Moreover, the enemy gunner was shooting very accurately and making splendid deRection'. McCudden finally left this determined German crew at 500 fr over Bourlon Wood. He admitted, 'The Hun was toO good for meand hot meabouta lor. Had I persisted hecertainlywould have gOt me, for there was not a trick he did not know'. Bad weather kept the squadron on the ground until 15 December, when two victories were scored. Maybery sent a red-nosed Alban'os down in a spin, thcn attacked another. 'Something large fell off the fuselage of the enemy aircraft fuselage and he went into a slow left hand turn, then nose-dived for 2000 ft, then flattened out'. McCudden took offalone at \ 020 hrs. 'By the time I gOt to our lines the whole sky seemed alive with two-seaters'. He attacked one of these, a RumpleI', north ofGonnelieu. It well[ into a spiral dive for 5000 ft, finally hitting the ground half-a-mile east of Bois-de-Vaycelles.' oth ing was lefr of it'. This was McCudden's 27th victory. The next patrols were not Rown ull[il 19 Decemb r, when Maybery and McCudden took their flights out at \2\5 hI'S. In confused fighting with several formations of enemy scoutS, Turnbull saw an Albatros going down in flames with an SE 5a - which Turnbull took to be aybery - on its tail. Blenkiron shot at another enemy s out and black smoke poured out of the fuselage under the pilot's seat, the Albanos rolling over onto its back. On return to Lavieville it was realised that Richard Maybery had not been seen since the attack on the enemy scoutS over Bourlon Wood. He had been shot down by K-FLakbatterie 108, commanded by a Lrn Thiel, and was buried 600 yards south of the village of Haynecourt, by the side of the road to Sailly. With 2\ victories to his name, Richard Maybery was a great loss to the squadron. He had been due to go home to England within the next few weeks, as Bowman later recalled. 'Richard was tired, and I asked him to take my Leave. I was still fresh, didn't need it and was only going to Paris anyway. He wouldn't hear of it, and I never saw him again'. On the morning of22 December, McCudden attacked a pair of DFW two-seaters crossing the lines over Maissemy. H is fire stopped the engine

o


r

m Z ---l

63

a: =:>

0




U

m

Z ~

Maybery tests the engine of SE 5a 84880. He collected this machine from No 2 Aeroplane Supply Depot and had it marked with the flight commander's letter, but on 19 December 1917 the scout's engine was 'not running very well'. Maybery hastily switched to SE 5a 8506, and he was killed whilst at its controls

of the first and McCudden left it gliding down in the British lines, turning his attentions to its companion. The enemy crew put up a stiff fight for their lives and McCudden finally left the machine over St Quentin, having failed to gain a decisive result. He then saw that the first DFW had turned

No 56 Sqn's famous band consisted of, in the back row, from left to right,

McCudden flew home, 'feeling very satisfied, having totally destroyed four enemy two-seaters that day'. This was the first time that an RFC pilot

H T Walters (bass), Fit Sgt H Smith (trombone), F H Pitt (cornetl, Davies (violin) and W W A Mason

east and was gliding down to land on its own side of the lines. McCudden

had destroyed four enemy machines in one day, and McCudden received

(woodwind). In the second row, from

turned back, fired a short burst, and the DFW, from Schusta 5, crashed in British-held territory half-a-mile behind the frontline trenches near St

many telegrams of congratulations. In the evening, the pilots went into Amiens for a celebratory dinner.

left to right, are G H Rolls (Drums!. J D Thomas (violin!. P P Rossini

Quentin. The G reporton this DFW mentions only Uffz An ton Bode as the

Snow and mist stopped all war flying on 24 December. On the 25th-

pilot, who was killed, but the records of Schusta 5 reveal that Bode was the

the fourth Christmas Day of the war-low cloud and snow again cancelled

gunner, and the pilot, Ufh Bisenbach, was taken prisoner.

all war flying. Instead, the date was celebrated in the time-honoured

McCudden again took off alone of 23 December. It was to be a day

fashion. Dinner was a special event and the squadron band gave a concert,

of remarkable success. His first victory, an LVG, crashed between the

but McCudden commented 'we had a very quiet Christmas for Bowman,

canal and the road at Anguilcourt. Five minutes later McCudden saw

our star turn in the Mess, was in England on leave, having a thoroughly good time'.

a Rum pier from PI Abt 23, crewed by Ltns Haring and Tibussek. An accurate burst from McCudden's guns at 8000 ft over Roupy shot the starboard wings off the aircraft, the wreckage falling in the Br"itish lines near Contescourt. McCudden took his flight out in the afternoon, and within 30 minutes he had spotted yet another Rumpler over Metz-en-Couture. A long burst

64

dive and knocked some trucks off the line'. Vfws Boje and Niemann were both killed.

Pegg (snare drum!. Sgt P E Gayer (violin and leader!, unknown and E Cunningham (violin)

McCudden took off alone on 28 December. It was a beautifully clear, crisp, winter's morning, with 20 degrees of frost and excellent visibility. He attacked a Rumpler coming from the direction ofBourlon \'\Iood and shot its wings off, the wreckage falling in the British lines north ofVelu Wood.

sent this aircraft down to crash in the British lines northwest of

Ufh Munz and Ltn Rucker from FLAbt7 were both killed. Fifteen minutes later McCudden saw another Rumpler, this time a machine from FLAbt40,

Gouzeaucourt. The crew, from BogohL7, were taken prisoner. After a fight with 'Greentail's' flight of AJbatros 'V' Strutters, McCuddennext had an

crewed by Ltn Mittag and Uffz GLintert. It went down in flames, crashing near Flers, some 20 miles behind the British lines. McCudden's next victory

LVG pointed out to him by British 'Archie'. After a short burst, the LYG

was an LVG, flying at 16,000 ft over Havrincourt. Under his fire it went

'stalled and spun, and after that it went down juSt like a leaf - it took at

down in flames and broke up in mid-air. The crew, Ltn Bergmann and Fig Weinrich from FIAbt(A)21 0, were killed.

least three minutes to crash. It landed on a light gauge train in a vertical

(cellol, unknown, W Milton (violin) and T Taylor. And in the front row seated, from left to right, are S R

65

cc :::> o u...

cc UJ

l-

e...

«

::r:: u

66

British anti-aircraft fire th'n I oilll" out ,ulolher LV just east of the lines. A long burst from M 'udt! 'n\ I .\ i\ 'un caused a small flame to appear within the fuselage, but this wenl out 'almost at once'. The enemy pilot dived away, steam and boiling wal 'I' I ourin rrom the wing-mounted radiator and the enemy observer leaning ov 'I' the ide of his cockpit in an attempt to escape the scalding fluid. M udden had scant sympathy'I hope the water froze over him solid and gave him frostbite'. Balcombe Brown considered that this last LVG, alrhough badly damaged, may not have crashed, and therefore refused to allow ir as a victory unless confirmation was later received from AA batreries. McCudden was quite content, nevertheless, having shot down three two-searers during rhe course of the morning. The great ace was again in action the next morning too, this time leading his flight. The SE 5as atracked three two-seaters over Yaucelles Wood, with McCudden's opponent- an LYG from Schusta 10 - proving to be a wily customer. Foughr down to ground level, the pilot switched off his engine and pretended that he was going to land behind the British lines. Switching on his engine again to clear a trench, he decided to make a run for it. Turning northeast, and flying only ten feet off the ground, he flew to Havrincourt, where he turned east for the safety of his own lines. McCudden could not allow this. He dived after the enemy machine and fired a short burst from a range of 100 yards. The LYG immediately spun away and crashed in the British lines near the remains of the LYG which McCudden had shot down on 23 November. The ace circled the crash and watched the 'Tommies' helping the crew from the wreckage of their aeroplane. The pilot, yfw Gerschel, was mortally wounded, but the gunner, U!Fz. Lehnert, survived to be raken prisoner. Within 40 minures of landing from rhis parrol, McCudden took off again, this rime alone. His flrsr combar was with an LYG over Lagnicourr, McCudden's fire hirring irs radiator, bur the enemy pilor dived away sreeply to the east and escaped. Nearly two hours passed before McCudden found another LYG, this rime over Gouzeaucourr ar 15,000 fro The enemy pilor circled to give his gunner rhe chance of a shor ar the closing SE 5a. McCudden, however, waired, knowing that rhe pilor would evenrually have to fly srraight in order to escape over his own lines. When his opponent finally made his dash for safety, McCudden dived and fired unril the LYG broke up, bursr into flames and fell in rhe Brirish lines norrheasr ofEpehy, killing borh Lrns Dern and Milller from PI Abt 33. McCudden rerurned, well pleased with rhe morning's work. 'r had a generous dinner, after which we listened to the gramophone for half-an-hour and life again seemed full ofcheer'. As in November, December had not been a good month for No 56 Sqn. Seventeen enemy aeroplanes and one balloon had been brought down, but four pilots had been lost - Maybery in action and three others in flying accidents. Fourreen of the enemy aeroplanes credited to the unit had fallen under the guns of McCudden. In fact, during December, McCudden was No 56 Sqn! The squadron's victory lists show his name for no less than ten consecurive victories. By the end of 1917 McCudden's personal score stood stood at 37, of which only three relied on his unsupported evidence. There can be little doubt that by the end of 1917 James McCudden was one of the most efficienr destroyers of enemy aeroplanes yet seen in the skies above France.

COLOUR PLATES

2 SE 5 A4862 of Capt Reginald T C Hoidge, London Colney, England, 6 April 1917

SE 5 A4855 of 2Lt Clarence R W Knight, London Colney, England, 7 April 1917

SE 5 A4563 of 2Lt Arthur P F Rhys Davids, Bekesbourne, England, July 1917

67

5 SE 5 A8913 of Lt K K Muspratt, Bekesbourne, England, July 1917

9 SE 5 A8918 of Capt Edric W Broadberry, Estree Blanche, France, July 1917

6

10

SE 5 A8911 of Capt ELL Turnbull, Vert Galant, France, April 1917

SE 5a B502 of Capt Gerald J C Maxwell, Estree Blanche, France, Summer 1917

11 SE 5a B514 of Lt Richard T Leighton, Estree Blanche, France, August 1917

8 68

SE 5 serial unknown, Estree Blanche, France, August 1917

SE 5a B4890 of 2Lt Alexander Dodds, Boistrancourt, France, November 1917

69

17

13 SE 5a B525 of Capt William S Fielding-Johnson, Estree Blanche,

SE 5a C5303 of Lt Leslie N Franklin, Baizieux, France, March 1918

France, November 1917

18 SE 5a B630 of Lt Felix R C Cobbold, Estree Blanche, France, November 1917

15 SE 5a B4880 of Capt Richard A Maybery, Lavieville, France,

SE 5a B595 of Capt Maurice E Mealing, Baizieux, France, March 1918

19 SE 5a B628 of Capt William R Irwin, Baizieux, France, March 1918

December 1917

16 SE 5a B4891 of Capt J T B McCudden, Baizieux, France,

70

March 1918

20 SE 5a C5430 of Capt Louis W Jarvis, Valheureux, France, April 1918

71

21 SE 5a C6351 of 2Lt Barclay McPherson, Valheureux, France, April 1918

SE 5a C8866 of Lt Laurence G Bowen, Valheureux, France, September 1918

22

26

SE 5a B183 of Capt Trevor Durrant, Va lheureux, France, May 1918

SE 5a H677 of Capt John C Speaks, Bethencourt, France, October 1918

23 SE 5a B144 of Capt Cyril Parry, Valheureux, France, June 1918

SE 5a E5808 of Lt William E Clarkson, Le Hameau, France, January 1919

24 72

SE5a C1096 of Capt Henry J Burden, Valheureux, France, August 1918

SE 5a C1149 of Capt Duncan W Grinnell-Milne, Le Hameau, France, January 1919

73

74

Z m

NEW YEAR AND NEW TACTICS B

~ -< m

» :JJ

» z

o

Z m

~ -l

»

y rhe end of 1917 a new arrirude rowards rhe war in rhe air had evolved. The early concepr rhar air fighring was a sporr, albeir a dangerous one, had now largely disappeared. Wirh rhe arrival ar rhe fighrer squadrons of officers who had already seen combar wirh orher RFC unirs, or wirh frontline regimenrs on rhe ground, rhe lasr remaining vesriges of rhis sporring concepr were finally dispelled. Like combar in rhe rrenches, rhe air war was a hard and hazardous dury. lr was now also recognised rhar ir had ro be skilfully and, above all, professionally fought. During 1917, brillianr flighr commanders, of which McCudden was only one, began ro emerge in rhe ranks of rhe RFe. The new year srarred slowly for No 56 Sqn. McCudden, anxious ro score rhe unir's 250rh vicrory and his own flighr's 100rh, srayed up

76

("")

-l ("")

en

The 'Unsung Heroes'. These men were some of the groundcrew assigned to A Flight in early 1918. In the back row, from left to right, are Fred Homer, Jock Allen, Cpl E Clements and Jack Charles. In the front row, from left to right, are Jack Cooper, Cpl E Ellison and Arthur Moody. Shortly after this photograph was taken, Cooper and Charles were promoted to corporal and Ellison to sergeant. In his evocative book Wind in The Wires, Grinnell-Milne was later to write of the squadron's groundcrews, 'Each man an expert in his own line, they had worked with a will. Upon their careful tuning of engines, their skilful adjustment of rigging wires and their accurate sighting of machine guns, many lives had long depended. The squadron's successes are theirs to share with the boldest of those pilots whose names still head the Honours board. The magic brilliance of letters "VC" twice repeated, shines on them as well - they helped to carve them'

77

LJ.J

> cc LJ.J

l-

e...


:t>

n -i

n

en

made good thei r esca pe. Kenneth J unor also tOok off alone at 1025 hrs. Over Bourlon Wood, he was attacked from behind by an Albatros, but the enemy pilot missed and continued down. J unor dived after the German machine and shot it down in Flames. This 'Alban'os' was in fact a two-seat Hannover L II from

H Abt (A) 263, which lost Ltn Jablosnki and Vfw Klauke over Bourlon. In the afternoon, Capt Fielding-Johnson shot down an Albatros out of

Leslie N Franklin in SE 5a C5303 'X'. The man standing at the left is unknown, but by the nose is rigger Fit Sgt C Gibson

control, the fighter last being seen falling at 3000 ft. However, Balcombe Brown refused to allow this as a victOry. During the fight, Mealing had shot down another of the enemy SCOLltS, watchi ng it crash near BrancourtIe-Grand. This was confirmed by Capt Jarvis. The first patrol on 18 February resulted in a great deal of satisfaction for the squadron. B Flight attacked a formation of four Alban'o scoutS over

Vitry-en-Artois, with McCudden's fire hitting the leader's Albatros, which burst imo Flames. Its pilot was seen to fall from his blazing machine. McCudden then shot down a blue-tailed AJbatros, which crashed between Beaumont and Quiery-le-Motte, north of Vi try-en-ArtOis. The ace was convinced that the Albatros he had downed in Flames was 'Greentail', as the scout had a large white chevron on the tOp wi ng and the letter 'K' on the fuselage. This victOry provoked a sense of satisfaction

C Flight at Baizieux. These pilots are, from left to right, M E Mealing, W S Fielding-Johnson (flight commander). H J Walkerdine, L W Jarvis, L N Franklin and A L Garrett

within 0 56 Sqn, whose pilots believed that Maybery had been shot down by 'Greemail'. However, the latter was almost certainly a pilot of jasta 5, and these two Alban'os were from jasta35b. The first machine was Flown by UfFLJulius Kaiser, who was killed, while the second scout, with the blue tail, was Flown by Uffi.Joachim von Stein. Although wounded in the left shoulder, neck and mouth, Stein managed to crash-land his badly damaged Alban·os. The next day McCudclen had two indecisive engagemems with Hannovers. However, during a later patrol by C Flight, Fielding-Johnson sem a two-seater out of control southwest of Rumaucourt. One of four machines encoumered by the Flight, its demise was later confirmed by AA batteries. Louis Jarvis and Frank Billinge also despatched a second machine in a wide right hand spiral, having either killed or wounded the observer. 84

On 21 February, after leading his Flight on a patrol during which he drove an LVG back across its own lines, Mc udden tOok off alone after

85

LJ.J

Leaving the e dangerous opponenrs, McCudden flew to Douai and arracked a Rumpler directly over the town. Opening fire at 200 yards, he conrinued firing until the Rumpler burst into flame and broke up, the

> LL

a:: LJ.J

f-

Z

m

~ -
"-

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 5

." ."

m

z

No 56 SON CASUAl' II S

CJ ("")

m

Killed in action

«

(/)

Wounded in action nd dl Wounded in aClion

APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 4

No 56 SON COMMANDERS IN FRANCE

No 56 SON's TOP-SCORING PILOTS

Maj Richard Graham Blomfield - 6/2/17 to 29/10/17

(Note - Victories scored only while serving with No 56 Sqnl

1

Prisoners of war nd dl dol Prisoners of war and wound d Prisoners of war - 20

•

Killed in flying accid nl Maj Rainsford Balcombe Brown - 29/10/17 to 2/5/18* Maj Euan James Leslie Warren Gilchrisl- 5/5/18 to 17112/18 Capt Duncan William Grinnell-Milne -17/12/18 to 5/2/19

Injured in flying accid nt Injured in flying accid nl

Capt J T B McCudden - 51 Lt RT CHoidge - 27

Name

II

Date

Aeroplane Serial

Capt GJ C Maxwell- 26 * Killed in action

APPENDIX 2 No 56 SON AERODROMES Formed Gosport, England, 8/6/16 To London Colney, England, 14n/16 To Vert Galant, France, 7/4/17 To Lieltres (Estnle Blanche!, France, 31/5/17 To Bekesbourne, England, 21/6/17 A Flight to Rochford, England, 22/6/17 A Flightto Bekesbourne, England, 4n/17 To Lieltres, France, 5n/17 To Lavieville, France, 12/11/17 To Baizieux, France, 21/1/18 To Valheureux, France, 25/3/18 To Lechelle, France, 15-16/10/18 To Esnes, France, 27/10/18 To La Targelte, France, 29/10/18 To Bethencourt (Beauvois!, France, 21/11/18 Cadre to Narborough, England, 5/5/19 Cadre to Bircham Newton, England, 30/12/19 Disbanded Bircham Newton, England, 22/1/20

1917 2Lt M A Kay

30 April

A4866

Capt RA Maybery - 21

2Lt RM Chaworth-Must rs

7 May

A4867

Lt L M Barlow - 20

Capt A Ball

7 May

A4850

Capt H J Burden - 16

Capt H Meintjes

7 May

A8900

Capt CM Crowe - 14

Lt J D Leach

7 May

A4856

Lt ME Mealing - 14

2Lt H FW Bailey

9 May

A4854

Capt A Ball- 13

Lt A J Jessop

12 May

A4860

Capt W RIrwin -11

Lt CEFrench

20 May

A8912

Lt T Durrant- 10

2Lt J Toogood

26 May

A8902

2Lt RH Sioley - 9

2Lt EA Lloyd

27 May

A8905

Capt EW Broadberry - 8

2Lt GM Wilkinson

28 May

A8899

Lt KW Junor-8

Lt T M Dickinson

4 June

A8920

Lt CA Lewis - 8

Lt H Hamer

6 June

A8899

2Lt K K Muspralt- 8

Lt H Rogerson

Capt L W Jarvis - 7

2Lt KJ Knaggs

Lt H J Walkerdine - 7

2Lt H GSpearpoint

Capt W S Fielding-Johnson - 6

Lt W Turner-Coles

2LtTWWhite

d oWWoun d oWWound d Wound d QWWound d III d PoW Wound d PoW PoW Wound d Wound d Wound d Kill d Kill d Kill d PoW

Capt P B Prothero - 6

Lt CA Lewis

Capt W 0 Boger - 5

2Lt J STurnbull

Capt D Grinnell-Milne - 5

Capt EW Broadberry

ltC H JeHs-5

Capt ED Messervy

Lt HAS Molyneux - 5

II d

2Lt RGJardine Capt P B Prothero

oWW u

14 June

A8919

16 June

A8911

17 June

A4862

17 June

A8922

7 July

A4853

12 July

A4861

12 July

A8918

20 July

A8945

20 July

A8921

26 July

A8925

27 July

A8911 A4563

2Lt GRoss-Soden

Wounded

9 August

2Ltl CMacGregor

Injured

9 August

B512

Capt W A Fleming

Kill d

10 August

A8923

2Lt D A Page

Kill d

14 August

B'509

Lt J GYoung

PoW

14 August

A8943

6th Wing (6th Brigadel- 8/6/16

Lt RT Leighton

PoW Wounded

17 August

B514

18th Wing Training Brigade - 14n/16

Lt D SWilkinson

PoW Wounded

17 August

A8903 (see Note 1)

APPENDIX 3 No 56 SON's WINGS AND BRIGADES

120

Lt A P FRhys Davids - 25 Capt GH Bowman - 22

9th Wing (GHQ BEFI- 7/4/17

Capt H M Rushworth

PoW

18 August

B517

6th Brigade (Horse Guardsl- 21/6/17

2Lt N H Crow

Killed

14 September

B516

13th Wing (3rd Brigade BEFI- 12/11/17

Lt W J Polts

Killed

21 September

B4857

121

CI)

u.J U

Cl

Name

Remarks

Date

Aeroplane Serial

Name

Remarks

Date

Aeroplane Serial

z

2Lt RH Sioley

Killed

1 October

A8928

Lt H T Flintoft

u.J

PoW

10 August

Lt C H Jeffs

PoW

5 October

8524

06094

Lt J J Offutt USAS

Killed (accident)

13 August

2Lt GM Wilkinson

Killed

10 October

823

8179

2Lt V H Hervey

Wounded

13 August

2Lt RJ Preston-Cobb

Killed

11 October

8542

Lt TO Hazen

Killed

19 August

Lt J N Cunningham

Wounded

11 October

A4861 (see Note 2)

E1348

Lt RH Ellis USAS

PoW

21 August

Lt J 0 Gilbert

Killed

18 October

8528

C8884

2Lt N F 8ishop

Wounded

21 August

Lt G 8 Shone

Wounded

18 October

8588 (see Note 3)

06126

Lt H J W Roberts

PoW

24 August

2Lt A P FRhys Davids

Killed

27 October

831

88414

2Lt 0 CCollier

Killed

24 August

Lt F RCCobbold

PoW Wounded

8 November

8630

06121

Lt W M Strathearn

PoW

2 September

Capt P CCowan

Killed

8 November

84883

C8706

2Lt A Vickers

Killed

3 September

E4064

c... c...

«

Killed (accident)

18 November

8502

Capt W RIrwin

Wounded

15 September

PoW

29 November

84890

0338

Lt L G80wen

Killed

15 September

2Lt GA Cawson

Killed

30 November

84871

C8866

Capt 0 CHolleran

PoW

15 September

Capt RT Townsend

Killed

30 November

840

E1291

2Lt N F 8ishop

ill d

16 September

Lt 8 W Harmon

Injured

2 December

845

88499

Lt S HJoelson

InJur d

20 September

2Lt I L Roy

Injured

6 December

8567

E4063

2Lt J CGunn

PoW

22 September

2Lt GWalker

Injured

15 December

863

C8864

Lt FA Sedore

Wounded

24 September

Capt RA Maybery

Killed

19 December

8506

F5488

1918 2Lt RGJ Stewart

122

III d Wound d

27 September

F5495

28 September

F854

Lt J A Pouchet

III d

5 October

E5708

Lt I WAwde

OWWound d

5 October

H7253

21 October

F5463

PoW

3 January

2Lt 8 McPherson

Injured

13 January

8668

Lt M H Winkler

2Lt E H M Fetch

Wounded

19 January

866

Lt A S Middleton

2Lt L J Williams

PoW

28 January

8610

2Lt T H Rogers

2Lt CEMorgan

Injured

15 February

C9543

2Lt 0 Price

2Lt A L Garrett

Injured

6 March

C1754

Lt RFShutes

4 November

2Lt 0 Woodman

Killed

11 March

854

F5631

2Lt J CCrawford

9 November

E5795 (See Note 4)

2Lt RRMacdonald

13 November

H7261

3 January

E5900

C1753

2Lt K J Knaggs

Killed

16 March

8121

2Lt W Porter

Killed

24 March

C5389

Lt M EMealing

Killed

24 March

8182

1919

2Lt W S Maxwell

Killed

27 March

8119

Lt EW Graham

Lt F 8eaumont

PoW

1April

C5433

2Lt 8 Mc Pherson

PoW

1April

C6351

Notes

2Lt H J Walkerdine

Wounded

11 April

C5432

1- Lt 0 SWilkinson died of wound on

Capt KW Junor

Killed

23 April

C1086

2- Lt J N Cunningham died of wound 3 - Lt G8 Shone died of shock du to

Maj R8alcombe 8rown

Killed

2 May

C1796

Lt 8 W Harmon

Killed

10 May

05993

Capt T Durrant

Killed

16 May

8183

2Lt J H Acton

Injured

22 May

C5435

2Lt F CTarbutt

Killed

16 June

06088

2Lt H J Mulroy

Killed

18 June

06098

2Lt A L Garrett

PoW

28 June

84821

Lt 0 CHolleran

Wounded

28 June

C5434

2Lt H Austin

PoW Wounded

28 June

06086

2Lt W Dram

Killed (accident)

8 July

C9583 06064

Capt L N Franklin

Killed

14 July

LtT J HerbertUSAS

Wounded

8 August

88423

2Lt HAllen

Killed

10 August

E1286

Capt W 0 80ger

Killed

10 August

88429

oW O. dol In n

II d II

n

m

2Lt A Dodds

Lt GO Mackenzie

2 0

en

2Lt J P Waters

Lt J CSpeaks

»

"" m

25 October

E4081

27 October

C6464

4 November

F6276

PoW

with enemy aeroplanes 4 - 2Lt J CCrawford died of wound on 12

III

123

en LJ.J

Date

APPENDIX 6

Casualty

Victor

u

-0 -0

0

m

z LJ.J Cl.. Cl..

-19.20.21. 22-23.23.24. 1(67.74.126).104 Barlow. Lt leonard Monteagle 9.11. 16. 17.27.29. 2lf-3O. 35.37.39.41. 43. 44. 45. 46. 48. SO. 53. 55. 56. 57.104 Banh. Vfw Adam 4.llO Baaumoot. Frank 92-93 Biliinge. Capt Frank 85.88.90.90.94.95 BIShop. Noel Frederick 113. t 15. 115 Blenklfon. Alfred 63. 78. 79. llO Blomfleld. Mal Richard Graham 7.8.8-9.10.1 I. 12.20.21. 24.32-33.34.39.56.58.58.63 Boger. WllhamOtway'B,II' 99.101.104.107.108.108.109. 110.111.113 Borncamp. WE 110 Bowen. Lt laurence Grant larry' 25(73.127).114.114.118 Bowman. Capt Geoffrey Hilton 'Baary' 6.24.25.27.29.31. 35.37.39.39-40.44.46.48.48. SO. 52. 53-54. 55. 57. 58. 61. 62. 63. 65. 79-80. 82 Broadberry. Capt EdriC Wilham 25.27.30.31.35.36-37.37. 9(69.126) Burden. Capt Henry John 'Hank' 24(72. 76. 1271. 89. 90. 92. 94.94.96.97.97.100.100.103.104.107.109.110. 111-112.113.113-114 Caldwell. Raben Allan 'Bloody Bobs' 117.117.118 Cawson. George 62 Charles.lt Huben N 10.11.47 Chawonh-Musters. 2lt RM 22.23 Chldlaw·Roberts. Capt Roben 51 Chubb. Henry 114. 115 Clarkson. It Wilham Ewan 'B,II' 27(73. 1271. 115. 115. 118.1 t9 Cobbold. It Fehx RC 59. 59. 14(70. 1271 Colher. Douglas 113 Coote. Maxwell H 42.43.43.44. 58 Cowan. Capt Phllhp 59 Crawford. James 119 Cronyn. Verschoyfe Phihp 35.38.41-42.42.43.51.126 Crow. Norman Howard SO. 50 Crowe. MaJ CYIII MarcOni 'B,lly' 9.9.14.15-16. 18. 19. 22-23.24.25.26.26.27.29.31.33.37.88.90.99. 100.106.107.108 Cuffe. Capt Abraham 96. 97 Cunningham. James 55 Dickinson. Thomas Malcolm 28.28-29 Dodds. 2lt Alexander 61.61. 12(69. 75. 1261 Durrant. Capt Trevor 22(72. 1271. 80.80.90.93.94.94. 96.97-99.98 EllIS. Roben H 110.112.113. 113 Elmslle. GAllO Fielding-Johnson. Capt William Spurrett 13(70.1271.82.83. 83.84. 85. 85. 88. 88. 89. 90. 91. 94. 95 Fleming. Willred 41 Flinton. Herben 111.113 Foot. Capt Ernestl 'Feet' 8. 9 Frankhn.ltleshe N 63.17171. 1271. 84. 85. 88. 89.107.108 French. Lt Cecil 24-25 Fuerholler. ltn 32

128

Galley. Edward David George 91.94.94.96.96 Garrett.Allanl85.94.104-105 German Aif Force (Lultstfetlkmlte) 13. FI AbO 35-36.36. Jasta 10 4.52 Gibson. Fit Sgt C 56.84 Gllben. Lt John 55.56 Gilchrist. Mal Euan J LW 96-97.98-99. 104. 1£lli. 109. 109. 114.117.118.119 GOring. Obit Hermann 38. 53 Gossage. MaJ El 7-8 Graham. Edward 119 Grinnell-Milne. Capt Duncan W 28(73.1271.77.114.116. 116.117.118.118.119 Gunn. John 115

Hahnel. Uff, Alben 35-36.36 Haller. ltn Franl 23.32 Hamer. Harold 29 Hamersley. Capt Harold 51 Harmon.8urdette 61. 97 Hastings-Trew. It Tom 80-81. 100 Halen. T 0 'B,II' 105-106.110.112.113 Heggie. Cpl Jim 90 Henderson. Capt Ian Henry DaVid 9. 35. 36. 44 HertJen. TommyJ 107.109.110.110.113 Hervey. VH 110 HI99lns. Brig 82. 94 HOidge. Capt Reginald TC 6.7. 10. 1I. 18.22.25-26.27.29. 30.33.3&-37.38.39.40.47.48.48-49. SO. 51. 53-54. 56.57.59.80.2(67.126) Holleran. Owen Cobb 99.99.101 102.105-106. 112-113.114 Horrell.lt SO Irwin. Capt Wilham R 19(71. 1271. 80-81. 81. 96.101.106 106.110.111.113.114 Jacobs. lin Josef SO Jardine. Roben 38 Jarvis. Capt louis William 20(71. 1271.84.85.85.86.89.92. 93. 94. 95. 96. 97 Jeffs.lt Charles Hugh 46.47.49. 50. 55. 55 Jessop. Augustus 24 Johnston. Herben A 54.54.59 Junor. Capt Kenneth Wilham 80.84. 87. 90-91. 91. 92. 92. 93-95.94 Kay.2LtMaurlceAllred 11.16.19.1 20.104 Keen. Sgt Walter 90 Knaggs. It Kenneth John 11. 12. 16. 20. 22. 31. 89 Knight. 2lt Clarence RW 1I. 16. 20. 3(67. 1261 Kuczowski. lln Werner von 82 leach.JohnOwen 11.18.19.20.22.22.23 Lehmann. Henry MTil. 15. 17 lelghlon.lt Richard Tihel 44.44.11(69.1261 leWls.CaptRCecIlAlthur 11.11.12.12.15.15.22.24.25. 27.30.31. 32. 33-34. 35. 37. 40 lloyd. 211 Edgar 27 loefler. Obit Bruno 55. 55 loefler. ltn Frln 59.59 McCudden. Mal James TByford 4. 6. 32-33. 36 38.43.43 44.45.45.46.47.48.49.50-51.52.52.53.54.55. 5&-57.57. &Hi6. 7(68. 74.1261.16(70.75.1271.77-79. 79.80.81.82.82-84.85.86-87.87.88.92.92. 100-101.107-108 Macdonald.lt Eugene R llO-lll. 81. 89. 91. 92. 92. 95-96. 98.99.100.102.107 Mackenlle. George 116 McPherson. 2lt Barclay 21(72. 1271.87.89.92-93 Mann. Ltn Eugen 35-36.36 Marson. ThaIS 34.35 Marson. 2lt Thomas B'Grandpa' 7. 11.21. 33 Maxwell. Capt Gerald Joseph Constable 7.9.11.16.18.21. 22.24.24.31.35.37.37.39.39.43.44.44-45.46.47. 48.51.53.53.54-55.57.60.10(69.1261.100-101. 102-103.104.105.106.107.108 Maxwell. 2Lt WStuan llO-lll. 92 Maybery. Capt Richard Avehne 6-7.34.38-39.4(1-43.46. 48.48.49. SO. 52. 55. 57-58. 59. 61. 62. 63. 63. 64. 66. 15(70. 1271.80.85. 104. family 34 Mealing. Capt Maurice Edward 62.63. 18(71. 1271.80.84. 85.88.89. 90. 91. 91 Melntjes. Capl Henry 'Duke' 9. 10. 11. 14. 15. 18. 20. 22. 23.24 Melville. W B 11. 17. 22. 27 Messervy. Capt E0 38 Molyneux. Harold Althur Sydney 104.111.111.112.112. 114.115 Muller. Off1 Stv Max 44.45 Mulroy. Herben 104 Muspratt.lt Keith K 19.26.27.27.30.33.36.42.43.43. 45-47.51.55.56.58.59.5(68.1261 No 56 Sqn AFhght 6.7.22.32.46.53-54.56.59.61.87. 89.90-91.99. AFhght groundcrew 77.8 Flight 6. 14. 22.26.27.28.32.37.43.46. SO. 51. 52. 54. 55. 57. 58. 60.62-83. 64.llO. 81. 85. 87. 88. 97-98. band 8-9.24. 65.65. baseball team 113. CFhght 6. 14.22.24.32.37. 38.44.46.49.51.53-54 55.57.58. 79.llO. 82.85.85. 89.97. HO Fhght 47

Oppenhorst. Ltn 61 Page. 2lt Dudley 43 Parry. Capt CYIII 23(72, 76. 1271.llO-ll2. 81. 89. 92. 96. 97. 99-100.103.103-104.107 Plall 0 III 104 P1ayfalf.lt Col Patllck 86 Poner.lt Wilham llO-lll. 90. 91 Potts. William Janson 49. SO. 51. 51 Poucher. Jack 115. 117 Preston-Cobb. Reginald 55 Prlce.Ohver 118-119 Prothero. Phllhp Bernard 24.25.27.31.35.38.39.104 Reason. 0 J 54 Rhys Davlds.lt Althur PF 9.20.22.23.24.25-26.27. 28-29.30.33.34.35.35-36.36.37.38.42.43.48. 49-SO. 51. 52-53. 54. 54. 55. 56. 57. 57. 4(67. 1261. 104 Robens. Henry 113 Rogers. Cpl Thomas 87. 118 Rogerson. Harry 30. 30. 31 Ross-Soden. Gordon 41 Roy. It Indra 62 Royal A,rcran Factory SE 5 8. 10. 11. 13.53. 8{68. 1261. A4563 35.4(67.1261. A48SO 9. 12.14.1(67.74.1261. A4853 40. A4855 3(67.1261. A4862 10.32.2(67.1261; A8097 23. A8903 45. A8911 6(68.1261. A8913 33. 5(68. 1261; A8918 9(69. 1261; A8919 30. A8920 28. A8922 31 Royal A,rcran Factory SE Sa 30.33.37.98. 102. 106. A8923 30. B37 83. BI44 23(72. 76. 1271; B1B3 22172. 1271. B502 10(69.126). B514 11169.1261; B525 13(70.1271. B595 18(71.127). B628 19(71.1271.81. B630 59. 14(70.1271; 84B63 57.7(68.74.1261; 8488064. 15(70.1271. 84890 61. 12(69. 75.1261. 84891 4.16(70.75.1271. 7B. 79. 80. B8266 90. C1096 24(72. 76.1271; C1149 28{73. 1271; C5303 17(71.1271. C5304 84. C5430 20(71. 1271. 86. C6351 21172. 1271. C8866 25(73. 1271. E5808 27173. 1271. H677 26(73. 1271. 119. H693 117. BUBBLYKIOI/9I,'X' 112 Royal Flying Corps (later Royal AI[ Forcel 13; 9th Wing 21. 28.35.39.43-44.56. 13th Wing 59. No 3 Sqn 89. 109. No 19 Sqn 13. 39. No 20 Sqn 39. No 32 Sqn 39; No 41 Sqn 82; No 46 Sqn 28. No 60 Sqn SO. 51. No 66 Sqn 13; No 70 Sqn 39. 40. 90. No 84 Sqn 86. see a/SlJ No 56 Sqn Rushwonh. Capt Harold 45 Salmond. Gen J M 78. 107 Schlomer. ltn 61 $cott.lt Col AJ l 27. 79 Sedore. Frank 115 Shone. Geoffrey 56 Sioley. 2lt Roben Hugh 43.46.49. SO. 51. 54. 54.104 Speaks.CaptJohnC 26(73.1271.117.118.118.119.119 Spearpoint. Harry 31.32 Stark. lrn Rudoll 109. 119 Stenttlng. Cyrrl Brownlow 101.102.109.110.111. 115 Stewan. Roben 7B Strathearn, William 114

ISB

~I

97818417672

lUI

III

"

III

9781841767

III

9781841767 9781841767277

n III l

\ i,11

ill lI\ I I I

978 1 84603 20

II

I

Itt

'Hil hI hofen's Circus'

17

'iI' \ I

IK

(,Wllpl' ell'

II

III:«I.~('\

Ir rill

Combat 12, 'Les Cigognes'

Invader

II

I til

II'

II Geschwader 'Berthold'

ces of World War 1

II/XIII Aces of World War 1

7

978184176534 ]

til

pwith

9781841767284

lI,.

pwith Triplane Aces of World War 1

978184176877 9

II

B II

978184176861

\

Lafayette Escadrille

III '("laffel 2 'Boelcke'

111 It

9781841762227 97818417631

I.E

amel Aces of World War 1

n-Busting Aces of World War 1

pwith Pup Aces of World War 1

7

E /5a Ace of World War I

978 1 84603 1809

i r rart

978 1 84603 201 1

i I'

978 1 84603 293 6

Du

07

978 1 84603 4329

Duel

17

SPAD XIII vs Fokker D VII

978 1 84603 471 8

Duel

20

SE Sa vs Albatros D V

ft

tl'

7

f th

7

Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of W rId War I opwith Camel vs Fokker Dr I

Visit the Osprey website • Information about forthcoming books • Author information

Slafranek. Errch 82 Tarbull. Fraser Coventry 92.102.102 Taylor.ER 54 Toogood. 2lt Jack 26-27 Townsend. Ronald 62 Trenchard. Gen Hugh 7.14 Turnbull. Capt Errc leshe lowe 35.41.49.60.61.63. 6(6B. 1261. 80 Turner-Coles. William 31.31-32 Vickers. Allred 114 Voss.ltn Werner 22. 51-52. 52. 126 Vousden. Sgt E 33. 87 Walkerdlne. Harold John 'Jackle' 61. B5. 89-90. 90. 91. 92. 93.94 Waters.lt John 60.126 While. Trevar W 40. 126 Wil Inson. DaVid StanleyPud' 37.40.40.44.45.46.47 Wilkinson. Geoffrey 27.55 Williams. lester llO Winkler. Moses 118 Winslow.PaulStewan 107-108.109.110.111.111.113 Woodman. Lt Douglas llO. 88-89. 89 Young. 2lt John 43

• Read extracts and see sample pages • Sign up for our free newsletters • Competitions and prizes www.ospreypublishing.com

To order any of these titles, or for more information on 0 prey Publishing, contact: North Amenca: [email protected] UK & Rest of World: [email protected]

www_ospreypublishing.com

Combat histories of the world's most renowned

No S6 Sqn RAF/RFC

fighter and bomber units

No 56 Sqn was the first unit of the Royal Flying Corps to be equipped with the SE 5, and its later development, the SE Sa. The mount of many Allied aces, the SE Sa, along with the British Sopwith Camel and the German Fokker Colour aircraft profiles

D VII, was one of the finest and most successful fighter aeroplanes of WorId War 1. Equipped with the superb new scout, No 56 Sqn was the first fighter unit of the RFC to be able to meet the Albatros and Halberstadt fighters of the

Jagdstaffeln on equal terms. Such famous fighter pilots as Albert Ball VC, James McCudden VC, Arthur Rhys Davids, Geoffrey Bowman and Leonard Barlow all served with No 56 Sqn on the Western Front, giving the outfit elite unit status. Planforms

Photographs US $25.95 UK £ 14.99 CAN $30.00 IS B N 978-1-84603-428-2

I

OSPREY PUBLISHING

www.ospreypublishing.com

9

781846 034282

52r