Air Operations 30th November updated
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Air Operations 30th November updated
Another big issue Neil.
Thanks.
Rob.
George Henry Tatham Paton VC MC (3 October 1895 – 1 December 1917) was the first Grenadier Guards officer to win the VC since the Crimean War.
He was born to George William Paton who was Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Messrs Bryant and May Ltd and was educated at Rottingdean School and Clifton College, Bristol.
Paton was 22 years old, and an acting captain in the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 1 December 1917 at Gonnelieu, France, when a unit on Captain Paton's left was driven back, thus leaving his flank in the air and his company practically surrounded, he walked up and down adjusting the line, within 50 yards of the enemy, under a withering fire. He personally removed several wounded men and was the last to leave the village. Later he again adjusted the line and when the enemy counter-attacked four times, each time sprang on to the parapet, deliberately risking his life, in order to stimulate his men. He was eventually mortally wounded.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Guards Regimental Headquarters (Grenadier Guards RHQ) at Wellington Barracks, London.
Attachment 237177
Stanley Henry Parry Boughey VC (9 April 1896 – 4 December 1917) was s born in Liverpool on 9 April 1896 and was brought up in Blackpool. He was 21 years old, and a second lieutenant in the 1/4th Battalion, The Royal Scots Fusiliers, he was awarded the VC for his actions on 1 December 1917 at El Burf, Palestine, against the Ottoman Army. He was wounded committing the act, and died three days later, on 4 December.
Citation:
For most conspicuous bravery. When the enemy in large numbers had managed to crawl up to within 30 yards of our firing line, and with bombs and automatic rifles were keeping down the fire of our machine guns, he rushed forward alone with bombs right up to the enemy, doing great execution and causing the surrender of a party of 30. As he turned to go back for more bombs he was mortally wounded at the moment when the enemy were surrendering.
— London Gazette, 12 February 1918
Boughey was interred at the Gaza War Cemetery.
Today we lost: 1,440
· A Victoria Cross winnerToday’s losses include:
· A great grandson of John Burke founder, author and editor of Burke’s Peerage
· Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War
· A man whose nephew will be killed
· The son of a Member of Parliament and Director of the Bank of England
· The grandson of the 1st Baron Addington
· A man whose twin will die on service
· A grandson of the 1st Baron Dovedale
· The son of a Baronet
· The uncle of a man who will be killed in the Second World War
· A man whose son will be killed in the Second World War
· Multiple Military Chaplains
· A battalion commander
· A man whose daughter will be born next year
· Multiple sons of members of the clergy
· The grandson of former Prime Minister Lord Salisbury
· A Australian Rules footballer
· The son of a Justice of the Peace
· One of the Herder brothers memorialized on the trophy to the Newfoundland and Labrador Senior Ice Hockey Champions every year
· Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Docherty DSO (commanding Lord Strathcona’s Horse) is killed in action at age 40 while leading a charge. He served in the South Africa War as a Sergeant.Today’s highlighted casualties include:
· Lieutenant Randle William Gascoyne-Cecil (Royal Field Artillery) is killed in action at age 28. His daughter will be born in July 1918. His two brothers will also be killed during the Great War the first in July 1915 the second in August 1918 and they are sons of the Right Reverend Lord William Cecil Bishop of Exeter and grandsons of the former Prime Minister Lord Salisbury.
· Lieutenant John Charles William Pinney (Royal Fusiliers attached Central India Horse) is killed at age 21. He is the son of the Honorable Mrs. Pinney.
· Lieutenant Donald Fairfax Mackenson (HMS Tower) drowns on service with Gunner John Henry Burton DSC. Mackeson is the son of Payton Temple Mackenson, JP.
· Second Lieutenant Arthur J Herder (Newfoundland Regiment) is killed at age 32. His brother was killed in July 1916 and they are memorialized on the Herder Memorila Trophy which is awarded annually to the Newfoundland and Labrador senior ice hockey Champions.
· Chaplain the Reverend Thomas Howell (attached Shropshire Light Infantry) is killed in action at age 33.
· Chaplain the Reverend Oswald Addenbrooke Holden (attached 60th Infantry Brigade) is killed at age 43. He is the Vicar of Penn and the son of the Reverend Oswald Mangin Holden Rector of Steeple Langford who will lose another son in Italy next October.
· Sergeant Thomas Newby (Welsh Regiment) is killed in Palestine at age 38. His son will lose his life in the Second World War in April 1941.
· Sergeant Otto Lowenstern (Lord Strathcona’s Horse) is killed at age 28. He is an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League. Lowenstern spent both the 1910 and 1911 seasons playing in the VFL. He appeared once in 1910 while playing 11 games in 1911.
· Corporal Bertram William Bloy (London Regiment) dies of wounds at age 22. His brother was killed in June 1916. Lance Corporal Walter Edwards (Lincolnshire Regiment) is killed in action at age 21. His brother was killed in March of this year.
· Private Hugh Williams (Newfoundland Regiment) is killed at age 19. His brother was killed in October 1916.
· Private Percy Freshwater (Essex Regiment) is killed at age 19. His brother was killed in August 1915 on Gallipoli.
· Private Arthur John Byard (Royal Army Medical Corps) dies of wounds at age 37. His brother will die of wounds next March.
· Private Thomas Henry Brocklehurst (Army Service Corps) dies on service at home at age 23. His brother was killed in action in October 1915.
· Private Thomas William Carr (South Staffordshire Regiment) is killed. His brother will be killed in September 1918.
Air Operations:
End of Lafayette Escadrille: With America’s squadrons imminent, the Lafayette Escadrille pilots are released from French military service in order to transfer to the US Air Service. Only one, 2 Lt. EC Pearson, remains with the French Spa 3. American bureaucratic inertia causes a two-month delay, whereby many former Escadrille pilots fly as civilians. The Lafayette Escadrille formally ends on February 18, when its pilots formed the nucleus of the 103rd US Aero Squadron. However, the squadron continues to be attached to the French Air Force and does not transfer to the AEF until August 1918.
The German Air Force begins to operate a radio-equipped Rumpler C.IV off the coast of England to report weather conditions and reduce the chance of adverse weather interfering with Luftstreitkräfte bomber raids against the United Kingdom.
Imperial German Navy Zeppelins make daily reconnaissance patrols over the Heligoland Bight throughout the month.
General Headquarters
“On the 1st inst., in spite of the clouds and mist, which rendered flying almost impossible, several reconnaissances of the areas in rear of the battlefronts were carried out successfully by our aeroplanes. Over 60 bombs were dropped, and many rounds were fired with machine guns from the air at columns of the enemy's infantry on the road. During the night bombs were dropped on Roulers station. Only a few combats took place, in which two hostile machines were brought down. Another hostile machine was compelled to make a forced landing and struck the ground in a shell crater. One of our machines is missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 116:
Little flying was done by the Brigades, except the 3rd Brigade, whose pilots carried out 13 reconnaissances and many patrols in spite of low clouds and mist.
Over 4,000 rounds were fired at infantry in the trenches and in the open and 63 25-lb bombs were dropped at the same targets. Forty-eight of the bombs dropped and over 2,500 of the rounds fired were by the 3rd Brigade.
Other bombs were dropped as follows:- Four 112-lb bombs on Libercourt by No 18 Squadron; two 25-lb bombs on Benifontaine by No 2 Squadron; eight 25-lb bombs by the 2nd Brigade and 12 25-lb bombs by Corps machines of the 3rd Brigade. The latter also fired approximately 1,400 rounds.
During the night 30th November/1st December, Nos 101 and 102 Squadrons went out through the night, although the clouds were at a height of 2,000 feet and dropped approximately five tons of bombs.
No 101 Squadron dropped four 230-1b, 38 112-lb and eight, 25-lb bombs. Fifteen direct hits were obtained on Douai station, four trains were hit and eight explosions and one fire caused. Twelve 112-lb bombs were dropped on Dechy and two direct hits were obtained on the station, two on the junction, three on the sidings and two near a train. Two 112-lb bombs were also dropped on a train at Lambres. During this raid, 2,670 rounds were fired at Douai, 650 at Dechy, 150 at Lambres and 600 at troops on roads and at searchlights.
No 102 Squadron dropped 192 25-lb bombs on Marquion, five on Barelle, eight on Sauchy-Lestrée, four on half a battalion of troops, 14 on other targets and fired 900 rounds at German infantry.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to the very unfavourable weather conditions, low attached clouds, and high wind, no war work could be carried out.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy activity was very slight and only five combats took place between EA and pilots of the 3rd Brigade.
Lieut F G Huxley, 68 Sqn, two-seater crashed 57c/X.D at 07:45/08:45 - Lieut F G Huxley, No 68 Squadron (AFC) dived at an enemy machine and by careful manoeuvring avoided the hostile fire while he succeeded in shooting down the German machine which crashed
Lieut E Y Hughes, 46 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed Cambrai at 09:10/10:10 - Lieut E Hughes, No 46 Squadron, had completely lost his bearings in a thick mist, when he met an Albatross Scout, so at once opened fire and the enemy machine crashed
Lieut R W McKenzie, 68 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed north-east of Villers-Guislain at 12:15/13:15 - Lieut R W McKenzie No 68 Squadron (AFC), drove down a German machine which attempted to land but ran into a shell hole
Casualties
? (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut E L Shaw (Wia), 35 Sqn, AW FK8 – shot up on contact patrol
Lieut W A Robertson (Ok), 68 Sqn, DH5 A9466 - shot down by EA on special mission Bourlon at 12:00/13:00
Lieut L Benjamin (Ok), 68 Sqn, DH5 A9341 - shot about by EA and landed ALG Wagonlieu at 12:05/13:05 on special mission Bapaume
2nd-Lieut J MacKenzie (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut C Hyde (Kia), 35 Sqn, AW FK8 B5778 – took off 12:30/13:30 then missing on contact patrol Villers-Guislan; Vfw Gustav Schneidewind, Js17, 4th victory [Noble – Ville at 12:50/13:50] ?
Lieut A M Kinnear (Wia) & Lieut M A O'Callaghan (Ok), 8 Sqn, AW FK8 B314 – took off 14:30/15:30 then force landed Mericourt after petrol pipe shot through in attack by machine-gun fire on contact patrol
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: 3
2Lt Hyde, C. (Cyril), 35 Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Mackenzie, J. (John), 35 Squadron, RFC.
Sgt Sampson, A.J. (Alfred James), 14 Squadron, RFC.
Claims: 7 confirmed (Entente 3: Central Powers 4)
Louis Coudouret (France) #5.
Eric Hughes #4.
Robert McKenzie #1.
Hans Bohning #5.
Fritz Hohn #1.
Gustav Schneidewind #4
Karl Thorn #14.
Western Front:
Verdun: Violent German attack north of Fosses Wood.
South-west Cambrai: Gonnelieu recovered, but British withdraw from Masnieres salient.
Enemy attack heavily at Bourlon Wood and claims 4,000 prisoners and 60 guns.
By today the impetus of the German advance is lost, but continued pressure will lead to the German capture of La Vacquerie in two days and the withdrawal of the British from the east of the St Quentin canal. The Germans have reached a line looping from the ridge at Quentin to near Marcoing. Their capture of Bonvais ridge makes the British hold on Bourlon precarious. Gonnelieu southwest of Cambrai is recovered though British forces withdraw from Masnieres as German counter attacks continue at Cambrai. The enemy attacks heavily at Bourlon Wood and claim 4,000 prisoners and 60 guns captured. While attacking Gauche Wood from the south-west the 18th King George’s Own Lancers fight on foot. The tanks that are supposed to accompany them are late in arriving (07:15 hours) and then become lost in the grey morning light. The Lancers though advance into the wood where they find men from the Grenadier Guards already fighting their way in from Gouzeaucourt. Machine gun nests are dealt with by the returning tanks which patrol the perimeter of the wood. To get into the wood the Grenadiers have chosen the tactic of running as fast as they can. The German gunners cannot get the range right and the casualties are light. Still with all of their senior officers gone the Grenadiers put themselves under the direction of the Lancers who organise the consolidation of Gauche Wood.
Captain George Henry Tatham Paton (Grenadier Guards) dies of wounds at age 22 while performing acts that will win him the Victoria Cross for his part in numerous counter attacks in the face of heavy machine gun fire until he was mortally wounded.
Captain John Bernard Mary Burke (Grenadier Guards) dies of wounds at age 25. He is the son of ‘Sir’ Henry Farnham Burke and the great grandson of John Burke founder, author and editor of Burke’s Peerage.
Lieutenant Philip Anthony Assheton Harbord MC (Grenadier Guards) is killed in action at age 20. His brother will die of wounds in July 1918 and a nephew will died of wounds in September 1919.
Lieutenant Bertram John Hubbard MC (Grenadier Guards) is killed in action at age 22. He is the son of the Honorable Evelyn Hubbard Member of Parliament for Lambeth and Director of the Bank of England and grandson of the 1st Baron Addington.
Second Lieutenant Stephen Hetley Pearson (Grenadier Guards) is killed at age 35. His twin will die on service in Egypt next November.
Second Lieutenant Richard Charles Denman (Grenadier Guards) is killed at age 21. He is the grandson of the 1st Baron Denman of Dovedale
Attacking the Quentin Mill (from which General de Lisle had made his hasty exit the day before) the Coldstream Guards and four tanks have little difficulty in gaining their objective though at the cost of three of the tanks. The 3rd Guards Brigade has been given the objective of taking Gonnelieu itself and attack with the Welsh Guards on the right and the Grenadier Guards on the left. The Welsh are brought to a halt at the top of the ridge in front of Gonnelieu with two thirds of their men being downed by the constant stream of fire from German Machine Gun positions in the old British trenches. At this moment the only surviving tank of four with the battalion rolls into action cruising along the trench spraying the Germans with all her Lewis guns. The Germans begin to surrender and the Welshmen seize the opportunity to grab the crest of the ridge. The Grenadiers manage to fight their way into Gonnelieu village but they arrive just as the Germans themselves had been preparing their next assault and are thus feeding the area with reinforcements. Faced by superior numbers the Grenadiers withdraw to a covering position alongside the Welsh Guards.
Captain Reginald Percy Loyd MC (Coldstream Guards) is killed in action at age 22. He is the son of the Honorable Mrs. E Loyd.
Second Lieutenant Thomas Harry Basil Webb (Welsh Guards) is killed at age 19. He is the son of Lieutenant Colonel ‘Sir’ Henry Webb the 1st Baronet and his nephew Roger Christopher Arthur Watson will be killed in World War II.
Eastern Front:
M. Lenin demands surrender of General Dukhonin, Commander-in-Chief.
Russian General Staff surrenders at Mohilev.
Partial cessation of hostilities.
Southern Front:
Tunstills Men Saturday 1st December 1917:
Billets at Barcon
Fine and sunny
Ptes. Fred Hargreaves (29267) (see 6th November), Thomas Charles Jaques (see 14th November) and William Henry Luke (see 13th November) were all posted from 34th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples to re-join 10DWR.
Lt. John Redington (see 23rd October), who had been taken ill in July 1916 and was now employed at the Army Recruiting Office in Wolverhampton, was seconded for duty with the Ministry of National Service.
The War Office wrote to the Infantry Records Office confirming that, having been trade tested at Woolwich, Pte. James Thomas Sagar (see 22nd August), who had been in England since suffering fractured ribs in an accident in October 1916, was to be discharged to Class T to take up munitions work with H. Pontifex and Sons Ltd, Farringdon Works, Birmingham.
A payment of £5 16s. 4d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late L.Cpl. John Cork (see 9th August), who had been killed in action while serving with 2DWR; the payment would go to his father, Fred.
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
At El Burf, Palestine, when the enemy in large number have managed to crawl up to within 30 yards of our firing line and with bombs and automatic rifles are keeping down the fire of our machine guns, Second Lieutenant Stanley Henry Parry Boughey (Royal Scots Fusiliers) rushes forward alone with bombs right up to the enemy, killing many and causing the surrender of a party of 30. As he turns to go back for more bombs he is mortally wounded at the moment when the enemy is surrendering.
He will die of his wounds in three days. For his actions on this day he will be awarded the Victoria Cross.
German East Africa is cleared of enemy forces as Lettow-Borbeck retires across the Rovuma River into Portuguese territory.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 5 (1 to a mine & 5 to U-Boat action)
Political:
Inter-Allied Council at Versailles inaugurated.
Canadian Victory Loan; Over $70 million subscribed.
Anniversary Events:
1135 Henry I of England dies and the crown is passed to his nephew Stephen of Bloise. 1581 Edmund Champion and other Jesuit martyrs are hanged at Tyburn, England, for sedition, after being tortured. 1861 The U.S. gunboat Penguin seizes the Confederate blockade runner Albion carrying supplies worth almost $100,000. 1862 President Abraham Lincoln gives the State of the Union address to the 37th Congress. 1863 Belle Boyd, a Confederate spy, is released from prison in Washington. 1881 Virgil, Wyatt and Morgan Earp are exonerated in court for their action in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Ariz. 1900 Kaiser Wilhelm II refuses to meet with Boer leader Paul Kruger in Berlin. 1905 Twenty officers and 230 guards are arrested in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the revolt at the Winter Palace. 1908 The Italian Parliament debates the future of the Triple Alliance and asks for compensation for Austria's action in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 1909 President William Howard Taft severs official relations with Nicaragua's Zelaya government and declares support for the revolutionaries. 1916 King Constantine of Greece refuses to surrender to the Allies.
Attachment 237203
December 2nd 1917
Western Front - Passchendaele
The Night action of 1/2 December 1917 during the First World War, was a local operation on the Western Front, in Belgium at the Ypres Salient. The British Fourth Army (re-named from the Second Army on 8 November) attacked the German 4th Army. The Third Battle of Ypres (31 July – 10 November) proper had ended officially on 20 November but the attack was intended to capture the heads of valleys leading eastwards from the ridge, to gain observation over German positions. On 18 November the VIII Corps on the right and II Corps on the left (northern) side of the Passchendaele Salient took over from the Canadian Corps. The area was subjected to constant German artillery bombardments and its vulnerability to attack led to a suggestion by Brigadier C. F. Aspinall that, either the British should retire to the west side of the Gheluvelt Plateau or advance to broaden the salient towards Westroosebeke. Expanding the salient would make the troops in it less vulnerable to German artillery-fire and provide a better jumping off line for a resumption of the offensive in the spring of 1918. The British attacked towards Westroozebeke on the night of 1/2 December but the plan to mislead the Germans by not bombarding the German defences until eight minutes after the infantry began their advance came undone. The noise of the British assembly and the difficulty of moving across muddy and waterlogged ground had also alerted the Germans. In the moonlight, the Germans had seen the British troops when they were still 200 yd (180 m) away. Some ground was captured and about 150 prisoners were taken but the attack on the redoubts failed and observation over the heads of the valleys on the east and north sides of the ridge had not been gained.
Attachment 237204
8th Division
As the attacking battalions of the 25th Brigade moved forward to their jumping-off points in the bright moonlight, German machine-gunners fired on the troops on the left flank and after three minutes began to fire on the centre and left, which had momentarily been hidden by cloud. After H-hour + five minutes, the British troops were engaged by small-arms fire all along the front and the German infantry sent up flares and rockets. The British guns began to fire at H-hour + eight minutes as planned and the German artillery did not fire for another minute. The delay caused by the German infantry fire prevented some of the support troops from getting clear of the German barrage; these platoons lost many casualties and B Company HQ of the 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (2nd Berks) was hit. The battalion reached its objectives and D Company dug in, up to the south-eastern end of Southern Redoubt. C Company on the right, which was to form a defensive flank, had far less trouble and the platoon adjacent to D Company took 30 prisoners; 5 platoon of B Company managed to get into Southern Redoubt and began a mutually-costly hand-to-hand struggle with the garrison.
The troops on the left of B Company veered left to gain touch with the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment (2nd Lincoln) which had not been able to maintain its advance, then went too far and opened a gap to the north of Southern Redoubt, which deprived 5 Platoon in the redoubt of support. The survivors of the platoon were forced out and dug in facing south-west but this uncovered the left flank of D Company, which then had to repulse several small counter-attacks. The left flank platoons of B Company had got into the trench between the redoubts, killed many Germans and captured three machine-guns; both flanks were open but the troops were able to hold on. The British position was in front of the 2nd Lincoln, who had been caught by small-arms fire at the start of the attack and only managed to get within 30 yd (27 m) of the German front line, where the remaining troops dug in. On the left flank, the 2nd Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (2nd RB) was also caught by machine-gun fire from the front and by enfilade fire from Teal Cottage, in the 32nd Division area. The cottage should have been captured earlier by the 32nd Division and the left end of the 2nd RB forming up tape ran from the position. Just before the advance, it was discovered that the Germans were still in Teall Cottage and the 2nd RB hastily masked it with a defensive flank. The battalion failed to reach Venison Trench, suffering so many casualties that they were forced to dig in only about 100 yd (91 m) in front of the original front line. The 8th Division battalions held their ground against small counter-attacks until about 4:10 p.m., when German artillery-fire increased in volume and the 32nd division sent up SOS flares, which were repeated by the 8th Division. The British artillery replied instantly and German troops in the open east of Southern Redoubt were caught by the bombardment; the counter-attack on the 8th Division front was repulsed. By 5:00 a.m. the German artillery had fallen silent and a lull fell over the 8th Division front. The troops in front of the 2nd Lincoln were brought back and filled the gap between the 2nd Lincoln and the 2nd Berks, which created a continuous line and the 25th Brigade was relieved by the 41st Brigade of the 14th (Light) Division overnight.
Attachment 237205
Passchendaele ridge, 1917
32nd Division
The 97th Brigade and the 15th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (15th LF) of the 96th Brigade formed up below the faint outline of Hill 52 and the low southern slope of Vat Cottage Ridge. The 2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (2nd KOYLI) was on the right flank with three companies for the attack and one in support, 16th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry to its left, then the 11th Battalion, Border Regiment (11th Border) and 17th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (17th HLI), each with two companies leading and two in support and 15th LF on the left flank (which had been holding the line with 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (16th NF) since the night of 30 November/1 December) with three assault companies and one in support, on a 1,850 yd (1,690 m) front from Teall Cottage to the north-east of Tournant Farm. The 16th NF retired to the right of Virile Farm in reserve after being relieved; patrols and Lewis gun crews entered no man's land after dark to cover the assembly. The battalions formed four waves, the first two in skirmish lines forming an advanced guard and the other two in section columns (snake formation), to advance through the crater field and be ready to outflank the objectives.
Analysis
In 2011, Michael LoCiciero wrote that the Action on the Polderhoek Spur (3 December) by two New Zealand Division battalions, had received more attention than the nine-battalion attack on Passchendaele Ridge and it had had received only a cursory mention in the Reichsarchiv publication Flandern 1917 (1928) by Werner Beumelburg. In 1926, the 8th Division historians, John Boraston and Cyril Bax wrote that the attack was a limited success at best. Some ground had been captured and about 150 prisoners taken but the attack on the redoubts had failed and observation over the heads of the valleys on the east and north sides of the ridge had not been gained. The noise of the British assembly, difficulty of movement in the muddy and waterlogged ground, had alerted the Germans. In the moonlight, the Germans had seen the British troops when they were still 200 yd (180 m) away and without artillery covering fire for the first eight minutes, the attack was doomed. Beumelburg wrote that on 2 December, two British brigades (sic) attacked on a narrow front against the 38th Division of Gruppe Staden and the 25th Division and 12th Reserve Division of Gruppe Ypern; after an initial advance the British were repulsed. On 3 December, the British attacked on a 440 yd (400 m) against the left flank of the 17th Reserve Division and also been defeated.
In his 1979 memoir The Anger of the Guns, John Nettleton, who had been the Intelligence Officer for the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), wrote that in conditions where the moon was near full, there was no cover, the troops would stumble forward, rather than overrun the German defences. Objections to the plan were passed on by the 8th Division battalion, brigade and division commanders
...hostile machine-gun fire from prepared positions on a bright moonlight night was more to be feared than any barrage.
— Major-General W. C. G. Heneker, GOC 8th Division
but Heneker was over-ruled. Everything went wrong from the beginning; no-one had thought that the attack could succeed and morale was depressed. It appeared that the Germans realised that an attack was imminent the night before, when the Royal Engineers went forward to mark the jumping-off lines for the attack. There was only one decent road for the 32nd Division and a duckboard track for the 25th Brigade, 8th Division, to reach their assembly positions. German artillery was registered on these approach routes and inflicted many casualties as the troops moved up. The track was on the right side of the 8th Division and the troops using it had to move from right to left to assemble along the tapes. The moon was bright and the Germans could not but notice three battalions lining up behind the British outpost line.
As liaison officer to the 32nd Division, Nettleton moved up along the road and wrote that if the Germans were still ignorant of British intentions, a soldier carrying a sack of very lights was hit by a bullet which set them off. The troops nearby rolled him in the mud but could not extinguish the flares. The 32nd Division was supposed to have captured Teall Cottage, a pillbox, two days previous but the troops found that it was occupied by Germans. The cottage was at a right angle in the front line and the attacking lines of both divisions could be enfiladed by machine-guns in the pillbox. The 32nd Division companies assembled in echelon to the left of Teall Cottage; runners from the Royal Irish Rifles drank the run ration and the battalion commander had to cadge replacements from the 25th Brigade. From the battalion HQ, Nettleton heard the German machine-guns begin to fire at 1:55 a.m. as soon the advance began. The artillery barrage that began eight minutes later was "magnificent" but the attack had been defeated before the artillery started, the German machine-gunners having already "wiped out" the British infantry in the moonlight. The 2nd KOYLI managed to advance only 100 yd (91 m) and when it was relieved on the night of 2/3 December, it had the appearance of an understrength company. LoCicero wrote that the night attack 1/2 December was an obscure postscript to the Third Battle of Ypres, which had been only alluded to in Haig's dispatch for 1917.[f] Reginald Bond had written in a volume of the History of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (1929) that the only big night attack of the campaign had been overlooked because of the Battle of Cambrai. The operation was only briefly mentioned in the Report of the Battles Nomenclature Committee (1922) and not at all in the 1948 official history volume by James Edmonds. In See How They Ran: The British Retreat of 1918 (1970), William Moore wrote that the casualties of the attack were not counted in the official history and Michael Stedman referred to a "futile sideshow" in Salford Pals: A History of the Salford Brigade (1993).[35] There had been correspondence between Edmonds and Shute in 1930 about attack but it did not appear in the official history. In 1938, I. S. O. Playfair had also failed to persuade the official historians to include the capture of Infantry Hill on 14 June 1917, which he called a notable success.
Casualties
The Eighth Division historians, Boraston and Bax, recorded 624 casualties; Moore wrote that the 8th Division lost 2,630 men, the 32nd Division losses were about the same and that the casualty statistics in Military Operations, France and Belgium 1917, part II omitted those of 1/2 December. In 2011, LoCicero calculated that the 8th Division losses from 2 to 3 December were about 552 men; the 32nd Division had 1,137 casualties and infantry regiments 117, 94, 116 and 95 had about 800 losses. In The Passchendaele Campaign 1917 (2017) Andrew Rawson wrote that the attack had cost the British over 1,600 casualties.
The War in the Air
The British Ace Lieutenant Harry George Ernest Luchford MC & Bar is shot down and killed by Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp. He had 24 aerial victories to his name.
Attachment 237206
The son of George and Helena Luchford, Harry George Ernest Luchford was born in India and raised in England. A bank clerk, he enlisted with the Norfolk Regiment at Bromley, Kent and was commissioned in September 1914. After serving with the Indian Divisional Cavalry in France, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in January 1917. Posted to 20 Squadron later that year, he scored 24 victories flying two-seaters. He was killed in action when his Bristol F.2b was shot down by Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp.
T./Lt. Harry George Ernest Luchford, Gen. List and R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has carried out a great deal of extremely useful work, and has proved himself a capable and determined leader. On one occasion when on a photographic reconnaissance he and his observer shot down and destroyed two enemy scouts. He has destroyed five other hostile machines.
Supplement to the London Gazette, 18 March 1918 (30583/3427)
For conspcuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When engaged on a patrol, he and his observer encountered about fifteen hostile aeroplanes, and shot one of them down in flames. Later, when engaged on a reconnaissance with three other machines, he encountered eight hostile aeroplanes and shot one of then down. On another occasion be destroyed on of three hostile scouts which were attacking one of our machines, and also shot down a hostile two-seater.
Supplement to the London Gazette, 6 April 1918 (30614/4203)
Attachment 237207
Leutnant Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp
General Headquarters, December 3rd.
“On the 2nd instant, in spite of a very strong north-west wind, our aeroplanes were active reconnoitring the enemy's new positions and observing for our artillery. Many bombs were dropped and machine-guns fired from a low height on villages occupied by the enemy’s reserve troops north of Bourlon. The enemy's batteries on the Ypres battle front were also engaged with machine-gun fire and bombs.
“Hostile aircraft activity was slight, and few fights took place. One German machine was brought down. Five of our aeroplanes are missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 116:
Squalls and very strong wind prevented much flying being done.
Machines of the 3rd Brigade carried out 14 reconnaissances in order to ascertain the position and movements of enemy troops and obtain other informtition. This Brigade also carried out 12 contact patrols.
Macines of the 2nd Brigade worked in conjunction with our infantry who were attacking north-west of Passchendaele and carried out two reconnaissances.
A machine of No 25 Squadron reconnoitred the line Cambrai – Busigny – Bohain.
With aeroplane observation, 16 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun pit was destroyed, six damaged, two explosions and five fires caused.
Three hundred and sixty-three photographs were taken and approximately 2,200 rounds were fired at ground targets from low altitudes and over two tons of bombs were dropped.
1st Brigade – Machines dropped six 25-lb bombs on billets.
2nd Brigade – Pilots of No 70 Squadron, flying Sopwith Camels, dropped 28 25-lb bombs on active hostile batteries. Seventy-two 25-lb bombs were also dropped on active hostile batteries by No 57 Squadron and 10 25-lb bombs on various targets by Corps machines.
3rd Brigade – DH5s of No 68 Squadron (AFC) dropped 14 25-lb bombs on trenches. No 64 Squadron, also DH5s, dropped six bombs on the same targets, while Corps machines dropped 12 25-lb bombs on various targets.
9th Wing – No 27 Squadron attacked Torteqnenne and Lecluse and dropped four 112-lb bombs on the former and six 112-lb bombs on the latter target.
No 25 Squadron dropped 12 112-lb bombs on Ecourt St Quentin.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to the very unfavourable weather conditions, low attached clouds, and high wind, no war work could be carried out.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was very slight, except on the 2nd Brigade front where it was about normal.
2nd-Lieut W Beaver & 1/AM M B Mather, 20 Sqn, Albatros C crashed south-east of Passchendaele at 10:30/11:30 - three Bristol Fighters of 20 Squadron dived at an EA two-seater near Passchendaele, and 2nd-Lieut W Beaver & 1/AM M Mather shot it down out of control, and it was seen to crash
Casualties
? (Ok) & Lieut W E Dexter (Wia), 10 Sqn, AW FK8 - shot up on counter attack patrol
Lieut S W Rowles (Wia; dow 13-Dec-17) & ? (Ok), 10 Sqn, AW FK8 - shot up on counter attack patrol
2nd-Lieut L A Rivers (Ok) & 161456 Pte JW Scott (Ok), 11 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7167 - force landed 3rd Corps dressing station after engine hit by AA fire on reconnaissance
2nd-Lieut O P D Miller (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut A H C Hoyles (Kia), 57 Sqn, DH4 A7422 – took off 08:00/09:00 and missing from bombing and photography; Ltn Max Ritter v Müller, Js2, 33rd victory [north-west of Menin at 08:45/09:45] ?
2nd-Lieut G G W Petersen (Pow), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 23 B3583 – took off 08:45/09:45 and last seen near Passchendaele at 09:45/10:45 going south on northern area patrol
2nd-Lieut J T Orrell (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut J G Glendinning (Pow; Dow 16-Dec-17), 57 Sqn, DH4 A7679 – took off 10:10/11:10 and missing from bombing and photography; Ltn d R Heinrich Bongartz, Js36, 26th victory [north-east of Moorslede at 11:05/12:05] ?
Lieut T R Hepple (Wia) & 8399 1/AM F Rothwell (Kia), 8 Sqn, AW FK8 B3303 – took off 10:30/11:30 then brought down in flames at Villeret after attack by 5-6 EA on artillery patrol to Honnecourt; Ltn d R Wolfgang Güttler, Js13, 6th victory [Villeret at 12:10/13:10]
Capt H G E Luchford MC (Kia) & Capt J E Johnston (Pow), 20 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7270 – took off 09:45/10:45 and last seen south-east of Passchendaele at 10:30/11:30 on offensive patrol; Ltn Walter von Bulow-Bothkamp, Js36, 28th victory [Becelaere at 10:35/11:35]
2nd-Lieut S G Spiro (Pow), 19 Sqn, Spad VII A6662 – took off 10:48/11:48 and last seen over Ypres at 12:00/13:00 on offensive patrol
There were the following aerial victory claims on this day
Gabriel Guérin France #9
Achille Justin Ernest Rousseaux France #6
Heinrich Bongartz Germany #26
Walter von Bülow-Bothkamp Germany #28
Wolfgang Güttler Germany #6
Max von Müller Germany #33
Malcolm Brown Mather Scotland #1
A carpenter from Stirlingshire and the son of Robert and Annie (Brown) Mather, Malcolm Brown Mather enlisted on 4 December 1916. With 20 Squadron, he scored eight victories as a Brisfit observer
Attachment 237208
Wilfred Beaver USA #2
Raoul Lufbery USA #15 #16
There were 14 British airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237209
Attachment 237210
Attachment 237211
EASTERN FRONT
CEASEFIRE begins on dates fixed by local army commanders. Russian Armistice Commis*sion crosses German lines at Dvinsk and continues to Brest*-Litovsk welcomed by German C-in-C Prince Leopold.
Russia: Kornilov and 5 fellow generals (including Denikin) escape from prison in Bykhov, head for Don by train.
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Piave: Italian strength 552 battalions plus 86 Anglo-French as 3 British divisions take over Montello sector (until December 4) and 3 French Mt Tomba area, but not attacked as expected. 3 German divisions ordered back to Germany, 4 remain. Emperor Charles suspends main offensive though Trentino attack to go on.
MIDDLE EAST
Turkey: General Seeckt appointed CoS and adviser to Enver at Constanti*nople.
AFRICA
Mocambique: Lettow captures Portuguese Fort Nanguari with food and ammo in Ukula Hills on river Lugenda, has already split force into columns under Wahle and Goering.
SEA WAR
Channel: Coastal submarine UB-81 (1 survivor) mined and sunk off the Owers near Portsmouth.
AIR WAR
Cambrai: Only limited air operations until December 6, with 3 German aircraft shot down (2 by McCudden), 3 British with 2 missing.
Captain Tunstill's Men:
The whole of 69th Brigade moved to take up the defence of the right sector of the lines on the Montello. Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 28th November) noted in his diary, “Brigade start point 9.45am at junction of roads from Biadene and Edifizio (just north of Barcon). Saw Brigade march past in Montebelluna. Italian soldiers were very interested. Halted about 12 noon on bank of canal, south side of Montello hill. Each unit opposite its roads. Passed over the hill during afternoon in fog and relieved 135th Italian Regiment. Relief complete about 9pm”. 10DWR would be in support positions along the military road on the crown of the hill between roads 12 and 13; 11West Yorks. and 8Yorks. went into the front line and 9Yorks. remained in reserve at Venegazzu.
The Montello is a prominent hill on the southern bank of the Piave River. The river generally ran south-easterly from the Alps, but turned east to flow along the northern flank of the Montello. The hill itself was seven miles from east to west and a maximum of four miles from north to south, with a highest point of 800 feet. Much of the hill was covered in vineyards, with some maize, wheat and tobacco and copses of trees. It was also dotted with natural circular depressions – some of them 100 yards across and 50 to 60 feet deep; many of these would be used to site artillery positions. The hill was crossed by 21 roads running from north to south and there were also lateral roads on the river bank (known as the Cliff Road); the military road on the reverse slope of the crown of the hill and the Volpago-Montebelluna road on the southern edge.
The Piave River ran in as many as ten channels, mostly fast-flowing. On the far bank, at a distance of 1-2,000 yards was the Austrian line, to a depth of around four miles; situated on a plain covered with trees and vines and backed by low hills, though the hills were closer on the east at False di Piave and on west at Vidor.
The sector taken over by 23rd Division from 70th Italian Division comprised of the western half of the Montello and a narrow strip of the plain further west; giving a front line 7-8,000 yards. The line was to be held with two brigades; each brigade would have two battalions in the line, one in support and one in reserve. The third brigade would remain in Divisional reserve near Montebelluna, which was the base for Divisional HQ.
This was generally considered a quiet sector with commanding views from the Montello to the north. Strong defences had been constructed by the Italians with three lines of trenches parallel to the river, reinforced with machine gun posts and dugouts. Company and Battalion HQs were mainly in intact houses, and the trench stores taken over from the Italians included barrels of wine. The Italians had tended to hold their front line in strength, in contrast to the pattern of defence in depth which the British had adopted in France. Consequently, a reorganisation was soon underway. The new scheme had lines of lewis gun positions on the lower slopes of the hill, with machine guns on middle and upper slopes, supported also by trench mortars. The front line would be only lightly held by infantry patrols, which would be strengthened at night. Much work would also be done on new dugouts, machine gun and trench mortar posts. The work was relatively easy on the Montello, as the ground was easy to excavate and there was ready supply of timber available. However, on the flat gravel on the left flank tunnelling was to prove impossible and so reinforced concrete defences were put in place.
Night patrols would be sent out from the outset – crossing the stream and examining Austrian positions. It was found easy enough to cross the river and they seldom met any of the enemy although they sometimes went as far as 800 yards into enemy lines.
Pte. Harold Charnock (see 29th November) remembered that, “The whole “Our area was between roads 12 and 13. The men were in Italian bivouac shelter tents and shelter trenches were at once begun. The Montello was covered with trenches, dug by the Italians, generally well wired but often poorly sited. There were two or three miserable cottages that were selected for Headquarters, being particularly full of rats, whose numbers easily rivalled those of Flanders though they were less corpulent. Owing to their numbers and the lavish way in which fond mothers fed their young our first night on the Montello was much disturbed. The following day, however, some Italian gunners vacated a far better house in our area in which we contrived to be more comfortable. A rifle range and bayonet fighting course were made. Officers and NCOs reconnoitred the front line and a certain amount of training in hill warfare was accomplished. The transport lines were near Venegazzu, just south of the Montello. Our time here was most quiet.”
Capt. William Norman Town (see 27th November) remembered that, “A couple of short marches took us to the top of Montello, a curious hill – from a distance a long whale back; close to, a steep hillside pitted all over like giant shell holes, hollows with no outlet and yet no water lying in them. Here, at 1,000 feet above sea level we shivered at night in Italian shelter-tents and, in the day practiced hill warfare or worked on the rifle range, being in Brigade support. Far away in the early sun the towers and lagoons of Venice glistened and, down the lower Piave at night, we saw the Austrian heavy shells burst”.
Attachment 237255
December 3rd 1917
Attachment 237256
Arthur Moore Lascelles VC MC (12 October 1880 – 7 November 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross.
Attachment 237257
He was 37 years old, and an acting captain in the 3rd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, British Army, attached to 14th Battalion during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 3 December 1917 at Masnieres, France, during a very heavy bombardment Captain Lascelles, although wounded, continued to encourage his men and organize the defence until the attack was driven off. Shortly afterwards the enemy attacked again and captured the trench, taking several prisoners. Captain Lascelles at once jumped onto the parapet and followed by his 12 remaining men rushed across under very heavy machine-gun fire and drove over 60 of the enemy back. Later the enemy attacked again and captured the trench and Captain Lascelles, who later managed to escape in spite of having received two further wounds. He was killed in action, Fontaine-au-Bois, France, on 7 November 1918.
Henry James Nicholas VC MM (11 June 1891 – 23 October 1918) was a New Zealand recipient of the Victoria Cross
Attachment 237258
Nicholas was born in Lincoln, near Christchurch in New Zealand on 11 June 1891. He was educated at schools in Christchurch, first at Christchurch Normal School and later at Christchurch East School. After completing his schooling, he was apprenticed to become a builder.
In February 1916, Nicholas enlisted in the New Zealand Military Forces, giving his occupation as a carpenter. He embarked for Europe three months later with the 13th Reinforcements to join the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in France. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment with the rank of private. Nicholas was involved in an attack on Polderhoek Chateau on 3 December 1917. The chateau was atop the Polderhoek Spur, which overlooked the trenches occupied by the 2nd Infantry Brigade, to which Nicholas's battalion was subordinate. The Canterbury and Otago battalions attacked midday but was slowed by heavy machine-gun fire. It was then that Nicholas performed the actions that led to the award of the Victoria Cross (VC). His VC citation read as follows:
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack. Private Nicholas, who was one of a Lewis gun section, had orders to form a defensive flank to the right of the advance, which was checked by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from an enemy strong-point. Whereupon, followed by the remainder of his section at an interval of about 25 yards, Private Nicholas rushed forward alone, shot the officer in command of the strong-point, and overcame the remainder of the garrison of sixteen with bombs and bayonets, capturing four wounded prisoners and a machine-gun. He captured this strong-point practically single-handed, and thereby saved many casualties. Subsequently, when the advance reached its limit, Private Nicholas collected ammunition under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire. His exceptional valour and coolness throughout the operations afforded an inspiring example to all.
— The London Gazette, No. 30472, 11 January 1918
The advance resumed but ground to a halt 150 yards (140 m) short of the chateau where the New Zealanders established a new front line. During this phase, Nicholas moved along the lines, collecting and distributing ammunition. What was left of the Canterbury and Otago battalions was relieved on 5 December 1917. The award of the VC to Nicholas was gazetted in January 1918. He was presented with his VC by King George V at an investiture at Buckingham Palace in July 1918, having been promoted to sergeant the previous month. During the Hundred Days Offensive Nicholas won the Military Medal (MM) for actions performed in late September to early October during operations on Welsh and Bon Avis Ridges. On 23 October 1918, he was performing guard duty at a bridge near Le Quesnoy when a German patrol encountered his position. He was killed during the ensuing exchange of gunfire. He was buried in the Vertigneul Churchyard on 29 October 1918.The award of his MM was gazetted in March 1919, and the citation made note of his "fearless leadership and contempt for danger".
Attachment 237259
A bronze statue with biographical details of Nicholas was erected on the banks of the Avon River on 7 March 2007, near the Bridge of Remembrance. Mark Whyte from Lyttelton was the sculptor of the statue. In September 2008, a plaque in memory of Sergeant Nicholas was unveiled by the community of Zonnebeke and the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels, near Geluveld, just south west of the area where Nicholas won the VC.
Western Front
Cambrai: British withdraw from La Vacquerie and bridge*head over canal east of Marcoing.
The Action on the Polderhoek Spur (3 December 1917), was a local operation in the Ypres Salient, by the British Fourth Army (re-named from the Second Army on 8 November) against the German 4th Army during the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium during the First World War. Two battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Brigade of the New Zealand Division attacked the low ridge, from which German observers could view the area from Cameron Covert to the north and the Menin road to the south-west. A New Zealand advance of 600 yd (550 m) on a 400 yd (370 m) front, would shield the area north of the Reutelbeek stream from German observers on the Gheluvelt spur further south.
Heavy artillery bombarded the ruins of Polderhoek Château and the pillboxes in the grounds on 28 and 30 November as howitzers fired a wire cutting bombardment. The attack on 3 December was made in daylight as a ruse, in the hope that the unusual time would surprise the German defenders, who would be under cover sheltering from the bombardments being fired at the same time each day. The British planned smoke and gas bombardments on the Gheluvelt and Becelaere spurs on the flanks and the infantry attack began at the same time as the "routine" bombardment. The ruse failed, some of the British artillery-fire dropped short on the New Zealanders and the Germans engaged the attackers with small-arms fire from Polderhoek Spur and Gheluvelt ridge. A strong west wind ruined the smoke screens and the British artillery failed to suppress the German machine-guns, which forced the attackers under cover. New Zealand machine-gunners then repulsed a counter-attack by German parties advancing along the Becelaere road. The New Zealanders were 150 yd (140 m) short of the first objective but another attempt after dark was cancelled because of the full moon and sight of German reinforcements reaching Polderhoek Château. On 4 December, German troops assembling for another counter-attack were dispersed by British artillery-fire and German artillery bombarded the captured area all day. The New Zealanders consolidated the new trench line during the night and a German counter-attack at dawn on 5 December was repulsed. The New Zealanders handed over to the IX Corps and went into reserve as the Germans used an observation balloon accurately to direct the German guns. A German attack later in the day was stopped by artillery-fire but on 14 December, the ground was re-captured by a German counter-attack.
Ypres: British gains southwest of Polygon Wood. Haig warns his army commanders: ‘… situation on the Russian and Italian fronts … the paucity of reinforcements which we are likely to receive will in all probability necessitate adopting a defensive attitude for the next few months. We must be prepared to meet a strong and sustained hostile offensive’. The British gain ground south-west of Polygon Wood (Ypres) while withdrawing at La Vacquerie and east of Marcoing. The Germans exchange this territorial loss for a sweep of land to the south of Welsh ridge
Middle East
Palestine: British 74th Division battalion (286 casualties) takes but loses Beit-Ur-el Foka.
Mesopotamia – Third Action of Jebel Hamrin: Egerton’s 20,000 men with 116 guns and Colonel Bicharakov’s 1,000 Cossacks advance against 4,400 Turks with 34 guns, occupy Sakaltutan Pass on December 4, take Kara Tepe on December 5, inflict 542 Turk casualties for 219.
Attachment 237261
Men of the 1/5th Battalion of the Buffs (East Kent Regiment) passing over the Jebel Hamrin ( Palestine), December 1917.
Armenia: War Cabinet decide to meet ‘any reasonable demands for money from Russian Caucasus Army.’
Attachment 237260
Turkish field artillery, equipped with German 75mm howitzers, fires at British positions in Palestine.
Eastern Front
Russia: Bolshevik mob murders General Dukhonin at Mogilev Station. Mannerheim passes through to Finland hours later. Brest*-Litovsk talks begin between Russia and all Central Powers.
CIGS cables General Ballard (Liaison Officer with Rumanian Army) to finance Kaledin ‘up to any figure necessary’.
Rumania*: Russian C-in-C General Shcherbachev informs King Ferdinand of Mackensen’s ceasefire approaches.
Southern Fronts
Trentino: 213 Austrian guns and mortars heavily bombard (mainly gas shell) Mt.Sisemol* to Mt.Badenecche until December 4.
Home Fronts
USA: War Savings and Thrift stamps go on sale.
Italy*: Compulsory food rationing begins in Rome.
Britain: *Voluntary food ration scale issued for all under 18. 4 German PoWs briefly escape from Farnbor*ough.
France: 7,000 strikers close Saint*-Etienne munitions factory until December 5.
The War in the Air
RFC Communiqué number 116:
The weather was fine and visibility good and a large amount of reconnoitring, photographic and artillery work was done.
Thirteen reconnaissances were carried out, two by the 2nd Brigade and nine by the 3rd, while five contact patrols were done by the 2nd Brigade and 12 by the 3rd Brigade. Machines of the 9th Wing carried out two successful reconnaissances of aerodromes in the neighbourhood of Courtrai and Phalempin.
With aeroplane observation, 29 hostile batteries were snccessfully engaged for destruction and 15 neutrulized; one gun pit was destroyed, 12 damaged, 14 explosions and 12 fires caused.
One hundred and thirty-nine zone calls were sent down of which 115 were by the 2nd Brigade.
Over 3,000 rounds were fired from low altitudes ground targets and 887 plates were exposed.
Bombing – 1st Brigade: No 2 Squadron dropped 13 25-lb bombs on various targets.
2nd Brigade: No 57 Squadron dropped 51 25-lb bombs on various targets, including Gheluwe and hostile batteries, and Camels of No 70 Squadron dropped 34 25-lb bombs on Gheluwe, hostile batteries and moving targets on the Ypres - Menin road, in order to assist the infantry in their attack on Polderhoek Chateau.
Twenty-two 25-lb bombs were dropped on various targets by Corps Squadrons.
3rd Brigade: Six 25-lb bombs were dropped on various targets.
9th Wing: No 27 Squadron attacked Honnecourt on which seven 112-lb bombs were dropped. Thirty 25-lb bombs were also dropped on Crevecoeur by machines of the Same squadron.
No 25 Squadron dropped eight 112-lb bombs on Menin railway station and four 112-lb bombs on Crevecoeur.
Observation of results was difficult owing to ground haze.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to the very unfavourable weather conditions, low attached clouds, and high wind, no war work could be carried out.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was below normal except on the Third Army front where it was great.
Capt P Huskinson, 19 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Menin at 12:15/13:15 - Capt P Huskinson, No 19 Squadron, fought an Albatross Scout and shot it down out of control
Sergt F Johnson & 2nd-Lieut S H P Masding, 20 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Wervicq at 12:15/13:15 - Sergt P Johnson and 2nd-Lieut S Masding, No 20 Squadron, encountered eight enemy machines over Wervicq when with the rest of their patrol. This pilot and Observer shot down one of their opponents completely out of control
Lieut S A Oades & 2/AM J H Jones, 22 Sqn, two-seater in flames north of Roulers at 15:20/16:20 - shot down one EA which appeared to fall in flames.
Casualties
Lieut L R Titchener (Killed) & Sub-Lieut HK Johnstone (Killed), 22 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7230 - collided with A7268 on offensive patrol
2nd-Lieut F A Biner (Killed) & 98079 1/AM D W Clement (Killed), 22 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7268 - collided with A7230 on offensive patrol
2nd-Lieut A F Goodchap (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut A H Middleton (Pow), 22 Sqn, Bristol F.2B B1153 – took off 10:10/11:10 and last seen at 5,000 feet this side of Ypres going down apparently with engine trouble on offensive patrol; Uffz Rudolf Bessel, SS30 ?
2nd-Lieut W Bevan (Kia) & Lieut F B Gloster (Kia), 20 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7141 – took off 11:25/12:25 and last seen north of Hollebeke at 12:10/13:10 on offensive patrol
A total of 10 British Airmen were lost on this day
Attachment 237262
Attachment 237263
The following aces made claims on this day
Eugen Bönsch Austro-Hungarian Empire #4
Stefan Fejes Austro-Hungarian Empire #6
William Barker Canada #5 #6
Attachment 237264
The son of Mrs. George Barker, of Rathwell, Manitoba, William George Barker left high school in Dauphin to enlist in the Canadian Mounted Rifles in December 1914. He spent eight months in the trenches before he received a commission in the Royal Flying Corps in April 1916. After starting out as a mechanic, he qualified as an observer in August 1916 and shot down his first enemy aircraft from the rear seat of a B.E.2d. Posted to England in November 1916, he soloed after 55 minutes of dual instruction and received a pilot's certificate in January 1917. A month later, he was back in France flying an R.E.8 until wounded by anti-aircraft fire on 7 August 1917. When he recovered, he served as a flight instructor before returning to combat duty in France.
In November 1917, his squadron was reassigned to Italy where Barker's Sopwith Camel became the single most successful fighter aircraft of the war. Logging more than 379 hours of flight time, Barker shot down 46 enemy aircraft before Camel #B6313 was retired from service and dismantled on 2 October 1918. That month, he assumed command of the air combat school at Hounslow. Deciding he needed to brush up on air combat techniques for his new assignment, Barker joined 201 Squadron for ten days in France. During that time, he saw no action and was about to return to England when he decided to make one more excursion over the front. On 27 October 1918, alone and flying a Sopwith Snipe, he encountered sixty Fokker D.VIIs flying in stepped formation. In an epic battle with Jagdgeschwader 3, Barker shot down four enemy aircraft despite appalling wounds to both legs and his elbow. Fainting from pain and loss of blood, he managed to crash land his Snipe within the safety of the British lines. For his actions that day, Barker received the Victoria Cross (VC). He remains the most decorated serviceman in Canadian history.
His personal Sopwith Camel (serial no. B6313) is the single most successful fighter aircraft in the history of the RAF, Barker having used it to shoot down 46 aircraft and balloons from September 1917 to September 1918, for a total of 404 operational flying hours.
Patrick Huskinson England #4
Frank Johnson England #6
Stanley Henry Percy Masding England #1
A Brisfit pilot - Seconded on 22 December 1917, with seniority from 4 November 1917, Lt. Stanley Henry Percy Masding, Mon. R., T.F.
Edmond Eugene Henri Caillaux France #1
Attachment 237265
Caillaux joined the army on 17 November 1917 and served as a driver in the service corps before joining an artillery regiment. On 29 February 1916 he transferred to the air service and received his pilot's brevet (4646) on 22 May 1916. Assigned to Escadrille N48 on 28 April 1917, he scored at least five victories by the end of the year.
Jacques Victor Sabattier de Vignolle France #1
Hermann Leptien Germany #1
Giovanni AncillottoItaly #6
William Thaw USA u/c
Captain Tunstill's Men:
2Lt. Bernard Garside left his home in Skipton to travel by train to London on the start of a journey which would see him join 10DWR. He was 19 years old, the son of a policeman, and had been a member of the OTC at Leeds University before being called up for officer training in June 1917. He had been commissioned in September 1917. Garside would, many year later, write an extended account of his service with 10DWR which throws fascinating light the Battalion’s time in Italy. The account was written expressly for his young nephews and nieces and the language and phrasing he uses often reflects his audience. He described his posting to the Regiment and his journey to Italy:
“In October (1917) I was sent to North Shields, near Newcastle, where the Depot of the Duke of Wellington’s was and where they prepared drafts to reinforce the different Battalions of the Regiment abroad. I was only there a short time and the chief thing I remember was going through an underground trench full of deadly poison gas – in our gas masks of course. I was a little scared at first, but we soon learnt to trust our masks and that was why they had us do it.
Some orders came for us to report at Folkestone to go to the French front and I came home for a very short leave. I spent part of it with your (now) Auntie May (May Preston, Garside’s sweetheart and future wife) and part with Grandpa and Grandma, your Mummy and Uncle Stanley (Garside’s parents and siblings). How sad it was, but we all tried our best to be cheerful and we all went on a long, beautiful walk by the Wharfe from Barden to Grassington, one I’m sure your Mummy and Daddy have taken you.
Soon, the time came to go. I caught a train coming from Scotland in the middle of the night – going to London. Grandpa and Grandma came with me and the station was deadly quiet – I don’t think more than one person was on it. We were all brave, especially Grandma, and soon I had left them standing on the cold platform staring into the night as I took my place in a crowded carriage. I only remember getting to London and going to Waterloo Station for the Folkestone train, but I rather think there was an air raid as I went across and I sheltered in a tube tunnel. However, I was feeling so lonely and homesick and you see I am not quite certain. I do remember that in the train going out of Waterloo a kind old Colonel sitting next to me said, “Cheer up my boy; I have a son like you and he felt very bad, but you’ll soon cheer up”. He was quite right. I did soon after we crossed to France from Folkestone to Boulogne. But, oh dear! I felt most miserable of all at Folkestone, waiting for the boat to take me away from dear old England and everyone, for I had never left England before. I walked on the cliffs and could have cried and cried, only I remembered I was an officer whom the King called his ‘well-beloved Bernard Garside’ and thought how silly it would be (You see your Commission from the King, a big sheet of writing, begins, ‘To my trusty and well-beloved Bernard Garside’).
Well, we landed at Boulogne and were taken in a lorry to Etaples and fixed up in a tent in the middle of a huge camp there. I don’t need to tell you much about the few days we spent there waiting to go ‘up the line’ to the awful Ypres Salient. For at the end of that time we were lined up one day and all those whose names began with the letters down to a certain letter of the alphabet were told they were to go to Italy, where the British and French had sent help to the Italians who had just suffered a big defeat. ‘G’ was one of the letters and I and others were sent off to Havre which was the base camp for Italy. We travelled very slowly by train and I walked part of the way alongside it – you could often do that.
Oh how cold it was at Havre. We were under canvas and each morning there was thick ice on our washing water. But soon we were off again and were about a week on the train I think. We just touched Paris and went through Lyons and then straight over the Alps and through the famous Mont Cenis tunnel. Or am I getting mixed up and we went by the loved Mediterranean Coast? You see I travelled to Italy again later, when I had been on leave and I get the two journeys a bit mixed up in my mind. But it doesn’t matter. One journey was over the Alps and the other by the coast where we could see the great blue Mediterranean and fruit tree groves – oranges I think.
Anyway presently we stopped at an awful place called Arquata Scrivia, the advanced base camp. It was a great puddle of mud and snow mixed, until a great pile of snow fell and covered the mud for a while. We were in tents and it was so cold we stayed in bed – in our valises on the floor – all the time except when we had a duty to do or had to go and eat. Our mess tent had a great tarpaulin as a carpet and I remember us laughing because when we stamped in one place, it squelched all the mud away from there and the ‘carpet’ rose up somewhere not far from the place you had stamped on. We spent Christmas there and taught an Italian woman in a village near how to make a Christmas pudding.
We soon went away, on and on towards the fighting and my chief woe on the way up was that I managed to get a jar of jam and put it under the seat and someone ‘pinched’ it. Travelling for days in a troop train was queer. Sometimes it was funny. I remember we slept two on each seat and two on the floor. And the first night I forgot this and I woke up on my seat and felt so very cold, so I thought I would stand up and put my foot down. I was in my stocking feet – straight into a man’s mouth. He let out such a whoop and woke everyone”.
The War at Sea
S.S. Dowlais , a defensively armed ship of 3016 tons, was built in Middlesborough in 1904 and based at Cardiff. She was torpedoed without warning by the German Submarine UB 48 off Cap de Fer, Algeria in the Mediterranean. The ship was on route from Greece for Bona and onto the Clyde carrying a cargo of copper ore. The Master and 25 crew lost. She had been the subject of a salvage claim by the HM Tug Sprite in May 1917 in Scottish waters.
Attachment 237279
4th December 1917
Cambrai – Battle of Bourlon Wood ends: British obliged to evacuate salient (night December 4-5 til 7) by threat of renewed German attacks, and loathsome conditions created by unburied corpses, clouds of poison gases and pools of stagnant water.
Attachment 237286
The Battle of Cambrai was full of obstacles for the Tank Corps, not least Bourlon Wood and the shooting box.
Attachment 237280
No matter where you stand on the Cambrai battlefield you are aware of Bourlon Wood. Like some dark cloud massing on the skyline it seems to brood over the entire scene, gloomy and menacing. It is said that when Field Marshal Haig was pouring over the map of the proposed battlefield he put his finger on Bourlon Wood and said “that is where you will get your trouble” and he was right. In fact Bourlon Wood was a hunting reserve, comprising dense undergrowth amongst the trees separated by rides, or tracks, passing through the wood in all directions; here the elite would gather to massacre the game birds and somewhere near the centre was an ornate hunting lodge, known as the shooting box to the British Army. The wood was quite heavily defended by the Germans and it’s an easy place to lose one’s bearings in. The British captured it towards the end of the battle although it was always a difficult place to fight in, with men and guns easily able to hide in the undergrowth to catch the unwary. Bourlon Wood was attacked on 23 November 1917 by infantry and tanks trying to get right through the wood to Bourlon village on the other side. By this time many of the tanks were almost worn out and their crews weary, so composite companies were formed from tanks that were still going.
Attachment 237281
One tank, a female Mark IV named GHURKA, belonging to No. 21 Company in G Battalion, was knocked out some distance from the shooting box but the two that really interest us are F6 FEU D’ARTIFICE (French for firework) and G21 GRASSHOPPER, female and male tanks respectively that appear to have been blown apart right in front of the shooting box. We don’t know the names of any of their crews, or even the tank commanders, so we can’t say if any survived or whether they escaped to fight again, or indeed whether any of them qualified for gallantry awards, but the two tanks, shattered right in front of the shooting box are an iconic sight.
Attachment 237282
Today the shooting box is gone, only the foundations remain. The tanks themselves were broken up later in the war and taken away for scrap and only a few small pieces remain. Local historians Jean-Luc Gibot and Philippe Gorczynski found one of the side doors from F6 a few years ago. Anyone visiting the site today would need to know what they are looking for; the tanks are gone and even the foundations of the ‘shooting box’ are so overgrown that they are not easy to find.
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Trentino: Scheuchenstuel’s Eleventh Army (35 battalions) eliminates Mts Meletta*-Badenecche salient northeast of Asiago in 4 hours, taking 16,000 PoWs, 90 guns and 200 MGs until December 5, helped by inadequate Italian gas masks and incompetent General Armani (later sacked); Italian 29th Division destroyed.
The 11th and 14th British Corps take over from the Italians the Montello sector of the Piave River front, with the French on their left. The Montello sector acts as a hinge to the entire Italian line, joining that portion facing north from Mt. Tomba to Lake Garda with the defensive line of the Piave River covering Venice, which is held by the Third Italian Army. The British troops in this sector will not be involved in any large operations, but they will carry out continuous patrol work across the Piave River, as well as much successful counter battery work. The Piave will prove to be a very serious obstacle, especially in the wintertime, the breadth opposite the British front being considerably over 1,000 yards and the current fourteen knots. Every form of raft and boat will be used, but wading will prove to be the most successful method of crossing, in spite of the icy coldness of the water.
The Eastern Front
There are minor actions north of Jaffa and on the Jerusalem road. At El Burf when Turkish soldiers in a large number manage to crawl up within 30 yards of the British firing line and with bombs and automatic rifles are keeping down the fire of the British machine-guns, Second Lieutenant Stanley Henry Parry Boughey (Royal Scots Fusiliers) dies of wounds received three days earlier performing actions for which he will be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
The War in the Air
RFC Communiqué number 117:
The weather was fine but, thick ground mist, and in the 2nd Brigade area snow prevented our machines from working freely.
Machines of the 2nd and 3rd Brigades each carried out three reconnaissances, when vauable information was obtained.
With aeroplane observation, nine hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction, four pits were damaged, one explosion and one fire caused.
Low-flying aeroplanes fired approximately 6,000 rounds at ground targets, 2,200 being by pilots of Naval Squadron No 8.
Nearly six tons of bombs were dropped by day and night as follows:
1st Brigade – No 2 Squadron dropped 88 25-lb bombs on Estevelles, Provin, Pont-à-Vendin, Annay and other targets and on the night of the 3rd/4th this squadron dropped eight 25-lb bombs on various objectives. No 18 Squadron dropped four 112-lb bombs on Moncheaux Aerodrome.
2nd Brigade - Nos 7, 9, 10, 21 and 69 Squadrons dropped 54 25-lb bombs on Comines and other targets.
3rd Brigade – No 49 Squadron a dropped 10 112-lb bombs on Marquion. Scouts dropped dropped 32 25-lb and Corps rnachines six 25-lb bombs on various targets.
9th Wing – On the night of the 3rd/4th, No 101 Squadron dropped 126 25-lb bombs on Sains-lès-Marquion and No 102 25-lb bombs on Honnecourt, four on Malincourt and four on a train north of Malincourt which was hit and fired 300 rounds at ground targets.
The majority of the pilots of these two squadrons made two trips and some three, during the night.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Visibility throughout the day was poor. No reconnaissance or bomb raids could be carried out.
Several indecisive encounters took place during the day, and on several occasions EA were driven back over their lines.
Two two-seaters and a scout were attacked single-handed over Ostende, the result was indecisive.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was slight all day and only nine combats took place.
Flt Sub-Lieut J E Greene, SDS, Balloon in flames – after destroying a balloon, he got lost in fog and running short of fuel, force landed at Pitgam [south of Grande-Synthe]
Capt W R G Pearson and 2nd-Lieut C J Howson, 32 Sqn, two-seater out of control Becelaere at 09:20/10:20 - one hostile machine was driven down out of control by Capt Pearson and 2nd-Lieut Howsam, No 22 Squadron.
Flt Lieut M H Findlay, 1N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Houthulst Forest at 11:15/12:15 - four Camels from No 1 Squadron attacked an Albatross Scout, grey in colour, over Foret d’ Houthulst. Flight Sub-Lieut Findlay fired 350 rounds into him at 25 yards range and EA fell over and side-slipped several thousand feet and then dropped into the clouds completely out of control
Flt Sub-Lieut G C Mackay and Flt Sub-Lieut J W Pinder, SDS, Aviatik C out of control Houthulst - Zarren at 15:35/16:35 - three Camels from the Seaplane Defence Squadron attacked an Aviatik two-seater near Zarren. Flight Sub-Lieut Pinder dived and opened fire at 50 yards. After the first burst, the observer in the EA stopped firing and EA did a turning dive. Flight Sub-Lieut Mackay then attacked and was fired on by the EA which then went down completely out of control. Our pilots were then driven off by seven Albatross Scouts and forced to climb into the clouds
Flt Lieut S M Kinkead, 1N Sqn, DFW C out of control south-east of Dixmude at 16:00/17:00 - Flight Lieut Kinkead sighted a two-seater DFW, S.E. of Dixmude, firing 200 rounds into him at point blank range. The EA went down in a vertical nose-dive, completely out of control
The following serial victory claims were made by aces on this day
Attachment 237283
There were ten British airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237284
Attachment 237285
POLITICS
France: Foreign Minister Pichon signs decree forming independent Czech Army.
USA: Wilson message to Congress says peace will come when German people agree to a settlement of justice and reparation. US War Trade Board blacklists 1600 German firms in Latin America.
Captain Tunstill's Men: Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
Bright and sunny, but freezing all day in the shade.
It's gone all attachment on us again Chris.
Rob.
Crap ! will sort
Seems OK now.. still a couple of bits to add, just waiting for sites to update
Attachment 237351
December 5th 1917
Well looks like I missed the large Gotha raid and the biggest man made explosion in history (until 1945) by one day, so Neil will have the delight of sharing those stories with you tomorrow.
Lets start with a little snippet from history, one of interest to those fans of the TV series 'Ripper Street' and those with a general interest in the story of 'Jack The Ripper'
Today sees the death of Edmund Reid. Detective Inspector Edmund John James Reid (21 March 1846 in Canterbury, Kent – 5 December 1917 at Herne Bay, Kent) was the head of the CID in the Metropolitan Police's H Division at the time of the Whitechapel murders of Jack the Ripper in 1888. He was also an early aeronaut. Born in Canterbury in Kent to Martha Elizabeth Olivia (née Driver) (born 1827) and John Reid (born 1818), Edmund Reid was a grocer's delivery boy in London, a pastry-cook, and a ship's steward before joining the Metropolitan Police in 1872, with the Warrant no. 56100. PC P478. Reid was then the shortest man in the force at 5 feet 6 inches tall. In 1874 he transferred to the CID as a detective in P Division, and was promoted to Third-Class Sergeant in 1878 and Detective Sergeant in 1880. Around 1877 he made the first descent from a parachute from 1,000 ft at Luton. He was awarded a gold medal in 1883 from the Balloon Association of Great Britain to commemorate his record-breaking ascent in the balloon "Queen of the Meadow" from The Crystal Palace; he had already received the Association's bronze medal. In all, he made about 23 balloon ascents. In addition, Reid held "50 Rewards and Commendations from Magistrates and High Commissioners of Justice."
In 1885 Reid was promoted to Detective Inspector and was based at Scotland Yard. In 1886, he organized the newly formed J Division's CID Department in Bethnal Green, and by the time of the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888 he was the Local Inspector and Head of the CID at H Division in Whitechapel, having been appointed in 1887, and succeeding Frederick Abberline. In 1895 he transferred to L (Lambeth) Division. Reid was "a Druid of Distinction" and was awarded the Druids Gold Medal." In addition, he reached professional standards in acting, singing and sleight of hand. The Weekly Despatch described him as "one of the most remarkable men of the century"
Attachment 237353
Detective Inspector Edmund John James Reid
Reid was the officer in charge of the enquiries into the murders of Emma Elizabeth Smith in April 1888, and Martha Tabram in August 1888, before Inspector Frederick Abberline was sent from Scotland Yard to 'H' Division in Whitechapel to co-ordinate the hunt for the killer. Reid's own theory was that the Ripper murders were committed by a drunk who lived locally, and who had no recollection of his crime. Interviewed in 1912 for Lloyd's Weekly News, he said:
"The whole of the murders were done after the public-houses were closed; the victims were all of the same class, the lowest of the low, and living within a quarter of a mile of each other; all were murdered within half a mile area; all were killed in the same manner. That is all we know for certain. My opinion is that the perpetrator of the crimes was a man who was in the habit of using a certain public-house, and of remaining there until closing time. Leaving with the rest of the customers, with what soldiers call 'a touch of delirium triangle,' he would leave with one of the women. My belief is that he would in some dark corner attack her with the knife and cut her up. Having satisfied his maniacal blood-lust he would go away home, and the next day know nothing about it." In 1903 he wrote two letters to The Morning Advertiser in which he stated that the Ripper was responsible for nine murders, that of Frances Coles being the last. He further stated that he did not believe that the Ripper was possessed of any surgical skill, holding the view that the wounds to the victims' bodies were merely slashes, inflicted even after the killer knew that the women were dead. He wrongly believed that 'at no time was any part of the body missing', and he also believed there was evidence that the Ripper's knife was blunt.
Retiring from the Metropolitan Police in 1896 aged 49 due to ill health, he became landlord of 'The Lower Red Lion' public house in Herne in Kent in March 1896, giving that up in October 1896 to set up as a private detective. In 1903 Reid moved into No. 4, Eddington Gardens at Hampton-on-Sea. He named his house Reid's Ranch, painted castellations and cannon on its side and soon became known as the eccentric champion of the Hampton-on-Sea residents, all of whom faced losing their properties due to sea erosion. His house contained a parrot and many photographs of his London cases. His garden contained a cannonball found on his property, a post from the end of the old pier and a flagpole with a union flag. From a wooden kiosk in his garden named the Hampton-on-Sea Hotel he sold soft drinks and postcards featuring himself photographed by Fred C. Palmer. The sea flowed very close to his property, and in 1915 he was the last remaining resident of Eddington Gardens and of Hampton-on-Sea. He abandoned his house in 1916 due to sea erosion, moved to nearby Herne Bay, married again in 1917 to Lydia Rhoda Halling (1867-1938) and died aged 71 on 5 December of the same year of chronic interstitial nephritis and cerebral haemorrhage. He was buried in Herne Bay Cemetery in plot J62 on 8 December 1917.
anyway back to the war...
The War in the Air
General Headquarters, December 5th.
"On the afternoon of the 5th inst. two raids were carried out by our aeroplanes into Germany. These are the first that have been possible for over a month owing to incessant bad weather. One raid was carried out on the large railway junction and sidings at Zweibrücken (17 miles east of Saarbrücken) and the other on the works of Saarbrücken. Many direct hits were observed in both cases, and two large fires were started. Hostile anti-aircraft gunfire was heavy and accurate, but all our machines returned safely."
General Headquarters, December 6th.
"On the 5th inst. there was great activity in the air on both sides. Our aeroplanes carried out a great deal of work with our artillery, as well as several long-distance reconnaissances, and took many photographs of the enemy's back areas. By day, bombs were dropped and many rounds fired from machine-guns on various ground targets. During the night of the 5th-6th inst., Gontrode aerodrome was successfully bombed, and two direct hits were obtained with heavy bombs on the enemy's aeroplane sheds. Other bombs burst among buildings around the aerodrome. In addition, bombs were also dropped on St. Denis Westrem aerodrome and Douai railway station. Fighting took place yesterday throughout the day. Four hostile machines were brought down and five others driven down out of control. One German machine was shot down in our lines by anti-aircraft gunfire. Five of our aeroplanes are missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 117:
There was heavy mist in the afternoon, but it was clear during the rest of the day.
A reconnaissance of enemy wire from height of 200 feet was carried out by Lieut Crawford and Capt Broadbent, No 2 Squadron and two enemy aerodromes were observed and photographed by other nntchines of the 1st Brigade.
Bristol Fighters of the 3rd Brigade carried out three reconnaissances and took photographs, including some of hostile aerodromes.
A successful reconnaissance was carried out by a Corps machine of the Corps front, and six counter-attack patrols were done by the 3rd Brigade.
Capt Jardine and 2nd-Lieut Bliss; No. 25 Squadron, took photographs of stations filled with rolling stock, and reconnoitred the country round Douai, Denain, Valenciennes, Lens, Bavai and Busigny.
With aeroplane observation, 44 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction, eight gun-pits were destroyed, 21 damaged, 30 explosions and 17 fires caused.
Thirteen of the batteries engaged for destruction were by artillery of the First Army which destroyed four pits, damaged nine, caused six explosions and one fire.
Twenty-one were by artillery of the Second Army which destroyed four pits, damaged five, caused 20 explosions and 13 fires, and machines of this Army reported 50 active hostile batteries by zone call.
Ten of the hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction by artillery of the Third Army which damaged seven pits, caused four explosions and three fires.
Balloons of the 2nd Brigade engaged seven targets, of which two were active hostile batteries successfully engaged for destruction.
During the day, 1,229 photographs were taken and 7,932 rounds were fired – 1,940 by the 1st, 4,612 by the 2nd, and 1,380 by the 3rd Brigade.
An enemy machine was down by anti-aircraft of the Third Army and fell in our lines and another was shot down in flames by a French pilot and fell in the Second Army area.
Bombing - 1st Brigade: No 2 Squadron dropped 12 25-lb bombs on Benifontaine, Auchy, Vendin-le-Vieil and on trenches. No 18 Squadron dropped eight 112-lb bombs on Moncheaux Aerodrome.
2nd Brigade: 123 25-lb bombs were dropped on various targets.
3rd Brigade: No 49 Squadron attacked Marquion, on which eight 25-lb bombs were dropped. Corps machines dropped six 25-lb, while Scouts dropped eight 25-lb bombs on various targets.
41st Wing: Two raids carried out into Germany in the afternoon, the first that have been possible for over a month, owing to incessant bad weather. In one raid, 12 112-lb bombs were dropped on railway sidings at Zweibrucken by No 55 Squadron 80 miles from their aerodrome, and in the second raid eight 25-lb bombs were dropped by the same squadron on the Burbach works at Saarbrücken and many direct hits were seen and two fires started. Anit-aircraft fire was heavy and accurate, but the machines were not troubled by EA. Although one or two were seen in vicinity of Saarbrücken they did not attack our machines, all of which returned safely.
Admiralty, December 6th.
"On December 5th naval aircraft carried out a bombing raid on Sparappelhoek aerodrome. Many bombs were dropped on objective and also on a train leaving Engel dump. Numerous engagements with enemy aircraft have taken place during patrols, with the result that three hostile machines have been destroyed and one driven down out of control. During December 4th also, in the course of our patrols, three enemy aircraft were shot down out of control. All our machines have returned safely."
Admiralty, December 7th.
"During December 5th and 6th bombing raids were carried out by naval aircraft on the following objectives:—Uytkerke aerodrome, St. Denis Westrem aerodrome, Engel aerodrome, Bruges dock, and various railway traffic. Bombs were observed to explode, and fire was caused amongst huts and sheds. All machines returned safely.
"In the course of the usual fighting patrols two enemy aircraft were destroyed; four more were shot down completely out of control, three of which were probably destroyed."
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
The weather was fine throughout the day, though the visibility was somewhat impeded by haze.
A special North Sea Patrol was carried out by four D.H.4’s from No 2 Squadron. Three of the machines were forced to land in England. Nothing of importance to report. No 2 Squadron also carried out a coastal reconnaissance to Zeebrugge, during this flight several combats took place.
Bombing raid by day by No 5 Squadron, D.H.4’s: Sparappelhoek Aerodrome was attacked by five machines, three others accompanying them, as escorts. Ten 50-lb and thirty-two 16-lb bombs were dropped over the target and were seen to fall near the sheds, but no direct hits were observed. Four 16-lb bombs were also dropped on a train leaving Engel dump. All machines returned safely.
During the afternoon, EA activity was above the normal.
The escort to the Reconnaissance machines was attacked by a number of EA, both scouts and two-seaters, while off Wenduyne, a running fight ensued as far as Nieuport, in the course of which one of the D.H.4’s was badly shot about.
A number of indecisive combats took place and several EA were driven back over the lines during the day. In addition, two enemy KBs were attacked without apparent result to the balloons, but in one case a parachute was seen to fall and open out.
A pilot of No 9 Squadron fired into enemy trenches E of Nieuport piers, and along the Yser canal SE of Nieuport, also at a machine gun between Westende Bains and Nieuport piers at which he fired about 150 rounds, finishing at 25 yards range. The machine gun had then ceased firing.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was marked on the Third Army front all day, but normal on other fronts.
Lieut A G D Alderson and 2nd-Lieut H M Beck, 3 Sqn, two-seater driven down (?) Awoignt
Sergt J Bainbridge & Sergt J Johnston, 22 Sqn, two-seater destroyed - Sergts J Bainbridge and J Johnston, No 22 Squadron, went up after a German two-seater rnachine seen from the ground and attacked and destroyed it.
2nd-Lieut J S Macaulay & 2nd-Lieut M F St Claire-Fowles, 25 Sqn, EA out of control – 2nd-Lieuts J Macaulay and M St Clair-Fowles, No 25 Squadron, were on a practice patrol and were attacked by three EA and in the fighting they shot one down, which fell apparently out of control
Lieut A Paul, 23 Sqn, EA out of control - drove down an EA out of control.
Flt Cdr R J O Compston and Flt Sub-Lieut A J Dixon, 8N Sqn, Rumpler C out of control Cambrai
Flt Sub-Lieut J H Thompson, 8N Sqn, Albatros out of control
Lieut J C Kirkpatrick & 2nd-Lieut W Harmer, 20 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Dadizeele at 08:45/09:45 - Lieut Kirkpatrick and 2nd-Lieut Hamer, No 20 Squadron, destroyed an Albatross Scout near Dadizelle [sic]
Capt W R G Pearson and 2nd-Lieut W A Tyrrell, 32 Sqn, two-seater out of control Becelaere at 08:55/09:55 - Capt Pearson and 2nd-Lieut Tyrrell, No 32 Squadron, attacked a two-seater, shot the observer and then shot the machine down out of control
2nd-Lieut W Beaver & AM M B Mather, 20 Sqn, Albatros C out of control Dadizeele at 09:25/10:25 - three Albatross Scouts were driven down out of control by machines of this squadron
Sergt F Johnson & Capt J H Hedley, 20 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Dadizeele at 09:25/10:25 - three Albatross Scouts were driven down out of control by machines of this squadron
more to come (Editor)
One British fighter ace was killed in a flying accident on this day
Attachment 237352
Captain Thomas Vicars "Sticky" Hunter
Thomas Vicars Hunter attended Eton and Sandhurst before joining the Rifle Brigade. He lost a leg in France when he was badly wounded in January 1915. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 4516 on 18 April 1917. Posted to 66 Squadron, he scored five victories before he was killed in a flying accident.
A total of 43 aces made claims on this very busy day across all fronts...
Franz Gräser Austro-Hungarian Empire #11
Wilfred Curtis Canada #11
George MacKay Canada #2
John MacRae Canada #2
Frank Quigley Canada #5
Stanley Rosevear Canada #9
Leslie Burbidge England #5
Robert Compston England #13
Frederick Hall England #3
Herbert Hamilton England #2
John Herbert Hedley England #1
An accountant from North Shields, John Herbert Hedley was the oldest son of Ralph and Ann Dunn (Hair) Hedley. He enlisted on 4 August 1914 and whilst serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers, he was promoted to Captain. As an observer serving with 20 Squadron, Captain Hedley scored eleven victories before he and his pilot, Captain Robert Kirby Kirkman, were captured on 27 March 1918. Their Bristol F.2b was shot down in flames near Foucaucourt by Karl Gallwitz of Jasta Boelcke. Hedley was repatriated on 13 December 1918. On 27 February 1919, Lt. (Hon. Capt.) Hedley was transferred to the unemployed list.
Hedley departed Southampton, England aboard the Red Star Line's Finland on 21 October 1920, arriving in New York ten days later. In Chicago, Illinois, on 3 May 1926, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. During World War II he was employed by the U. S. Army Air Corps in Dayton, Ohio.
Frank Johnson England #7
John Jones England #1
Robert Kirkman England #4
James Thomas Byford McCudden England #24
Attachment 237354
Sydney Oades England #2
John Paynter England #2
William Reginald Guy Pearson England #7
John Pinder England #6
Wilfred Sneath England #1
While serving with 1 Naval Squadron, Sneath was injured in a crash on 11 October 1917. Posted to 8 Naval Squadron in 1917, he scored 5 victories flying the Sopwith Camel. Sneath was killed in action, shot down in flames near Lens by Jasta 59.
Francis Williams England #2
Henri Hay de Slade France #5
Andre Herbelin France #7
Marcel Hugues France #8
Pierre Marinovitch France #2
Karl Jentsch Germany #7
Attachment 237349
Willi Kampe Germany #5
Egon Koepsch Germany #1
Attachment 237361
Wounded in action on 26 February 1918, Koepsch scored all 9 victories whilst serving with Jasta 4. Among his opponents was Kenneth Junor of 56 Squadron and John Doyle of 60 Squadron. In the 1930s, Doyle wrote about his experiences during the war and claimed that Koepsch shot him down and then proceeded to strafe him on the ground.
Otto Könnecke Germany #11
Fritz Loerzer Germany #7
Otto Löffler Germany #1
Löffler transferred to the German Air Force and was assigned to Jasta Boelcke in the fall of 1917. Flying the Fokker D.VII and the Fokker DR.I, he was shot down twice and scored 15 victories by the end of the war. During World War II, his son Kurt scored 26 victories and became an ace while serving with JG 51.
Karl Menckhoff Germany #17
Max von Müller Germany #34
Marat Schumm Germany #2
Ernst Udet Germany #16
Attachment 237355
Maurice Lea Cooper Ireland #1
Attachment 237356
Maurice Lea Cooper joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 29 April 1917 and received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 5024 on 16 July 1917. Flying Sopwith Camels, he scored 6 victories before he was killed in action while bombing a train
Guy Price Ireland #1 #2
Flight Sub-Lt. Guy William Price received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 987 on a Grahame-White biplane at the Grahame-White School, Hendon on 9 December 1914. Having scored twelve victories flying the Sopwith Camel, he was killed in action while strafing enemy positions. His Sopwith Camel was shot down by Theodor Rumpel of Jasta 23.
Walter Tyrrell Ireland #5
Giovanni Ancillotto Italy #7
Ernesto Cabruna Italy #2
Silvio Scaroni Italy #4
Malcolm Brown Mather Scotland #2
Wilfred Beaver USA #3
Charles Biddle USA #1
Having graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1914, Charles John Biddle was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar and was employed by the law firm of Drinker, Biddle and Reath before crossing the Atlantic to enlist in the French Foreign Legion on 13 April 1917. He soon transferred to the French aviation service and after training at Avord, Pau and Le Plessis-Belleville, he was posted to Escadrille N73 on 28 July 1917. In January 1918 he transferred to the United States Signal Corps, Aviation Section, receiving a Captain's commission on 12 January 1918. Assigned to the 103rd Aero Squadron on 14 February, he was wounded in action on 15 May 1918 near Dunkerque. On 22 June 1918 he transferred to the 13th Aero Squadron. On 25 October 1918 he assumed command of the 4th Pursuit Group and was promoted to Major on 1 November 1918. On 19 December he returned to the United States where he was assigned to the Air Service Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on 1 January 1919. Biddle was discharged from the army on 25 January 1919.
Post-war he wrote "The Way of the Eagle." Biddle died at "Andalusia," the family estate on the Delaware River in lower Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania.
Attachment 237357
Citations:
Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Charles John Biddle, Captain (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the region of Damvillers, France, September 26, 1918. During an engagement between 11 Spads and 12 enemy Fokkers, Captain Biddle, perceiving a comrade in distress from the attack of two planes, dived upon them and by his fire forced them to withdraw. His prompt action saved the life of his comrade, who was in imminent danger of being shot to the ground.
For extraordinary heroism in action on 12 April 1918 near Corbeny, France, and on 15 May 1918, near Ypres, Belgium. Captain Biddle has daily shown himself an excellent and remarkable example of courage, energy and skill, leading his pilots to the attack at every opportunity and making his flight a most efficient one. On 12 April, he attacked and destroyed an enemy two-seater which crashed between the trenches at Corbeny. On 15 May, while leading his patrol, he attacked, at very low altitude and far within the enemy lines, an enemy two-seater, killing the observer and forcing him down. A few minutes later he engaged a second enemy plane at very close range. Wounded in his leg, his plane and motor riddled, Captain Biddle was forced to land in 'No Man's Land' less than 70 yards from the German trenches in the region of Ypres. With remarkable courage and presence of mind and despite his wound, he detached himself from his smashed machine and made his way from shell hole under intense artillery, machine gun and rifle fire, to an advanced British Observation post.
Pilot of marvelous spirit. Attacked two enemy two-seaters successfully behind their lines, probably shooting down the first. Wounded and disabled in the course of the second combat, by sheer strength he succeeded in landing in no man's land and after passing the day in a shell hole, by night he got back to the Allied trenches.
On this busy day 11 British airmen were lost
Attachment 237358Attachment 237359
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Trentino: Conrad drives towards Foza, but delayed by Bersaglieri and Alpini troops rearguard.
Attachment 237360
Field marshal Conrad von Hoetzendorf inspecting troops on the Trentino Front.
MIDDLE EAST
Palestine: First British trains reach Ramleh. Mott’s Detachment occupies Hebron, 17 miles south of Jerusalem.
HOME FRONTS
Portugal: Major Paes with 1,500 men overthrow Democrat Government until December 8 after 1,350 casualties. Paes Prime Minister, War and Foreign Minister on December 11 and Provisional President of New Republic on December 28.
Germany*: U-boat office opens in Berlin.
AFRICA
Mocambique: Lettow sends Captain Kohl’s 5 coys with the gun east from Nanguari to Mwalia-Medo district, keeping in touch by relay
And yet more attachment itis.
Rob.
Fixed
All you need is this extra agro Chris.:(
Rob.
We get there in the end
James Samuel Emerson VC (1895 – 1917) was was born 3 August 1895 in the village of Collon, County Louth in what is now the Republic of Ireland, to John and Ellen Emerson. When he was 22 years old, and a temporary second lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Tyrone Volunteers, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 6 December 1917, on the Hindenburg Line north of La Vacquerie, France. He died in action that same day.
For repeated acts of most conspicuous bravery. He led his company in an attack and cleared 400 yards of trench. Though wounded, when the enemy attacked in superior numbers, he sprang out of the trench with eight men and met the attack in the open, killing many and taking six prisoners. For three hours after this, all other Officers having become casualties, he remained with his
company, refusing to go to the dressing station, and repeatedly repelled bombing attacks. Later, when the enemy again attacked in superior numbers, he led his men to repel the attack and was mortally wounded. His heroism, when worn out and exhausted from loss of blood, inspired his men to hold out, though almost surrounded, till reinforcements arrived and dislodged the enemy.
— The London Gazette, 12 February 191
Today we lost: 671
· Multiple Albert Medal winnersToday’s losses include:
· A Victoria Cross winner
· The son of a member of the clergy
· A 10-victory ace
· The son of an Alderman and Justice of the Peace
· A Sunday school teacher and Scout Master
· Multiple families that will lose two son the Great War· Captain Francis Eyton Spurling (Rifle Brigade) is killed at age 32. He is the son of the Reverend Canon Frederick William Spurling.
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
· Lieutenant Russell Winnicott MC (Devonshire Regiment attached Royal Flying Corps) is accidentally killed at age 19 at Cambrai. The 10-victory ace is the son of Alderman Richard Weeks Winnicott JP.
· Second Lieutenant William Henry Achurch (Warwickshire Regiment) is killed at age 25. He was a Sunday school teacher and Scout Master.
· Second Lieutenant Herbert Horace Jarrett (North Staffordshire Regiment) dies of wounds received two days prior at age 29. While overseeing the repair of some trenches that had been damaged by shell fire he was shot in the back by a sniper. His mother and fiancée traveled to France but arrive at the hospital three hours after he has been buried and so are only able to pay their respects at this grave side. His brother will be killed in August 1918.
· Private Sydney Pearce Longfield (London Regiment) is killed at age 21. His brother was killed in December 1915.
· Private Thomas Golding (Veterinary Corps) is killed on Salonika at age 39. His brother was killed on Gallipoli in January 1916.
· Private Walter Edworth (King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry) is killed at age 25. His brother was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
· Private R J Wood (Royal Fusiliers) is killed at age 20. His brother was killed in October 1916.
Air Operations:
London and south-east counties raided by 25 aeroplanes, two brought down; eight killed, 28 injured.
In this raid by 16 Gothas and two ‘Giants’ targeted against London, the raiders changed tactics by arriving in the early hours of the morning between 2.00am and 4.30am. Of the 420 bombs traced on land, all but 28 were the new 4.5kg incendiary bombs.
The first bombs landed at Sheerness at 2.18am. Seven HE bombs dropped around Invicta Road killing four people, injuring 12 and wrecking several houses, and one in Cavour Road damaged a house considerably. Seventeen incendiaries also dropped on the town: one in Cavour Road, three in Granville Road, three in St. George’s Avenue, three at Wellmarsh Camp, three at the Royal Dockyard, four at the Dockyard Station. Three buildings and a railway carriage were damaged. The police estimated the value of damage at Sheerness at about £10,000.
A number of aircraft passed over Dover but only three HE and one incendiary bomb dropped on or near the town at around 3.35am. Two HE landed at Guston: at Connaught Barracks near Fort Burgoyne, which damaged some huts, and one in a field on Frith Farm. The other HE set fire to a paint store in the Naval Dockyard and the incendiary cut a pipeline leading to the oil tanks in the dockyard. At Margate a single incendiary dropped in Broad Street at about 3.40am without effect. Another landed at about 4.20am, setting fire to 2 Oxford Street, killing a woman and injuring another. A third attack took place around 5.00am when 27 incendiaries and an HE fell on the town of which at least seven incendiaries and the HE failed to detonate. The bombs damaged two houses and a business premises without causing any casualties. At about 3.35am a single incendiary fell at Manston airfield, followed by 16 at Garlinge and one on the promenade at Westgate. None caused any damage. About 25 minutes later an HE and incendiary fell harmlessly at Graveney. At 4.40am twelve incendiaries and three HE bombs struck Whitstable, causing damage estimated at £5 in Nelson Road, Oxford Street, Teynham Road and at the railway station. Minutes later nine incendiaries dropped at Herne Bay where they burnt out without causing damage
At about 4.30am a raid developed near Ramsgate. An HE bomb landed in a field at Minster followed by an HE and 24 incendiaries close to the coast around Pegwell Bay. The only damage (to the value of 10 shillings) was to the portico of the porter’s lodge at Westcliff Terrace on Pegwell Road.
At about 5.30am one HE and two incendiaries fell at Darenth, and another incendiary at Stone, all without effect.
In Essex at 4.35am two incendiary bombs fell either side of the AA gun at Tunnel Farm, West Thurrock, and moments later 15 incendiaries dropped on open ground just east of Purfleet where they burnt out harmlessly.
The first Gothas approached London from the south-east near Bromley. One dropped single incendiaries at Downe and at Hayes then turned away, but six aircraft made for the capital approaching on either side of the Thames. British authorities recorded 267 incendiaries and nine HE bombs falling in the London area.
Over south-west London, in Chelsea, Kensington and Westminster, about 47 incendiary bombs fell, mostly between 4.42am and 5.17am. They caused only slight damage and injured one woman. South of the Thames, 51 incendiaries and three HE bombs fell on Lambeth, Kennington, Stockwell, Battersea, Clapham, Brixton and Balham. One of the HE bombs caused serious damage around Paradise Road, Clapham, where three children were injured. Another HE bomb, in Burgoyne Road, Brixton, severely damaged five houses while an incendiary caused a serious fire at 12 Southville, Clapham, and damage at a laundry in Lawn Lane, Kennington, was estimated at £2,000. Other fires broke out in various locations but damage was generally limited.
Over south-east London, 61 incendiaries and six HE bombs fell at Sydenham, Dulwich, Lee, Brockley, Peckam, Lewisham, Blackheath, Eltham and out to Chislehurst. The first landed in Sydenham at 4.38am and the last, at Chislehurst, at 5.53am. An HE bomb in Dulwich caused serious damage to a building in College Road, killing two people and injuring a third, and in Blackheath an HE caused serious damage to Nos. 16, 37 and 55 Blackheath Park, but elsewhere the effect of the bombs was negligible.
North of the Thames bombs fell around the centre of London in Bloomsbury, Holborn, Strand, Clerkenwell, St. Pancras and the City, to the east in Finsbury, Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Stepney and Bethnal Green, and in the north to north-east at Islington, Hoxton, Dalston and Hackney. Just over 100 incendiaries fell between 5.00am and 5.30am but they caused only three major fires. One, at the junction of Worship Street and Curtain Road, north of Liverpool Street Station, caused extensive damage to business premises valued at £45,400. At 113 Whitechapel Road a bomb set fire to a clothing factory with damage estimated at £16,385, and at Henry Street, off Gray’s Inn Road, another incendiary caused £13,500 of damage to business premises. Numerous other fires broke out but damage was limited. These three fires accounted for almost 82% of the £92,257 damage caused in London during this raid.
Although no RNAS aircraft took off, the RFC flew 34 sorties but without intercepting any of the raiders. The AA guns, however, met with success. One Gotha, struck by an AA shell while over Canvey Island, made a forced landing on a golf course close to Rochford airfield. The crew survived but the aircraft was accidently set on fire by an inspecting British officer. Another Gotha, damaged by AA fire over London, made a forced landing at Sturry near Canterbury. The crew succeeded in destroying their aircraft before surrendering to local special constables. The German authorities also reported one Gotha as missing, presumably lost over the sea, and three crashed on landing in Belgium.
Caualties: 8 killed, 28 injured.
Damage: £103,408
Captain John Foster Chisholm (Royal Naval Air Service) carries out a photographic reconnaissance in the vicinity of Zeebrugge, and for the great skill and determination with which he carries out his duties at all times he will be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Flight Commander Rupert Randolph Winter achieves his fourth victory on the way to becoming a five-victory ace.
General Headquarters, December 6th.
"To-day, another successful raid was carried out by our aeroplanes into Germany. All our machines returned safely, but no further details have yet been received."
"On the 6th inst. the weather was again good and enabled our aeroplanes to continue reconnaissance and photographic work over the enemy's positions, lines of communications, and aerodromes. Hostile billets were bombed throughout the day, and a particularly successful raid was carried out against Valenciennes railway station and sidings, where fires were started. In addition, every opportunity was taken of engaging the enemy's infantry in their trenches with machine-gun fire. A great deal of fighting took place, in which five hostile machines were brought down and three others driven down out of control. One of our aeroplanes is missing."
RFC Communiqué number 117:
The weather was fine, but there was a ground mist in the afternoon.
Eighteen reconnaissances were carried out, one by the 1st Brigade, eight by the 2nd Brigade in which Nos 9, 21, 69, 10 and 57 Squadrons obtained valuable information. Four successful reconnaissances were carried out by Bristol Fighters of No 11 Squadron (3rd Brigade) who took photographs and Corps machines carried out successful reconnaissances. Two long distance reconnaissances, during which photographs were taken, were done by No 25 Squadron.
Eight hundred and twenty-nine photographs were taken during the day and 5,502 rounds fired at ground targets – 3,444 being by the 2nd Brigade.
With aeroplane observation, 38 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun-pit was destroyed, 12 damaged, 16 explosions and nine fires caused. Ten of these batteries engaged were by the First Army, 16 by the Second Army and 13 by the Third Army.
Balloons of the 2nd Brigade ranged on 54 targets which were engaged – 17 being hostile batteries. Eight of the shoots were done in conjunction with aeroplanes.
Bombing - 1st Brigade: No 18 Squadron dropped eight 112-lb bombs on Moncheaux Aerodrome and two 112-lb bombs on Billy Montigny. No 2 Squadron dropped 16 25-lb bombs on various targets.
2nd Brigade: One hundred and fifteen 25-lb bombs were dropped on various objectives. One bomb dropped by a pilot of No 21 Squadron was seen to burst on a hostile battery position.
3rd Brigade: No 49 Squadron attacked Marquion on which eight 112-lb bombs were dropped with good results. Low flying aeroplanes dropped 33 25-lb bombs and Corps machines two 25-lb bombs on trench and other targets.
9th Wing: No 25 Squadron dropped 12 112-lb bombs on Valenciennes railway station and obtained many direct hits on the line causing fires in the station, while a direct hit was also obtained on the railway bridge.
On the night of the 5th/6th, No 101 Squadron attacked Gontrode Aerodrome on which 10 112-lb bombs were dropped. Two direct hits were obtained on a large shed, while other bombs dropped amongst buildings round the aerodrome. No 102 Squadron attacked Douai station with four 112-lb bombs, and Dechy railway station with two 112-lb bombs, causing a fire and hitting the railway at the latter place.
41st Wing: Eleven machines of No 55 Squadron carried out a raid into Germany and dropped bombs on the Burbach Works, Saarbrücken. One 230-lb., 18 112-lb and eight 25-lb bombs were dropped from 13,000 feet, and fires were started in two of the factories and in the railway station, while large columns of smoke were seen to rise from the station and other buildings. After leaving the aerodrome the pilots ran into heavy clouds but succeeded in finding their objective and a large clear gap over Saarbrücken enabled them to drop their bombs with accuracy. Anti-aircraft gun-fire was heavy and accurate, and although eight EA were seen they did not attnack and all our machines returned safely.
Admiralty
"During December 5th and 6th bombing raids were carried out by naval aircraft on the following objectives:—Uytkerke aerodrome, St. Denis Westrem aerodrome, Engel aerodrome, Bruges dock, and various railway traffic. Bombs were observed to explode, and fire was caused amongst huts and sheds. All machines returned safely.
"In the course of the usual fighting patrols two enemy aircraft were destroyed; four more were shot down completely out of control, three of which were probably destroyed."
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
A successful photographic reconnaissance was carried out by No. 2 Squadron over Zeebrugge, and the coast between Blankenberghe and De Haan. Interesting photographs were obtained of two lines of buoys in the neighbourhood of the tip of the mole.
Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 7A Squadrons, H.P.s: During the evening of the 5th, five H.P.’s carried out a raid on the following objectives :
St. Denis Westrem, four 250-lb and twenty-three 112-lb.
Bruges Docks, four 250-lb and three 112-lb.
Engel Aerodrome, three 112-lb.
Various Railway Traffic, twenty-five 112-lb.
Detached clouds rendered observations very difficult, but good results seem to have been obtained on all targets. All machines returned safely.
Bombing raid by day: No 5 Squadron, D.H.4s: A raid was carried out at midday by seven bombers and three escorts on Uytkerke Aerodrome, over which the following bombs were dropped: ten 50-lb and forty 16-lb. They were seen to explode among the living quarters and huts W side of the road, one of which appeared to receive a direct hit. Other bombs burst close to sheds on E side of road, setting one on fire. All machines returned safely.
Three Camels (No 4 Squadron) went up in pursuit of an EA observed over Dunkirk. The EA was sighted off La Panne, but before our machines commenced the attack, a French or Belgian Spad closed up and opened fire, eventually driving the EA into the sea where it was seen to crash. [This perhaps relates to an action on 5 December when Sous-Lt P L M Braun of the Belgian 5me Escadrille claimed a DFW destroyed at Nieuport; Braun was flying a Spad; I have no details of Belgian or French claims in this area on 6 December].
A large number of rounds of ammunition were fired into enemy trenches during the day. Ghistelles Aerodrome, a train near St Pierre Capelle, and a “flaming onion” battery E of Nieuport were also attacked.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was not great considering the fine weather and most of the activity took place in the morning on the First Army front.
Lieut J C Kirkpatrick & 2nd-Lieut W Harmer, 20 Sqn, EA crashed – while on offensive patrol, Lieut J Kirkpatrick and 2nd-Lieut W Harmer, No 20 Squadron, met an EA which flew directly at them out of the sun. The observer (2nd-Lieut Harmer), fired a drum into the EA at close range and it turned over, fell out of control and crashed
Flt Sub-Lieut S W Rosevear, 1N Sqn, two-seater out of control Ostende at 06:25/07:25
Flt Lieut S M Kinkead, 1N Sqn, Albatros Scout (?) out of control Houthulst Forest at 06:45/07:45
Sqn Cdr R S Dallas, 1N Sqn, DFW C out of control Ostende at 07:30/08:30
During a special early patrol to intercept enemy bombers, several combats took place between pilots of No 1 Squadron and enemy machines. Flight Lieut Rosevear, DSC, encountered an EA two-seater near Ostende which was flashing a white light, after receiving 200 rounds at point blank range the EA plunged vertically downwards, completely out of control. A Gotha with lights on was attacked by another pilot, but unfortunately the latter was caught in the back-wash while coming up under his tail. After regaining control he was unable to see the Gotha. Squadron Commander Dallas, DSC, attacked a two-seater DFW near Ostende. The EA spun and fell over, the ultimate result could not be observed, however, as the pilot was attacked by six EA and was forced to retire. The DFW was very probably out of control. During this early patrol, Flight Lieut Kinkead attacked a two-seater EA at close range near Foret d’Houthulst. The EA stalled and dived vertically, but owing to the uncertain light was soon lost to view. It seems probable that the EA was completely out of control
Flt Cdr R J O Compston, Flt Cdr R B Munday, Flt Sub-Lieut W L Jordan, Flt Sub-Lieut P M Dennett and Flt Sub-Lieut E G Johnstone, 8N Sqn, DFW C out of control Hénin-Liétard at 09:00/10:00 – Sopwith Camels of Naval Squadron No 8 had several different engagements, and Flight Commander Compston assisted by other pilots drove one enemy machine down out of control
Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, Rumpler C broke up north-west of St Quentin at 10:25/11:25 - Capt J B McCudden, No 56 Squadron, saw a two-seater apparently engaged on photography over Vendelles, so manoeuvred for position and opened fire and after a short burst from both guns a lot of material resembling maps and such like, fell from the machine which fell out of control with the observer hanging over the side of the fuselage. When about 8,000 feet from tho ground the right-hand wings fell off and the wreckage fell in our lines; Uffz Karl Pohlisch & Ltn Martin Becker, FA 255
2nd-Lieut B Bate & Lieut C R H Ffolliott, 18 Sqn, Albatros C broke up Valenciennes at 10:30/11:30 - 2nd-Lieut B Bate and Lieut C FfoIliott, No 18 Squadron, were taking photographs and were approaching Valenciennes when they were attacked by a large formation of EA. After a short combat with the leading machine at close range the tail of the German machine snapped as though shot through the longerons and crashed to earth. This pilot and observer finished the photography although they had several more encounters and fired nearly 1,000 rounds at enemy machines and had 40 bullet holes through their machine.
Flt Cdr J S T Fall, 9N Sqn, DFW C crashed Moorslede at 10:30/11:30 - Flight Commander Fall, whilst on a solo Offensive Patrol, attacked a DFW (colour, mottled yellow and brown), SE of Ypres. The machine was seen to crash near Courtrai. Flight Commander Fall also observed a D.5 Albatross near Staden. Diving on him from out of the sun he delivered a surprise attack at close range. The machine was last seen still diving on its back at 1,000 feet and was therefore, most probably destroyed
Flt Cdr G W Price and Flt Sub-Lieut H Day, 8N Sqn, DFW C out of control Loison (south-east of Lens) at 10:45/11:45 - Flight Commander Price and Flight Sub-Lieut Day shot down another [two-seater] out of control; (Ok) & Ltn Max Gundel (Kia), FA 6 [?]
Flt Cdr C B Ridley, 1N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control north of Passchendaele at 11:00/12:00
Flt Lieut S M Kinkead, 1N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Passchendaele at 11:00/12:00
Five Camels of No 1 Squadron encountered a number of EA N of Passchendaele. In the general fight which followed, both Flight Commander Ridley and Flight Lieut Kinkead shot an Albatross scout down completely out of control. In both cases the machines were still out of control when within a short distance of the ground, and were, therefore, probably destroyed
Lieut S A Oades & 2/AM J H Jones, 22 Sqn, two-seater destroyed Habourdin at 11:15/12:15
2nd-Lieut W Pudney & 2nd-Lieut G S L Hayward, 22 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Habourdin at 11:15/12:15
2nd-Lieut S Oades and 2/AM J Jones, No 22 Squadron, engaged an EA which they destroyed, while 2nd-Lieuts W Pudney and G Hayward, of the same squadron, drove one down out of control
Flt Cdr R J O Compston and Flt Sub-Lieut W L Jordan, 8N Sqn, DFW C out of control Drocourt - Douai at 11:25/12:25 - in another fight he [Flight Commander Compston] and other pilots shot down a two-seater which fell hopelessly out of control into the mist; ? (Ok) & Ltn Max Gundel (Kia), FA 6 [?],
Flt Cdr J S T Fall, 9N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control west of Staden at 11:45/12:45 -
Lieut H V Puckeridge, 19 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Gheluvelt at 12:55/13:55 -
A/Flt Cdr R McN Keirstead, 4N Sqn, DFW C crashed N Nieuport Piers at 13:30/14:30 -
Lieut A F E Pitman & Lieut C W Pearson, 57 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Menin - Comines at 13:45/14:45 – Lieuts A Pitman and C Pearson, No 57 Squadron, were engagecd on photography when they saw two enemy Scouts which they attacked and shot one machine down, from which a wing was seen to fall
Flt Cdr R R Winter and Flt Sub-Lieut E M Knott, 9N Sqn, Albatros C out of control west of Courtrai at 13:45/14:45 - a flight from No 9 Squadron attacked an Albatross two-seater, W of Courtrai. The EA was followed down to 2,000 feet and shot down by Flight Lieut Winter and Flight Sub-Lieut Knott who saw it crash into the ground
Lieut E S Meek, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Westroosebeke at 13:50/14:50 – Lieut E Meek, No 29 Squadron, shot one [EA] down which he lost sight of but it was seen by other pilots to be burning on the ground afterwards
Lieut J S Ralston and Lieut R A Grosvenor, 84 Sqn, two-seater out of control Cambrai at 14:30/15:30 - a patrol of No 84 Squadron shot down an enemy machine completely out of control
Capt M Thomas, 2nd-Lieut R W Anderson and 2nd-Lieut E F H Davis, 41 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Sailly at 14:50/15:50 - another EA was driven down out of control by Capt Thomas, No 41 Squadron
Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Fontaine at 15:00/16:00
Capt O C Bryson, Lieut A B Fairclough, Lieut R G Holt and Lieut E Olivier, 19 Sqn, Albatros C out of control east of Roulers at 15:42/16:42 - ? (Ok) & Ltn Hermann Pagels (Kia), FA 238[?] [?]
Lieut F G Huxley, 68 Sqn, DFW C in flames south of Honnecourt at 15:45/16:45 - Lieut F Huxley, No 68 Squadron, (A.F.C.), was flying at about 2,000 feet when he saw two two-seater Gerrman machines below him, so dived at one and opened fire and the enemy aeroplane went down, burst into flames and crashed
Casualties
2nd-Lieut A C Ross (Wia; dow) & Lieut C W M Nosworthy (Wia; dow), 10 Sqn, AW FK8 B5774 - shot down by EA at J.13.d and too near lines to salve on artillery observation
2nd-Lieut A Bevan (Ok), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 27 B3600 - force landed at 1 Sqn due damage to longerons by AA fire on reserve patrol
Lieut Johnson (Ok), 68 Sqn, DH5 A9279 - shot about by EA on special mission Bourlon
Lieut R W McKenzie (Ok), 68 Sqn, DH5 A9544 - damaged by EA and force landed Fremicourt on special mission Bourlon
2nd-Lieut W Whittaker (Kia), 23 Sqn, Spad VII B1623 – took off 08:42/09:42 and last seen north-east of Ypres at 09:25/10:25 on reserve patrol; Ltn Josef Jacobs, Js7, 11th victory [Paschendaele at 09:35/10:35]
2nd-Lieut C S Read (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut L G H Brown (Kia), 52 Sqn, RE8 A3642 – took off 09:45/10:45 then missing on travelling flight from Bray Dunes to Izel le Hameau
2nd-Lieut D Parker (Wia) & 2nd-Lieut O I Norton (Wia), 59 Sqn, RE8 B6535 – took off 11:15/12:15 then shot down by EA north-east of Havrincourt Wood on line patrol
2nd-Lieut H A Dyer (Kia), 65 Sqn, Camel B2464 – took off 14:15/15:15 and last seen flying near Baillieul towards Armentières at 14:30/15:30 on special mission Comines – Warneton
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: 11
A Mech 2 Cameron, A. (Alexander), 31 Squadron, RFC.
Capt Capper, B.D. (Bass Durant), Headquarters, 49th Wing, RFC.
A Mech 2 Danzey, W.C. (William Charles), 7 (N) Squadron, RNAS.
Lt Nosworthy, C.W.M. (Claude William Michelin), 10 Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Portlock, A.E. (Alfred Edgar), attached H.M.S. 'Daedalus', RFC.
2Lt Read, C.S. (Charles Stanley), 52 Squadron, RFC.
LtRobinson, E. (Edward), 31 Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Ross, A.C. (Arthur Claude), 10 Squadron, RFC.
A Mech 2 Thompson, W.P., Farnborough, RFC.
2Lt Whitaker, W. (William), 23 Squadron, RFC.
Lt Winnicott, R. (Russell), 41 Squadron.
Claims: 33 confirmed today (Entente 30 : Central Powers 3)
Roderic Dallas #22 Ernest Davis #1 Arthur Fairclough #1 Joseph Fall #33 #34 Ronald Keirstead #8 Earl Meek #2 Stanley Rosevear #10 Oliver Campbell Bryson #7 Robert Compston #14 Pruett Dennett #1 Robert Arthur Grosvenor #1 George Hayward #2 Edward Johnstone #1 John Jones #2 James Thomas Byford McCudden #25 #26 Sydney Oades #3 Eric Olivier #5 Cyril Burfield Ridley #5 Meredith Thomas #5 Rupert Randolph Winter #4 Jean-Paul Favre de Thierrens #2
Hans-Joachim Buddecke u/cJosef Jacobs #11 Willi Kampe #6 Franz Schleiff #3 Guy Price #3 William Jordan #6 #7 Samuel Kinkead #13 #14 John Steel Ralston #3 Harold Day #2
Western Front:
Considerable air activity.
Eastern Front:
Romania obliged to suspend hostilities in consequence of Russian action.
Southern Front:
Austrians capture Mount Sisemol; attacks in Val Frenzela frustrated.
Tunstills Men Thursday 6th December 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
Fine and sunny but cold.
After the few days occupying the right sector, detailed orders were issued by Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 2nd December) specifying the precise defensive schemes to be adopted by units of 69th Brigade when in the line; these included (among other elements) the following:
Front Line Trenches
These are to be held by posts. The river bed opposite the front is very broad and can be well observed from the higher ground above but sufficient posts must be kept close to the river bed by day and night to fire on any hostile patrols etc., which may attempt to cross anywhere on the front.By night, therefore, these posts may be more numerous than by day, but should always be at the minimum compatible with security. On the right flank one Lewis Gun post moves out at night to an island to enfilade our wire. It is essential that posts are not seen and located by the enemy. In al cases carefully aimed fire is to be at once opened on the enemy should he attempt to cross. By night the front trench will be continuously patrolled between the posts on the bank.
Lewis Guns
With the exception of a certain number which are retained for mobile work these are sited to obtain cross enfilade fire in three tiers:
(a) Along our wire on the river bed.
(b) Along our wire on the platoon immediately behind the river bed.
(c) Enfilading the higher plateau on which the main road runs. Some of the guns used for this purpose are Lewis Guns, some are Vickers Guns. All guns are sited so as to bring as much to bear as possible in enfilade on their respective plateaux and to cross their fire.
(d) The Lewis Guns of the support and reserve battalions will be given position higher up the hill except such as are intended to be mobile.
Vickers Guns
Battle positions are now being prepared to enable practically the whole of the plateau on which the main road runs and the foothills behind to be brought under heavy enfilade machine gun fire. Temporary positions near the proposed battle positions are now occupied until the latter are ready. About 8 Vickers Guns will be disposed along the Brigade front. Most of these positions are on the flank of the low foothills and cross their fire in front of other spurs. A second tier of Vickers Guns on still higher ground will be sited near the heads of the main valleys to fire more or less directly down them but with a broad arc of fire. No Vickers Guns except those of the Brigade are allotted to the sector.
Secrecy and Surprise
It is essential if the best results are to be obtained that the positions of all Observation Posts, Lewis Guns, Vickers Guns and troops are well concealed and are unknown to the enemy. Their value rests on the power of surprise. All ranks are therefore to be warned that carelessness in approaching them, loitering, or lighting fires etc. near them or in any way disclosing their positions will be severely punished.
Snipers and Patrols
At present it is not proposed to start sniping but arrangements must be made to enable snipers to get into the river bed near enough to the other side to pick off any sniper the enemy may attempt to send out. It is hardly necessary to point out that sniper’s posts will be useless if discovered. They may be very valuable if properly selected and prepared and if good men are selected. Night patrols must examine and cross the river and later on will be required to remain on the north bank for 24 or 48 hours to interview inhabitants and to obtain all possible information.
Infantry
The duty of the front line battalion is:
To watch the front by observers, posts and patrols as explained above and to resist and report quickly any approach of the enemy.
The first line of resistance is the river bed. Each plateau in rear forms a separate line of resistance.
Every company must have a platoon in reserve for immediate counter-attack, well hidden with good lines of approach to all parts of its company front, and must be practised in the dark in moving to meet various situations under schemes set out by company commanders. Each battalion in the front line must similarly have a company or the greater part of it free for similar movement under orders of the battalion commander and must be similarly practised in schemes under his orders.
Certain fixed infantry positions with their garrisons must be allotted to protect the lower exits of nullahs (steep, narrow valleys) especially those containing Lewis and Vickers Guns to prevent the latter being attacked by hostile infantry.
Use of Existing Trenches
The excellent trenches dug by the Italians will be very valuable for the purpose of inter-communication at all times and, in places, for defence. In many parts, however, they are so obvious as to be more suitable for dummy trenches to draw the enemy fire than for actual occupation or serious defence. The parapets are generally too thin to resist a serious bombardment. The real defence will lie in the hidden Lewis Gun and Vickers Gun positions and in the use of infantry to occupy special sections of the trenches, such as those covering small scrub valleys to protect the flanks of the Lewis Guns and Vickers Guns, and in local counter-attacks by surprise.
There were also sections of the orders referring to:
Anti Aircraft Guns
Observation
Small Arms Ammunition
Artillery
Signs of Impending Attack
General Notes
Ptes. Frederick William Warner (see 25th November) and Robert Whitaker (see 25th November) were both appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.
Pte. William Ryan (see 29th November) was discharged from 23rd Divisional Rest Station and re-joined the Battalion following treatment for swollen feet.
Pte. Charles Edward Lund (see 1st May), serving at no.10 Convalescent Depot at Ecault, south of Boulogne, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.
2Lt. Frederick Millward MC (see 8th June), who had been severely injured during the trench raid carried out in November 1916 and had had his right leg amputated above the knee, appeared before a further Army Medical Board assembled at 2nd Northern General Hospital, Leeds. The Board reported that, “He is quite well. The stump is now fit for an artificial limb for right leg”. It was also noted that, “It is possible that this officer may be fit for some form of military duty when he has been fitted with an artificial leg”. He was instructed to return home to await further orders.
Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison MC (see 14th November), who was in England having been wounded on 7th June, wrote to the War Office, from the Officers Command Depot, Victoria Drive, Eastbourne; he was clearly replying to a negative response to his application for a wound gratuity.
“In answer to your letter of 23rd November, I have the honour to draw your attention to the following facts. My first board did not take place until nearly two months after I was wounded. By that time the wound in my foot was closed, only leaving to be seen a swollen foot and ankle. The wound was made by a bullet going through my foot, which left very small scars. These would not be so likely to impress the board as the scars left by a shrapnel wound of a less serious nature. Although I have been in hospital six months, four of which I was under special treatment for a stiff joint, my ankle is still swollen and I have not yetrecovered the full use of my foot; the big toe in particular being very stiff. In view of the above facts I beg to suggest that my case should be reconsidered by a special board”.
Pte. George Frederick Ford (see 15th November), serving with the non-combatant Labour Corps, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit due to chronic bronchitis.
Mary Ann Green, the partner, though not the wife, of Pte. Thomas Bates (see 24th November) wrote in reply to the latest letter from the War Office,
“I have not got any death certificates of his wife but I have got a death card if any use to you. Sir, I should like to know the reason you have reduced my pay, as I have had several paymasters and they have not stopped it as you have. He has always supported my children and will you send me the children’s birth certificates as the boy has got stopped from work.”
A payment of £5 18s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Joe Anderson (see 20th September), who had died of wounds of 20th September; the payment would go to his widow, Edith.
Naval Operations:
United States Battleship Division, under Rear-Admiral Rodman, joins Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow.
The destroyer USS Jacob Jones is sunk by German torpedo and the British sloop-of-war Camellia and British liner Catalina conduct rescue operations. By 08:30 the following morning HMS Insolent has picked up the last survivors of Jacob Jones.
Shipping Losses: 8 (All to U-Boat action)
Largest man made explosion until the dropping of the first atomic bomb!
The Norwegian ship S S Imo is steaming alone exiting Halifax, Nova Scotia harbor and has ‘Belgium Relief’ written on her sides to emphasize her ‘neutrality’ to U-boats, as she is on her way to New York to load relief supplies for Belgium. The Imo is behind schedule because she had to wait for coal, with this and being empty, she may have been traveling at a faster speed than normal when she leaves the inner harbor.
The French ship S S Mont Blanc ss inbound from New York where she had been loaded with a dangerous mixture of explosives and volatile material. The ship had her holds lined with wood, using non-sparking copper nails, but too many volatile cargoes have been mixed aboard. The Mont Blanc enters Halifax harabour with two thousand three hundred tons of wet and dry picric acid; (used for making lyddite for artillery shells), two tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT), ten tons of gun cotton, with drums of Bezol (High Octane fuel); stacked on her decks. The Mont Blanc is on her way to the inner harbor, but arrives too late to be let through the submarine nets, and has to wait from the previous evening to enter the harbor.
This morning the Imo weighs anchor and heads for the sea, while the Mont Blanc enters the harbor and they collide in the bottleneck known as ‘the Narrows’. Some of the Benzol drums break loose, spill on the deck, and soon catch fire. The intensity of the fire and its volatile cargo leads the Captain of the Mont Blanc to order all hands to abandon ship. The Mont Blanc on fire drifts towards Halifax where she rests against pier 6.
Attachment 237375
The Captain of HMS Highflyer, which is about a mile away, at once sends off a boat to see if anything can be done to prevent loss of life, and Commander Thomas Kenneth Triggs, volunteering for this duty, immediately gets into the ship’s whaler and pulls to the scene. A tug and the steamboat of H.M.C.S. Niobe are seen going there at the same time. Commander Triggs boards the tug, and finding it was impossible to do anything for the Mont Blanc, decides to endeavour to get the Imo away, giving directions accordingly to the tug. He returns to the whaler, and is pulling towards the bows of the Imo, which is about 300 yards from the Mont Blanc, to pass a line from her to the tug, when at approximately 09:05 a tremendous explosion occurs.
Attachment 237376
SS Imo aground on the Dartmouth side of the harbour after the explosion
The Mont Blanc has blown up, the entire ship disintegrating. The pressure of the blast flattens the immediate area for two square kilometers wiping out the suburb of Richmond, killing 1,600 people, injuring 8,000 and destroying 3,000 dwellings; 2,000 more persons are listed as missing and the total damages are estimated to be more that $30 million. This is followed by a pressure wave that washes up the shore and rocks the ships nearby. Some smaller vessels such as tugs are overwhelmed and sink.
Eight crewmen of HMS Highflyer are killed including Commander Triggs. Able Seaman William Becker is rescued alive on the Dartmouth shore, where he had swum after the explosion while the remaining members of the Highflyer’s party all perished. It is clear that after communication with the tug Commander Triggs and the rest of the boat’s crew were fully aware of the desperate nature of the work they were engaged in and that by their devotion to duty they sacrificed their lives in the endeavour to save the lives of others. Commander Triggs and Seaman Becker will be awarded the Albert Medal for their efforts. The others were not recognized with this award but deserve mention. They are Able Seaman James Dowling, Engine Room Artificer Robert Jones, Stoker Francis Kelly, Able Seaman Joseph Murphy, Able Seaman Samuel D Prewer, Stoker Edwin B Rogers, Lieutenant James R Ruffles, and Leading Seaman Claude E Rushen. Commander Triggs brother will die on service at home in Canada in September of next year.
Attachment 237377
Looking north from a grain elevator towards Acadia Sugar Refinery, circa 1900, showing the area later devastated by the 1917 explosion
The Commanding Officer of H.M.C.S. Niobe, which was lying in the harbour, on perceiving what has happened, sends away a steam-boat to see what can be done. Boatswain Albert Charles Mattison (Royal Canadian Navy) and Petty Officer Stoker Ernest Edmund Beard (Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve) and five men of the Royal Naval Canadian Volunteer Reserve volunteer to form the crew of this boat, but just as the boat gets alongside the “Mont Blanc” the ship blew up, and Mattison and Beard and the entire boat’s crew lose their lives. The boat’s crewmen are fully aware of the desperate nature of the work they are engaged on, and by their gallantry and devotion to duty they sacrificed their lives in the endeavour to save the lives of others. Among the dead are two crewmen of HMCS Niobe, who will be awarded the Albert Medal for their efforts on this day. Petty Officer Stoker Ernest Edmund Beard is killed at age 30, while Boatswain Mattison is killed at age 44. Both men will be awarded the Albert Medal Posthumously.
The tug Musquash is seen to be on fire forward. The fire is increasing, and there appears to be a great danger of her getting adrift, and being carried down on to another vessel. As the Musquash has a gun and ammunition on board there is danger of a further explosion and consequent loss of life. The Captain of Highflyer hails a private tug and asks her to take the Musquash in tow, but as they were unwilling to board the Musquash to get her in tow, the tug is brought alongside Highflyer. Leading Seaman Thomas Davis and Able Seaman Roberts Stones immediately volunteer, and having been transferred by the tug to the burning Musquash, which has by this time broken adrift, they secure a line from her stern, by means of which she is towed into midstream. The line is then parted, and Davis and Stones pass another line from the Musquash to the pumping lighter Lee, which haa now arrived. They then go forward to the burning section, and succeed in getting to the ammunition, which is by this time badly scorched, pull it away from the flames and throw it overboard. They then break open the door of the galley, which is on fire inside, to enable the Lee to play her hoses into it. They repeat the same thing with the cabin. For their efforts both men will be awarded the Albert Medal.
Attachment 237378
A view across the devastation of Halifax two days after the explosion, looking toward the Dartmouth side of the harbour. Imo is visible aground on the far side of the harbour.
A train dispatcher Vincent Coleman for the Intercolonial Railway of Canada is on duty controlling trains on the rail line which ran along the western shore of Bedford Basin. He sends out a message stating “Munitions ships on fire. Making for Pier 6, Goodbye” and as a result trains heading to the docks stop well short of the terminal no doubt saving many lives.Coleman is killed in the explosion.
Political:
Nationalisation of railways in U.S.A. announced.
Rising in Lisbon. December 5 1917, Lisbon–The war years had proven quite difficult for Portugal. Dependent on foreign trade, the U-boat threat and increasing prices caused hardship at home. Labor strife, even among unions that were traditionally supporters of the revolutionary government, were on the rise. After Portugal entered the war, the cost of maintaining expeditionary forces both in France and in Mozambique proved a burden, as well, one not aided by the repeated defeats of the latter, most recently at Ngomano when Lettow-Vorbeck’s forces easily defeated the Portuguese and took most of their supplies.
Attachment 237379
Sidónio Pais (1872-1918), the new President and PM of Portugal.
On December 5, Major Sidónio Pais, formerly Portgual’s ambassador to Germany until the outbreak of hostilities, launched a coup with a small group of men, perhaps numbering around 250. The Portuguese Prime Minister had been out of the country for several weeks for a conference in Paris, and few forces in Lisbon actively defended the government. After several days of fighting, Pais was victorious and seized power. Although firmly against the war, there was little Pais could do, given Portgual’s reliance on trade with Britain. However, he did extend more generous leave policies to Portuguese troops in France, and made sure no further expeditionary forces would be sent.
Halifax (N.S.) wrecked. (See Naval section)
Finland declares independence (see January 4th, 1918).
Hostilities between Rumania and Central Powers suspended (see 9th and 10th, and March 5th, May 7th, and November 10th, 1918).
Truce arranged between Russia, and Bulgaria, Central Powers and Turkey from 7th to 17th. Negotiations suspended (see 3rd and 13th).
Chikuhei Nakajima and Seibi Kawanishi found the Japan Aeroplane Manufacturing Work Company Ltd. It is the first aircraft manufacturing company in Japan.
Anniversary Events:
1492 Christopher Columbus lands on the island of Santo Domingo in search of gold. 1776 Phi Beta Kappa, the first scholastic fraternity, is founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. 1812 The majority of Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armeé staggers into Vilna, Lithuania, ending the failed Russian campaign. 1861 Union General George G. Meade leads a foraging expedition to Gunnell's farm near Dranesville, Virginia. 1862 President Abraham Lincoln orders the hanging of 39 of the 303 convicted Indians who participated in the Sioux Uprising in Minnesota. They are to be hanged on December 26. 1863 The monitor Weehawken sinks in Charleston Harbor. 1865 The 13th Amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery. 1876 Jack McCall is convicted for the murder of Wild Bill Hickok and sentenced to hang. 1877 Thomas A. Edison makes the first sound recording when he recites "Mary had a Little Lamb" into his phonograph machine. 1906 Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge flies a powered, man-carrying kite that carries him 168 feet in the air for seven minutes at Baddeck, Nova Scotia. 1917 The Bolsheviks imprison Czar Nicholas II and his family in Tobolsk.
6th Air Operations updated. Late arrival of communique from General HQ.
Today we lost: 461
· Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War
Today’s losses include:
· The son of a member of the clergy
· A man whose twin will be killed next October
· A local footballer· Major Raymond Douglas Belcher DSO MC (Royal Field Artillery) is killed in action at age 34. His is the son of the Reverend Thomas Hayes Hayes Belcher Rector of Bramley and is the last of three sons of his to be killed in the Great War.
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
· Lieutenant Christopher Morse (Royal Engineers is killed in action at age 26. His twin brother will be killed in October 1918.
· Private Robert Prevett (Leicestershire Regiment) dies of wounds. He is an excellent local football player.
· Private Albert Bower (Coldstream Guards) dies of wounds as a prisoner of war at age 29. His brother will die of influenza in December 1918.
· Private George Benjamin Wright (Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry) dies of pneumonia as a prisoner of war in Bulgaria at age 21. His brother was killed on Gallipoli in August 1915.
· Private Leslie Wallace Ayling (London Regiment) is killed at age 24. His brother was killed exactly six months earlier.
Air Operations:
The Battle of Cambrai comes to end, with 10 German ground-attack squadrons having provided close air support to German ground forces during the 17-day battle. German ground-attack aircraft have played a key role in halting the British advance, convincing the Luftstreitkrafte of the need for a permanent ground-attack force.
General Headquarters
"On the 7th inst. low clouds and bad visibility made conditions less favourable for flying. Our aeroplanes observed for our artillery and carried out several low reconnaissances and the usual bombing raids. Hostile troops in their trenches were again engaged with machine-gun fire. Very little fighting took place. One German machine was brought down and another landed intact behind our lines. Four of our aeroplanes are missing."
RFC Communiqué number 117:
Low clouds prevented much flying being done during the day.
A low-flying reconnaissance was carried out by Lieut Crawford and 2nd-Lieut Abraham, No 2 Squadron. Four reconnaissance’s were carried out by machines of the 2nd Brigade, and useful information was obtained by No 69 Squadron and two were done by the 3rd Brigade, both by machines of No 11 Squadron. Machines of the latter Brigade also carried out seven successful contact patrols.
5,140 rounds were fired at ground targets.
Artillery Co-operation – With aeroplane observation 26 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun-pit was destroyed, eleven damaged, seven explosions and four fires caused.
With balloon observation of the 2nd Brigade four hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction and thirty-one other targets dealt with. One shoot was done in conjunction with an aeroplane.
Bombing - 1st Brigade: No 4 Squadron dropped eight 25-lb bombs on hostile trenches and 3 Squadron dropped three bombs on Benifontaine.
2nd Brigade: Machines of this Brigade dropped 51 25-lb bombs on various targets, and the 3rd Brigade dropped 39 25-lb bombs on various targets.
A photographic reconnaissance was attempted by machines of the 41st Wing, but, although the objective was reached, clouds prevented photographs being taken,
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to unfavourable weather conditions no war work was carried out.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft activity was slight all day. One enemy scout landed in our lines near Vermelles under control. The machine was little damaged, but appeared to have been hit by both anti-aircraft and machine-gun fire.
Capt W Anderson & Lieut J Bell, 69 Sqn, two-seater crashed - Capt W Anderson and Lieut J Bell, No 69 Squadron (A.F.C.), were engaged on artillery observation when they encountered a German two-seater and drove it down out of control and it was seen by ground observers to crash
Casualties
2nd-Lieut J Sturrock (Wia) & ? (Ok), 12 Sqn, RE8 - slightly wounded by anti-aircraft fire
? (Ok) & Lieut J R Hodgkinson (Wia), 15 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in leg on artillery patrol
? (Ok) & 2/AM G Lawrence (Wia), 16 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in combat on artillery patrol
2nd-Lieut T W Calvert (Pow) & 2nd-Lieut A W Palmer (Pow), 13 Sqn, RE8 B5020 – took off 09:40/10:40 then missing on artillery patrol XVII Corps Front; possibly the ‘Martinsyde’ claimed by Uffz Kurt Reinhold, Js24, 4th victory [Mercatel - south of Arras at 10:30/11:30] ?
2nd-Lieut H A Yeo (Pow), 19 Sqn, Spad VII B3559 – took off 09:47/10:47 and last seen east of Moorslede at 10:30/11:30 on offensive patrol; Ltn Max Ritter v Müller, Js2, 35th victory [Moorslede at 10:55/11:55] ?
2nd-Lieut M G Gunn (Kia), 23 Sqn, Spad VII B3552 - last seen going down in a spin south of Passchendaele at 11:10/12:10 on northern offensive patrol; Vzfw Paul Baumer, Js2, 16th victory [Zonnebeke at 10:55/11:55] ?
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: 7
2Lt Bennett, R.D. (Robert Davis), No.1 Aeroplane Supply Depot, St Omer, RFC.
A Mech 3 Bruce, J., Recruits Depot (?), RFC.
2Lt Dyer, H.A. (Herbert Arthur), 65 Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Falck, J.R. (Jack Randell), 54 Training Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Gunn, M.G. (Murray Grant), 23 Squadron, RFC.
Sgt Hill, F.G. (Frederick George), 81 (Canadian) Training Squadron, RFC.
Cpl Thompson, P.C. (Patrick C.), 24th Balloon Section, RFC.
Claims: 15 confirmed today (Entente 5: Central Powers 10)
Francesco Baracca (Italy) #30
Jean Georges Bouyer (France) #3.
Cesare Magistrini (Italy) #4.
Giovanni Nicelli (Italy) #3.
Ferruccio Ranza (Italy) #11.
Julius Arigi #23 & #24.
Paul Baumer #16.
Georg Kenzian #6.
Josef Kiss #15 & #16.
Josef von Maier #6 & #7.
Max von Muller #35.
Hans Weiss #2.
Home Fronts:
Britain: DETECTIVE AND AERONAUT.
Mr. Edmund Reid, who was Chief Detective-Inspector of the Whitechapel district during the period of the "Ripper" murders, died at Herne Bay on Wednesday. Mr. Reid was born in 1846 and joined the Metropolitan Police Force in 1872. He retired in February, 1896, when he was the oldest divisional detective inspector in the Metropolitan Police.
Some years ago Mr. Reid was awarded gold and bronze medals by the Balloon Association of Great Britain for making record high ascents in a balloon from the Crystal Palace, and about 40 years ago he made the first descent from a parachute from 1,000ft. at Luton.
Western Front:
By today all the British gains are abandoned except for a portion of the Hindenburg line around Havrincourt, Ribécourt and Flesquières.
British line improved north of La Vacquerie.
End of Battle of Cambrai. The first day success was greeted in Britain by the ringing of church bells. The massed use of tanks, despite being a further increase on previous deployments, was not entirely new but the success of the attack and the resulting Allied press enthusiasm, including in the United States, were unprecedented. The particular effectiveness of the tanks at Cambrai was the initial passage through barbed wire defences, which had been previously "supposed by the Germans to be impregnable."
Attachment 237392
The initial British success showed that even the strongest trench defences could be overcome by a surprise attack using a combination of new methods and equipment, reflecting a general increase in the British capacity to combine infantry, artillery, tanks and aircraft in attacks. The German revival after the shock of the British attack improved German morale but the potential for similar attacks meant that the Germans had to divert resources to anti-tank defences and weapons, an extra demand that the Germans could ill afford to meet.
Wherever the ground offers suitable going for tanks, surprise attacks like this may be expected. That being the case, there can be no more mention, therefore, of quiet fronts.
— Crown Prince Rupprecht
The German counter-attack confirmed the effectiveness of artillery, trench mortars and evolving stormtrooper tactics, adopted from a pattern introduced by General Hutier against the Russians. From the German perspective, questions arose regarding battlefield logistics much forward of the railhead infrastructure, as well as the offensive suitability of the MG 08 machine gun. By the end of the battle, gains and losses by the opposing forces were largely proportionate, the British having advanced modestly in the north and the Germans in the south. British disquiet concerning the German counter-offensive gains led to several investigations, including convening a Court of Enquiry.
Attachment 237393
Captured British tank at Cambrai
Sheldon wrote that both sides had c. 40,000 casualties and questioned the British Official History figure of c. 53,000 German casualties, calling them "inflated for no good reason".
Miles recorded British casualties from 20 November – 8 December as 47,596, of whom 9,000 were taken prisoner and an official German total of c. 41,000 casualties, which Miles increased to 53,300 on the assumption that German figures omitted lightly wounded, which were counted in British casualty records. Harris wrote that 11,105 German and 9,000 British prisoners were taken
Southern Front:
Asiago: Italians continue withdrawal to Melette lines.
Austrians claim 15,000 prisoners since 4 December.
Tunstills Men Thursday 7th December 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
Very cold overnight 6th/7th; the day remained fine but cloudy and cold.
Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 6th December) inspected the officers mess, cookhouses, kitchens etc. of 10DWR.
Pte. Frederick Thorn (see 30th November) was admitted via 69th Field Ambulance to 23rd Divisional Rest Station; he was suffering from diarrohea.
L.Cpl. Fred Wilson Fawcett (see 16th November) and Pte. John Thorp Newsome (see 16th November)were both transferred from 11th General Hospital in Genoa to hospital in Marseilles; both were suffering from boils.
2Lt. Harry Widdup (see 31st August), who had been in England since being taken ill in December 1916, was posted back from 3DWR to 9DWR although he was still declared to be fit only for sedentary employment.
Pte. George Bernard Hardy (see 31st October) was posted from Northern Command Depot at Ripon to 3DWR at North Shields.
Pte. Alfred Edgar Smith (see 29th July 1916), who had been wounded in July 1916,was formally discharged from the Army due to his wounds, with the award of the Silver War Badge
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
Hebron (17 miles south of Jerusalem) captured.
On the Hebron to Bethlehem road south of Jerusalem, the 53rd (Welsh) Division (known as Mott's Detachment) had continued their tentative advance to arrive 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of Hebron on 4 December. After two Australian light armoured cars of the Light Armoured Motor Battery (LAMB) drove in from the north reporting no Ottoman units in Hebron, they continued on to the Dilbe valley that night.
Attachment 237394
Model T Ford Utility manned by Australian soldiers and armed with Vickers .303 machine gun mounted on a tripod
Chetwode then ordered Mott to advance as quickly as possible to get into a position 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Jerusalem by the morning of 8 December. Mott's advanced guard again moved tentatively during the night of 5 December to 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Hebron. By 7 December Mott's Detachment had found touch with the Ottoman position defending Bethlehem 4 miles (6.4 km) from his objective, but bad weather prevented an advance. Mott's Detachment was to have advanced northwards in time to cover the right flank of the 60th (2/2nd London) Division and to cut the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Despite being under direct orders of GHQ, Mott's Detachment was still on the Hebron road south of Bethlehem on 7 December. Mott managed to capture Solomon’s Pools to the south of Bethlehem by the evening of 7 December.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 4 (All to U-Boat action)
The steamship S S Earl of Elgin (Master James Leslie) is sunk by a submarine 10 miles west from the Carnarvon bay Light Vessel. Her master is among the 188 killed in the attack.
Political:
President Wilson signs declaration of war v. Austria-Hungary.
Ecuador breaks off relations with Germany.
Truce between Russia and Central Powers comes into operation officially (see 2nd and 6th).
Anniversary Events:
43 BC Cicero, considered one of the greatest sons of Rome, is assassinated on the orders of Marcus Antonius. 983 Otto III takes the throne after his father’s death in Italy. A power struggle between magnates ensues. 1787 Delaware becomes the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States. 1808 James Madison is elected president succeeding Thomas Jefferson. 1861 USS Santiago de Cuba, under Commander Daniel B. Ridgely, halts the British schooner Eugenia Smith and captures J.W. Zacharie, a New Orleans merchant and Confederate purchasing agent. 1862 Confederate forces surprise an equal number of Union troops at the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas. 1863 Outlaw George Ives, an alleged member of an outlaw gang known as the “Innocents,” robs and then kills Nick Thiebalt in the Ruby Valley of what would become Montana. 1917 The United States declares war on Austria-Hungary with only one dissenting vote in Congress.
Today we lost: 561
· A man whose daughter will be born next JulyToday’s losses include:
· A Rhodes Scholar and Scottish Rugby International
· Multiple families that will lose two sons in the Great War
· The son of a member of the clergy· Major S S Crisp (Royal Field Artillery) is killed in action in Italy at age 31. His daughter will be born 17th July 1918.
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
· Lieutenant Stephanus Sebastian Lombard Steyn (Royal Field Artillery) a Rhodes Scholar is killed at age 28 in Palestine. He is also a Scottish Rugby International.
· Second Lieutenant Alan Mansell Alexander (London Regiment) is killed in Palestine at age 21 by machine gun fire. His brother was killed in July 1916.
· Second Lieutenant Eric Hand Thomas (Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) is killed at age 19. His brother will be killed next April and they are sons of the Reverend Llewellyn Wyn Thomas Vicar of Newland.
· Second Lieutenant Frederick Holland Vicat (Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) is killed at age 25. His brother was killed in September 1914.
Air Operations:
General Headquarters
"On the 8th inst. rain prevented flying until the afternoon, when a certain amount of artillery work and reconnoitring was done. Bombs were dropped by our aeroplanes on hostile billets and many rounds were fired from the air at ground targets. Two of our aeroplanes are missing."
RFC Communiqué number 117:
Little flying was possible owing to the unfavourable weather until the afternoon when there were occasional bright intervals.
Two reconnaissances were carried out by the 2nd Brigade, three by the 3rd Brigade and one by the 9th Wing, when 18 plates were exposed in the neighbourhood of Bruges by Capt Lally and Lieut Cole, No 25 Squadron.
With aeroplane observation twenty-one hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun-pit was destroyed, 13 damaged, four explosions and seven fires caused. Fifty-two zone calls were sent down, 31 of which were by machines of the 2nd Brigade.
Three hundred and fifteen photographs were taken during the day and 6,178 rounds fired at ground targets, of which 4,510 were by the 2nd Brigade.
Bombing - 1st Brigade: No 2 Squadron dropped six 25-lb bombs and No 4 Squadron seven 25-lb bombs on various targets.
2nd Brigade: Ninety-five 25-lb bombs on various targets.
3rd Brigade: Fourteen 25-lb bombs on various targets.
Admiralty
"During the forenoon of December 8th naval aircraft carried out a bombing raid on Aertrycke aerodrome. The weather conditions were cloudy, but many bombs were dropped on objective. The bombers were attacked by enemy aircraft scouts, two of which were driven down completely out of control and appeared to be damaged. Many fighter patrols have been carried out, during the course of which two hostile machines were destroyed and one shot down completely out of control. All our machines have returned safely."
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Anti-submarine patrol was carried out by Seaplane. Nothing to report.
W/T SPOTTING FOR MONITORS: During the morning, while in a position to observe, the spotting machine was recalled. It is possible that this gave the Germans the clue that opening fire was meditated. In the afternoon firing was again attempted, this time three EA were waiting for the spotter which was unfortunately detached from its escort. The machine made three attempts to spot, but each time was attacked and eventually had to retire. It is believed that during the attack one of the EA was driven down.
Bombing raid by day, No 5 Squadron, D.H.4s: During the morning six bombers accompanied by four escorts attacked Aertrycke Aerodrome over which twelve 50-lb and fifty-six 16-lb bombs were dropped. Visibility was only fair, as target was partially obscured by clouds. Endeavours were made to photograph the Aerodrome and results, but the clouds interfered. Bombs were seen to explode close to the S-E. group of sheds. AA fire was very accurate, all machines but one being hit. The bombing formation was attacked on its way back.
The bombing formation was attacked by five EA, during the ensuing fight three EA were driven down, probably damaged.
Enemy Aircraft
Flt Sub-Lieut E M Knott, 9N Sqn, Albatros C destroyed (?) west of Courtrai - a flight of six Camels (No 9 Squadron) dived on two Albatross scouts and one two-seater. Flight Sub-Lieut Knott attacked the two-seater from very close range firing about 300 rounds. The EA was last seen completely out of control turning on its back. This machine was probably destroyed
Flt Cdr C R Lupton & AGL Smith and Flt Lieut J Gamon & AGL Winter, 5N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Aertrycke airfield at 11:00/12:00 – during a raid on Aertryke Aerodrome, the bombing formation was attacked by five EA, during the ensuing fight three EA were driven down, probably damaged
Flt Cdr R P Minifie, 1N Sqn, DFW CV crashed east of Dixmude at 11:20/12:20 - when returning from a sweep inland beyond Ostende, Flight Commander Minifie encountered a two-seater DFW and attacked from close range. The EA went into a nose-dive, and was seen to crash east of Dixmude
Flt Lieut E ****son & AGL R Shaw, 5N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Aertrycke aerodrome at 11:40/12:40 - during a raid on Aertryke Aerodrome, the bombing formation was attacked by five EA, during the ensuing fight three EA were driven down, probably damaged
Capt O C Bryson and Lieut A B Fairclough, 19 Sqn, Rumpler C out of control Ten-Brielen - Wervicq at 13:35/14:35 – Capt O Bryson and Lieut A Fairclough, No 19 Squadron, went up after a German wireless machine and found a two-seater which they engaged and shot down out of control. They could not, however, see it crash owing to the presence of six EA scouts
Flt Cdr J S T Fall, 9N Sqn, Albatros Scout broke up north-east of Houthulst Wood at 14:45/15:45 - whilst on a solo Offensive Patrol, Flight Commander Fall attacked two Albatross scouts near Ypres. After a fairly long fight one of the EA folded up and spun down. The other scout chased Flight Commander Fall back part of the way to the lines; Ltn Erich Daube, Js2, Kia [?]
Casualties
Lieut F W Bur**** (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut L M Fenelon (Ok), 10 Sqn, AW FK8 B5784 - force landed I.14.d.24 after engine shot by machine-gun fire from EA on flash reconnaissance
Capt C T Lally MC (Wia) & Lieut J E Cole (Wia), 25 Sqn, DH4 A7605 – took off 11:40/12:40 then struck telephone wires in forced landing Bailleul after petrol tank shot through by EA on photographic reconnaissance
Royal Flying Corps Losses today: 3
2Lt Brown, L.G.H. (Lionel George Henry), 52 Squadron, RFC.
A Mech 2 Hyde, L., No.8 Training Depot, RFC.
2Lt Young, H.V. (Harold Victor), 54 Squadron, RFC.
Claims: 13 confirmed (Entente 11 : Central Powers 2)
Western Front:
Small actions west of Graincourt (south-western Cambrai).
Great artillery activity north-east of Verdun.
Eastern Front:
All hostilities on the Eastern front suspended (see 2nd).
Southern Front:
French and British join Italian line, latter in Montello district (Piave).
Combined airwork (150 planes) in Frenzela valley.
Tunstills Men Friday 8th December 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
Pte. Harold Charnock (see 2nd December) remembered that, “In our Sector there were a few stray poultry, guinea fowl, and wild horses and so we had a bit of good sport chasing them. In two houses close to the front line we had to turn the civilian people out. In the house where HQ Mess was the cellar was four steps deep in wine and the empty barrels were floating in it. Off the end of the building there was a barn full of hay and when the transport brought the rations and emptied the limbers they would fill them with hay and a bit extra for their animals. After about three days when they were getting it from the top of the stack we found furniture buried in the hay. On further examination there was everything to furnish a house. The drawers were full of clothing and even gold and silver jewellery. Shortly after it was discovered the owner of the furniture came with a four wheeled light wagon to take it away. He should not have been allowed to come for it but as long as he got here he was allowed to take it away. The old boy got plenty of assistance from some of the boys”.
Pte. Stanley Barker (see 16th January) was reported for ‘hesitating to obey an order’; he was awarded 14 days’ Field Punishment no.2.
Pte. John Henry Evison (see 20th September), who had been wounded on 20th September, was transferred from 2nd Canadian General Hospital at Le Treport to 3rd Convalescent Depot also at Le Treport.
L.Cpl. Thomas Lloyd (see 7th September), serving in France with 2/6DWR, was admitted to hospital suffering from a mild case of trench foot; he would be discharged to duty after one week.
Pte. Harry Crawshaw (see 24th September), who was at the Military Hospital in Exeter being treated for trench foot, was now also diagnosed as suffering from nephritis.
A payment of £6 5s. 1d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Harold Precious (see 24th August) who had died at the East Leeds War Hospital on 4th July, a month after being wounded; the payment would go to his mother, Ann.
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
Germans capture Portuguese force at Ngoma (River Rovuma).
British, by cutting Jerusalem-Jericho and Shechem roads, isolate city. Local authorities arrange to surrender.
On the morning of 8 December, Ottoman artillery began firing on a road junction, which Mott's Detachment had to negotiate. Unable to advance or retaliate against the accurate shell fire from an Ottoman battery near Bethlehem, the detachment waited. At around noon, Chetwode, the corps' commander, ordered the detachment to get moving. Mott finally attacked his main objective at Beit Jala at 16:00, but the Ottoman Army had already retired. It was not until the evening that they continued their advanced to find the way completely clear of Ottoman defenders. At the crucial moment, Mott's Detachment was unable to cover the southern flank of the 60th (London) Division, forcing the Londoners to pause during daylight, as enfilading fire would have made any advance extremely costly.
During almost continuous rain on 8 December, Jerusalem ceased to be protected by the Ottoman Empire. Chetwode (commander of XX Corps), who had relieved Bulfin (commander of XXI Corps), launched the final advance taking the heights to the west of Jerusalem on 8 December. The Ottoman Seventh Army retreated during the evening and the city surrendered the following day
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 8 (All to U-Boat action)
Anniversary Events:
1660 The first Shakespearian actress to appear on an English stage (she is believed to be a Ms. Norris) makes her debut as Desdemona. 1861 The CSS Sumter captures the whaler Eben Dodge in the Atlantic. The American Civil War is now affecting the northern whaling industry. 1863 Union General William Averell’s cavalry destroys railroads in the southwestern part of West Virginia. 1914 The German cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Nurnberg, and Leipzig are sunk by a British force in the Battle of the Falkland Islands.
Attachment 237450
9th December 1917
As the snow begins to fall and I look out from my nice warm, safe home with a cold beer (and warm dog) at my side I cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like to freeze my butt off in some waterlogged trench somewhere on the Western Front.
100 years ago today the weather in Eurpoe was not great but everyone on both sides of the conflict managed as best they could. This does have an impact on what we can put into our editions as on days like this reportable actions were few and far between.
MIDDLE EAST
Palestine – FALL OF JERUSALEM: Mayor hands keys to Ptes Church and Andrewes (mess cooks), then to GOC 60th Division which storms Mt Scopus. Mott’s Department occupies Bethlehem. At 07:00 the last Turkish troops retreat out of Jerusalem and four centuries of Turkish rule come to an end. The mayor of Jerusalem comes to the British lines with the Turkish governor’s letter of surrender and the city is occupied.
On the morning of this day in 1917, after Turkish troops move out of the region after only a single day s fighting, officials of the Holy City of Jerusalem offer the keys to the city to encroaching British troops.
The British, led by General Edmund Allenby, who had arrived from the Western Front the previous June to take over the command in Egypt, entered the Holy City two days later under strict instructions from London on how not to appear disrespectful to the city, its people, or its traditions. Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot—in deliberate contrast to Kaiser Wilhelm s more flamboyant entrance on horseback in 1898—and no Allied flags were flown over the city, while Muslim troops from India were dispatched to guard the religious landmark the Dome of the Rock.
In a proclamation declaring martial law that was read aloud to the city s people in English, French, Arabic, Hebrew, Russian and Greek, Allenby assured them that the occupying power would not inflict further harm on Jerusalem, its inhabitants, or its holy places. “Since your city is regarded with affection by the adherents of three of the great religions of mankind and its soil has been consecrated by the prayers and pilgrimages of multitudes of devout people, I make it known to you that every sacred building, monument, holy spot, shrine, traditional site, endowment, pious bequest, or customary place of prayerwill be maintained and protected according to the existing customs and beliefs of those to whose faith they are sacred.”
Church bells in Rome and London rang to celebrate the peaceful British arrival in Jerusalem. Allenby s success, after so much discouragement on the Western Front, elated and inspired Allied supporters everywhere.
A Christian-led army — the British — took charge of the Holy City for the first time since the Crusades.
Their defeat of the Ottoman Turks opened up the entire Middle East to be reshaped by the victorious allies, for better or worse. You would expect such a portentous event to be surrounded with grand and dignified solemnity, like a scene from the 1962 movie, “Lawrence of Arabia.” But the actual surrender of the city had a much more human, almost comical, quality. A greasy little army cook got lost in the mist and changed history. A witness, Major Vivian Gilbert, published his account of the fall of the Holy City in a book, “The Romance of the Last Crusade: With Allenby to Jerusalem,” which came out in 1928. He told the same story to the New York Times in 1921.
The Turks were allies of Germany in World War I, and so the Brits were attacking the Turkish empire from different directions. One army advanced from British-controlled Egypt into Turkish-held Palestine. Edmund Allenby was the commander of that British army. Our witness Gilbert was a machine gun officer with the British 60th Division. After months of bloody fighting, he and his company bivouacked for the night not far from the ancient city — sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.The night was black, and Gilbert only realized he was just a few miles from the city when he heard its church bells striking midnight. The next morning, Dec. 9, was misty, and the officers, hearing a rooster in a nearby village, summoned their cook and sent him off to get eggs.
Gilbert calls this cook, Private Murch, and describes him as “a miserable specimen,” a cockney from London. “He hardly gave the impression of a smart British soldier,” writes Gilbert. “His tunic was so covered with grease and filth it looked black instead of khaki color … The toe-cap of one boot was missing, exposing to view a very red big toe, framed in a ragged grey woollen sock. He probably used his pith helmet as a pillow, for it had lost its original shape and had a twisted and drunken appearance; it was at least one size too small, and was only held in position by a thick piece of string doing duty for the leather strap it must have once possessed.” Murch quickly gets lost in the mist and stumbles up and down rocky hills, looking for the village, and his eggs. He keeps stubbing his exposed toe on the rocks and stones lying everywhere. Eventually, our hero, the liberator of Jerusalem, stumbles into a crowd of people waving white flags and trying to kiss him. A carriage draws up, and a well-dressed man in a red fez greets him in English, and says “You are British soldier? I want to surrender the city please,” and tries to give Murch the keys. “I don’t want yer city,” says the bewildered Londoner. “I want some eggs!” The man in the fez was, in fact, the Mayor of Jerusalem, Hussein al-Husseini.
Gilbert says he was himself at battalion headquarters when Murch finally returned, “hot and out of breath. “The perspiring private proceeded to relate his amazing adventures in a rich cockney dialect,” adds Gilbert. Once he’d finished, the commanding officer turned and said, “Gentlemen, Jerusalem has fallen!” But the farce had only just begun. The colonel informed his brigadier, who, hoping to be famous, went and received the keys from Mayor Husseini — and reported to his divisional commander that he had captured Jerusalem. Not to be outdone, the divisional commander ordered the keys to be returned to the mayor, who had to wait for him to come and receive them. Finally, the commander in chief himself, Edmund Allenby, ordered the keys to be returned to the mayor yet again, for him to receive formally on Dec. 11. Poor Mayor Husseini died of pneumonia a few weeks later. Gilbert suspects he caught the fatal infection while outdoors in the cold of December, waiting to surrender to each of these different British officers. Meanwhile, a short while after Private Murch returned from his perambulations, our witness, Vivian Gilbert, was ordered to take his company through the city and set up a defensive position in the hills beyond. The Turks were expected to counterattack soon.
“Soon we reached the outskirts of the city,” he wrote, “and [we] began passing the more modern Jewish buildings that lie outside of the Jaffa Gate, and then at last we found ourselves inside the walls themselves — the first British troops to march through the Holy City!"
He continued: “The women had arms full of flowers which they showered amongst the troops; whilst the children, calling out English words of welcome, ran forward and seized the soldiers’ hands. Some of the older people kissed the guns and gun carriages, as covered with dust and mud they clattered over the cobblestones; for a battery of artillery, followed by two battalions of infantry, was close behind us. Venerable Jewish rabbis, with long grey beards, knelt in the mud by the wayside and with tears coursing down their furrowed cheeks, blessed us … "
The initial British occupation was cautious and sensitive, and there was a kind of honeymoon period, where everyone could believe that their dreams could come true: Jews, Christians, Arabs. The commander-in-chief, General Allenby — a thickset man nicknamed, The Bull — saw himself as a moral man, fully aware of the responsibility that awaited him, taking control of Jerusalem.
Attachment 237456
General Allenby is shown here, entering Jerusalem on foot, on Dec. 11, 1917.
He humbly entered and left the city on foot; he ordered that no British or any allied flags could be flown from anywhere in the city; he deployed Muslim troops, from India, to guard the Muslim holy places. He issued a proclamation, guaranteeing the security of the holy sites of the three great religions, and freedom of worship for all. Gilbert says he was “frantically cheered by the multitude.” Here's Allenby's own account of the fall of Jerusalem. But as we now know, peace and happiness did not last long in Jerusalem and the rest of the Middle East. To win the war, the British made contradictory promises that they could not fulfill. A couple of weeks before the fall of Jerusalem, the British had issued the Balfour Declaration, promising the Jews a homeland in Palestine. Local British officers, including the famous Lawrence of Arabia, had promised the Arab peoples self-rule after the war. But the only agreement that stuck was the deal that the British struck with their main ally in the war, France, to divide the Middle East between themselves. The Sykes-Picot agreement gave Palestine and Iraq to the British, and Syria and Lebanon to France.
The frustration of Zionist and Arab nationalism has shaped the history of the region ever since.
Attachment 237451
British artillery prepares for action in Palestine.
EASTERN FRONT
Rumania: Armistice (Truce of Focsani) between Rumania (General Lupescu) and Central Powers (German General Morgan).
South Russia: Soviet Commissars declare war against Cossack chiefs. Escaped generals, excluding Kornilov, sent on to Kuban. First White Volunteer Army units, organized by General Alexeiev, parade at Novocherkask.
Finland: Removal of Russian troops demanded.
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Piave: Italians contain Austrian bridgehead on Lower Piave delta, more fighting on December 19. Plumer tells Diaz British will not retreat even if Italians do.
SEA WAR
Channel: Convoy escort trawler Ben Lawer rams and sinks coastal submarine UB-18 (sinker of 126 ships worth 128,555t in 1916-17).
Attachment 237452
When the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) was first created in 1859 it consisted of up to 30,000 merchant seamen and fisherman who the Navy could call on in times of crisis. Fishing trawlers were strong, sturdy ships designed to withstand severe weather conditions out at sea, and in 1907 the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, Admiral Lord Beresford, recognised that trawlers could be used as minesweepers. His recommendation led to the formation of the Royal Naval Reserve (Trawler Section) in 1910, with approval to mobilise 100 trawlers during any crisis period and enrol 1,000 men to man them.
The Royal Naval Reserve (Trawler Section):
Before the war started there were already 142 trawlers in the Trawler Section of the RNR and 109 skippers enrolled. During the first week of the war in 1914, 94 trawlers were allocated for minesweeping duties, commanded by naval officers who had had a brief training in minesweeping. By the end of 1915 the Minesweeping Service employed 7,888 officers and men. In August 1914 the Royal Navy began to requisition more trawlers and adapt them for minesweeping duties, fitting them out with heavy guns, machine guns and depth charges. By the end of 1916 the Navy had requisitioned so many trawlers, and the war had such an impact on shipping, that the supply of fish to the UK was severely limited. New trawlers were also built. Between 1914 and 1918, 371 trawlers were built in the Humber shipyards and almost all of them were taken up by the Navy and used as minesweepers, submarine spotters and coastal patrol boats. Men were asked to volunteer for the new service, and many did so. The Humber area provided over 880 vessels and 9,000 men from the fishing industry to support the war effort.
Attachment 237453
SM UB-18 was a German Type UB II submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. The U-boat was ordered on 30 April 1915 and launched on 21 August 1915. She was commissioned into the German Imperial Navy on 11 December 1915 as SM UB-18.The submarine sank 126 ships in 31 patrols for a total of 129,782 gross register tons (GRT) making her the 13th most successful U-boat in both world wars. UB-18 was rammed by the trawler Ben Lawer and sunk in the English Channel at 49°17′N 5°47′WCoordinates: 49°17′N 5°47′W on 9 December 1917
Service history
Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Franz Wäger took command of UB-18 upon commissioning on 11 December 1915. Wäger handed over command to Oblt.z.S. Otto Steinbrinck,[Note 2] who sailed her to Zeebrugge, arriving on 16 February, the first U-boat of the type to be based there.
1st War Patrol
At the end of February 1916, UB-18 left Zeebrugge for the approaches to Le Havre. On 26 February she launched a torpedo hitting the French steamer SS Charbutier, whose sinking was not observed. The attack on the French minesweeper Au Revoir was more successful, sinking the 20-year-old ship of 1,058 LT (1,075 t), killing 18 crew members. UB-18 returned to base arriving there 29 February 1916.
2nd War Patrol
On 4 March 1916 UB-18 provided flank cover for a German fleet sortie against the English east coast.
3rd War Patrol
From 7–11 March 1916, UB-18 operated against Allied shipping off Boulogne and Le Havre. On 8 March, she sunk a British steamer, SS Harmatris, and the following day, a Norwegian freighter, the Silius, and a French steamer, SS Louisane, fell victims to UB-18's torpedoes.
4th War Patrol
On 21 March 1916, UB-18 left Zeebrugge again for the Le Havre area, where she successfully attacked ships lying in the roads. Two ships, the British freighter SS Kelvinbank, and the Norwegian steamer SS Kannik were hit by torpedoes and sank. The two reloads did not show any hits. UB-18 returned to Zeebrugge, arriving on 29 March 1916. That day, the Flanders Flotilla was formed, and Steinbrinck was awarded the coveted Pour le Mérite order.
The War in the Air
RFC Communiqué number 117:
On the 9th instant, practically no work in the air was done owing to the weather.
One successful shoot was carried out by artillery of the Third Army with aeroplane observation, and four artillery patrols were done by the Third Brigade when four hostile batteries were reported by zone call and two were seen to be engaged. Corps machines of the same Brigade dropped six 25-lb bombs on various targets and fired 100 from the air.
Two hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction by artillery of the Second Army with balloon observation. Two were neutralised and eleven other targets dealt with. One shoot was carried out in conjunction with an aeroplane and two fires were caused.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Rain and low clouds all day, no war work carried out.
On this date 7A (Naval) Squadron became No 14 Squadron RNAS, remaining a bombing unit equipped with Handley Page O/100 aircraft.
There were only three aerial victory claims by aces on this day
Attachment 237454
Despite the poor weather and the lack of any air combat there were still three British airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237455
Attachment 237523
December 10th 1917
SEA WAR
Adriatic: 2 Italian MAS boats penetrate Trieste, MAS9 (Lieutenant Rizzo) sinks Austrian battleship Wien, worst Austrian warship loss so far.
North Sea*: Royal Navy Air Service seaplanes bomb Bruges docks and airfields near Ghent.
Attachment 237524
Italian MAS torpedo boat of the type ‘Grillo’ from the year 1917.
SMS Wien ("His Majesty's Ship Vienna") was one of three Monarch-class coastal defense ships built for the Austro-Hungarian Navy in the 1890s. After her commissioning, the ship participated in an international blockade of Crete during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. Wien and the two other Monarch-class ships made several training cruises in the Mediterranean Sea in the early 1900s. They formed the 1st Capital Ship Division of the Austro-Hungarian Navy until they were replaced by the newly commissioned Habsburg-class predreadnought battleships at the turn of the century. In 1906 the three Monarchs were placed in reserve and only recommissioned for annual summer training exercises. After the start of World War I, Wien was recommissioned and assigned to 5th Division together with her sisters. The division was sent to Cattaro in August 1914 to attack Montenegrin and French artillery that was bombarding the port and they remained there until mid-1917. Wien and her sister Budapest were sent to Trieste in August 1917 and bombarded Italian fortifications in the Gulf of Trieste. On the night of 9–10 December, while Wien and Budapest were at anchor in Trieste, two Italian torpedo boats managed to penetrate the harbor defenses undetected and fired several torpedoes at the two ships. Budapest was not hit, but Wien was struck by two torpedoes and sank in less than five minutes with the loss of 46 of her crew. The wreck was salvaged sometime during the 1920s by the Italians.
Attachment 237525
At only 5,785 tonnes (5,694 long tons) maximum displacement, the Monarch class was less than half the size of the battleships of other major navies at the time[2] and were officially designated as coast defense ships. The Austro-Hungarian government believed that the role of its navy was solely to defend her coast.Wien had an overall length of 99.22 meters (325 ft 6 in), a beam of 17 meters (55 ft 9 in) and a draft of 6.4 meters (21 ft 0 in). Her two 4-cylinder vertical triple-expansion steam engines produced a total of 8,500 indicated horsepower (6,300 kW) using steam from five cylindrical boilers. These gave the ship a maximum speed of 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph). Wien's maximum load of 500 metric tons (490 LT) of coal gave her a range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph). She was manned by 26 officers and 397 enlisted men, a total of 423 personnel.
The armament of the Monarch class consisted of four 240-millimeter (9.4 in) Krupp K/94 guns mounted in two twin-gun turrets, one each fore and aft of the superstructure. The ships carried 80 rounds for each gun. Their secondary armament was six 150-millimeter (5.9 in) Škoda guns located in casemates in the superstructure. Defense against torpedo boats was provided by ten quick-firing (QF) 47 mm (1.9 in) Škoda guns and four 47-millimeter QF Hotchkiss guns. The ships also mounted two 450-millimeter (18 in) torpedo tubes, one on each broadside. Each torpedo tube was provided with two torpedoes.[4] After 1917 refits one Škoda 7 cm K16 anti-aircraft gun was installed. The ship's nickel-steel waterline armor belt was 120–270 millimeters (4.7–10.6 in) thick and the gun turrets were protected by 250 millimeters (9.8 in) of armor. The casemates had 80 millimeters (3.1 in) thick sides while the conning tower had 220 millimeters (8.7 in) of armor. Wien's deck armor was 40 millimeters (1.6 in) thick. The Monarch-class ships were ordered in May 1892 with Budapest and Wien to be built at the Stabilimento Tecnico Triestino shipyard in Trieste. Both ships were laid down on 16 February 1893, the first ships in the class to be laid down.[3] Wien was launched on 7 July 1895 by Countess Kielmannsegg, wife of the Governor of Lower Austria, and commissioned on 13 May 1897.
With the beginning of World War I the three Monarchs were recommissioned as the 5th Division. They were sent down to the Cattaro in August 1914 to attack Montenegrin artillery batteries on Mount Lovćen bombarding the Austro-Hungarian naval base at Cattaro and the fortifications defending it. Budapest and her sisters arrived on 13 August, but their guns could not elevate sufficiently enough to engage all of the enemy artillery, which was reinforced by eight French guns on 19 October. The battleship Radetzky was summoned to deal with the guns two days later and she managed to knock out several French guns and forced the others to be withdrawn by 27 October. The Monarchs remained at Cattaro until mid-1917 to deter any further attacks. In August, Budapest and Wien were transferred to Trieste to serve as guard ships against Italian commando raids. Each ship was fitted with a 66-millimeter (2.6 in) anti-aircraft gun after their arrival on 26 August to counter constant Italian air attacks. Wien was damaged by a near miss on 5 September and both ships withdrew to Pola on 12 September. They returned to Trieste on 30 October and sortied into the Gulf of Trieste on 16 November to attack Italian coastal defenses at Cortellazzo, near the mouth of the Piave River. Budapest and Wien opened fire at 10:35 at a range of about 9–10 kilometers (5.6–6.2 mi) and knocked out most of the Italian guns after about a half-hour. Their bombardment was interrupted by several unsuccessful Italian air attacks before a more coordinated attack was made by five MAS torpedo boats and five aircraft around 13:30. This was also unsuccessful and the last Italian coast defense gun was knocked out an hour later. Wien was hit seven times in the superstructure and only lightly damaged;none of her crewmen were wounded.
Anxious to revenge themselves against the Austro-Hungarians, the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) made plans for a sneak attack on the two ships in their berths in the Bay of Muggia, near Trieste, by MAS launches.On the night of 9/10 December, two MAS boats managed to penetrate the harbor defenses undetected, and fired torpedoes at Wien and Budapest at 02:32. The torpedoes fired at Budapest missed, but Wien was hit by two torpedoes fired by MAS 9, commanded by Lieutenant (tenente di vascello) Luigi Rizzo, that blew a hole 10.5-meter (34 ft) wide abreast the boiler rooms.[19] All of the watertight doors were open on board the Wien and the ship capsized in five minutes despite an attempt to counter her growing list by flooding the trim tanks on the opposite side. The attack killed 46 members of the crew. Both Italian boats escaped without being detected and Rizzo was awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor. Wien was buried in the mud of the harbor bottom at a depth of 16.5 meters (54 ft) and salvage of the ship was ordered on 14 December. That same day the navy convened a court-martial of Vice Admiral Alfred Freiherr von Koudelka, commander of the naval district, the captains of both ships, and the commander of the naval defenses of Trieste. On 16 January 1918, the court convicted all four individuals for failing to take all possible precautions to protect the ships and failing to ensure that the precautions were taken. As punishment the court recommended that Koudelka and the two ship captains be retired and the commander of the naval defenses of Trieste to be returned to his former reserve status. Emperor Karl approved the recommendations on 23 January.
The fishing trawler Amadavat (Skipper Robert Scarborough Royal Naval Reserve) is mined and sunk off the Shetlands killing eleven including her Skipper and his son Deck Hand Benjamin Oman Scarborough age 16. The schooner Lizzie M Stanley (Master John Collier) leaves port and is never seen again. She carries a crew of six including her Mater and the lost include brothers Morgan and Thomas (age 20) Buffett (Newfoundland Mercantile Marine)
German submarine SM UB-75 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea with the loss of all 34 crew.
WESTERN FRONT
Belgium: Petain visits King Albert, ‘deplores the inefficiency of the British Command. The troops are excellent but they have been clumsily used. The Americans lack discipline and experience’.
Cambrai: British capture post east of Boursies (on Bapaume-Cambrai road).
Verdun: Unsuccessful German attack on Chaume Wood (and on December 15).
EASTERN FRONT
Russia: Lenin drafts outline peace programme for negotiations.
Ukraine: Red railway detachments defeat Kornilov north of Kharkov and near Belgorod on December 13.
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Salonika: Clemenceau recalls Sarrail who leaves on December 22.
The War in the Air
General Headquarters, December 11th.
“On the 10th instant the weather became suitable for flying, and great activity took place in the air on both sides. The enemy's machines were particularly active west of Cambrai, making repeated attacks on our artillery machines. Our aeroplanes dropped many bombs and fired many rounds from their machine-guns on the enemy's villages, hutments, and trenches. In the evening, hostile machines dropped bombs in our Army areas, but only slight damage resulted. During the day two German aeroplanes were brought down in air fighting, and two others were driven down out of control. A hostile balloon was also brought down and another German aeroplane was shot down by our infantry. Three of our aeroplanes are missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 117:
The weather was fine but with low clouds and mist.
Lieut Crawford and 2nd-Lieut Abraham, No 2 Squadron, carried out a reconnaissance of wire at a height of 50 feet. Nos 7 and 20 Squadrons of the 2nd Brigade carried out successful reconnaissances, and No 21 Squadron of the same Brigade a counter-attack patrol. Bristol Fighters of the 3rd Brigade, No 11 Squadron, carried out five reconnaissances on two of which photographs were taken, while two reconnaissances and four counter-attack patrols were carried out by Corps machines.
Five hundred and fifty-six photographs were taken during the day and 4,277 rounds fired, of which 1,150 were by Naval Squadron No 8.
Artillery co-operation - With aeroplane observation 24 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; nine gun-pits were damaged, 15 explosions and nine fires caused and 65 zone calls sent down. Thirteen of the counter-battery shoots were carried out by the 2nd Brigade.
Bombing -
1st Brigade: No 2 Squadron dropped 13 25-lb and No 4 Squadron 12 25-lb bombs on billets.
2nd Brigade: One hundred and eight 25-lb bombs were dropped on villages, hutments and other targets.
3rd Brigade: No 49 Squadron attacked Marquion on which 10 112-lb bombs were dropped, while 44 25-lb bombs were dropped on various targets by Corps machines.
Admiralty, December 11th.
“During December 10th, several patrols were carried out by naval aircraft, in the course of which three of our machines attacked and drove back five enemy scouts and seven large seaplanes. Two enemy machines were also destroyed and two kite balloons attacked. Enemy trenches and an active anti-aircraft battery were attacked by machine-gun fire. At noon a bombing raid was carried out on Varssenaere aerodrome [south-west of Bruges], many bombs being dropped. Two direct hits are reported, and bombs were observed to drop close to and among sheds in aerodrome. All our machines have returned safely.”
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
No 2 Squadron attempted two photographic reconnaissances in the neighbourhood of Ghent, but had to abandon them owing to engine trouble.
Spotting machines and their escorts, No. 2 Squadron, left with a view to operating with the monitors, but a signal was received cancelling same. All machines, therefore, carried out an offensive patrol.
Bombing raid by day, No 5 Squadron, D.H.4s: A bomb raid was carried out at noon on Varssenaere Aerodrome. Twelve 50-lb and sixty 60-lb bombs were dropped. Bombs were seen to drop close to and among sheds on E and W side of the aerodrome and on the new sheds in the N-E corner.
All machines returned safely. During the raid, photographs were taken of Varssenaere and Houttave Aerodromes.
A flight from Seaplane Defence Squadron observed a two-seater Aviatik between Dunkirk and Bergues. One of the pilots attacked, but had to retire owing to temporary stoppage of both guns.
Whilst carrying out a fighter patrol over the Fleet, four Camels from Seaplane Defence Squadron observed five Albatross scouts 10 miles NE of Ostende. EA were engaged and driven back to Ostende by two of the pilots. Shortly afterwards, six large two-seaters and one small two-seater were seen making for the Fleet. On being attacked, all the EA’s turned back to Ostende. Two EAs were engaged with indecisive results, and a third was driven down in a nose-dive by Flight Sub-Lieut Pinder. Owing to the light, it was impossible to determine if machine was completely out of control or not
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft were active, especially on the Third Army front, where they endeavoured to stop our artillery machines from working.
Lieut J MacDonald, 24 Sqn, EA out of control
Capt G H Bowman, 56 Sqn, Albatros out of control
Sergt F Johnson & Capt J H Hedley, 20 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed east of Staden at 09:15/10:15 - four Bristol Fighters of No 20 Squadron attacked seven EA and Sergt F Johnson, who had as observer Capt J Hedley, shot down one which crashed
Capt G E Thomson, 46 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control north-east of St Quentin at 11:00/12:00 – Lieut G Thompson, No 46 Squadron, shot dwn a German scout which appeared to be out of control
Flt Sub-Lieut J G Clark and Flt Lieut N M MacGregor, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Oostnieuwkerke at 11:20/12:20 - during a patrol over Roulers, Ypres district, eight Camels of No 10 Squadron encountered an Albatross scout at 9,000 feet. EA was attacked by Flight Sub-Lieut Clark and Flight Commander Macgregor in turn. The machine went down out of control and then burst into flames
Sqn Cdr R Collishaw, SDS, Albatros C driven down (out of control?) Dunkerque at 11:45/12:45
Lieut A F E Pitman & Lieut C W Pearson, 57 Sqn, DFW C out of control north of Roulers at 11:45/12:45 - Lieuts A Pitman and C Pearson, No 57 Squadron, were taking photographs when they observed a German machine climbing upwards. They continued with their photography until the enemy machine had reached the same height as themselves when they engaged it and shot it down out of control
2nd-Lieut E C Johnston, 24 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Honnecourt-sur-Escaut at 12:00/13:00
2nd-Lieut I D R McDonald, 24 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed south of Honnecourt-sur-Escaut at 12:00/13:00
Capt A J Brown, 24 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Honnecourt-sur-Escaut at 12:00/13:00
Lieut MacDonald, No 24 Squadron, observed a formation of EA attacking an aeroplane of his patrol below him so dived and opened fire at close range at one of the machines which fell out of control. Another DH5 pilot of the same squadron, Lieut A Brown, also succeeded in hitting one of the hostile formation and it went down in a vertical dive
Flt Sub-Lieut O W Redgate, Flt Sub-Lieut A W Wood and Flt Sub-Lieut E M Knott, 9N Sqn, DFW C in flames east of Pervyse at 15:15/16:15 - during an offensive sweep between Nieuport and Dixmude, a flight from No 9 Squadron drove four EA’s down towards Ostende, and afterwards engaged a DFW near Pervyse. Flight Sub-Lieuts Redgate, Wood and Knott dived on the EA, firing about 1,000 rounds. The Observer was evidently hit in the first burst as he did not reply. The EA then caught fire and turned over on its back, and was still seen burning at 1,000 feet
Lieut M E Mealing, 56 Sqn, Balloon in flames north of Bois de Vaucelles at 15:20/16:20 - Lieut M Mealing, No 56 Squadron, with other S.E.s, drove away a formation of five EA and when diving after them he saw enemy balloon which he shot down in flames
2nd-Lieut L N Franklin, 56 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control west of Honnecourt-sur-Escaut at 15:20/16:20 – Lieut L Franklin, No 56 Squadron, shot down a German scout out of control
Casualties
Lieut J C Kirkpatrick (Kia) & 2nd-Lieut W T V Harmer (Wia), 20 Sqn, Bristol F.2B A7299 – took off 08:26/09:26 then hit by AA fire and nose-dived from considerable height at Sh28.c.19.d.2.8 [north of Ypres] on NOP
Capt T S Malcolmson (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut H T A Honeyman (Kia), 15 Sqn, RE8 C5030 – took off 10:50/11:50 then missing on photographic reconnaissance; hit by anti-aircraft fire ?
2nd-Lieut L H Thierry (Kia) & 4824 2/AM R T Lee (Kia), 15 Sqn, RE8 C5032 – took off 11:00/12:00 then missing on photographic reconnaissance
The following aerial victory claims were made by aces on this day...
Attachment 237526
There were eight British airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237532 Attachment 237529
The Junkers J 8, a prototype of the Junkers CL.I, was first flown and in three months would be used by Germany as ground-attack aircraft.
Attachment 237530
Due to the demands of IDFLIEG in 1916, Hugo Junkers was forced to develope the combat aircraft J4 as a double wing design. Junkers himself believed, that also a cantilever monoplane would offer the same performance than a double wing aircraft. Therefore Junkers was thinking about a combat conversion of the J7 to proof his approach. This combat aircraft version of the J7 was designated as Junkers J8. Compared to the J7, the J8 got a longer fuselage to accomodate a pilot and an observer seat and a larger wing for slow speed flights.
Just three month after the first flight of the J7, on December, 10th 1917 Schmidt took off for the first flight of the J8. After the foundation of Junkers-Fokker Werke A.G. Anthony Fokker is interested in a serial production of the J8 within the new joint-venture company. Since February 1918 the aircraft was also tested by IDFLIEG. It got its type approval during the same month as Junk CL. The prototype and a further two J8 aircraft were built for IDFLIEG until March 1918. These test aircraft were designated J8I, J8II and J8III. A fourth J8 was built for ICO itself for some flight performance tests.
IDFLIEG was interested in a serial production of the J8. But due to the bad experiences with the J4 serial production, IDFLIEG did not believe, that ICO or Junkers-Fokker A.G., which was just founded from former ICO workshops were capable to built up a convenient serial production line for the J8. Therefore IDFLIEG was discussing a license production of this aircraft at Linke-Hoffmann. At the same time Junkers and Fokker were discussing about the transfer of the J8 production rights from ICO, which had developed the J8 to Junkers-Fokker Werke A.G., which should produce the aircraft. Finally Junkers transfered the rights of a slightly modified J8 to Junkers-Fokker A.G. under the designator J10. In sofar a total of four J8s were built and the J8 remained an exclusive ICO developement.
Attachment 237531
Junkers CL-1
Attachment 237553
11th December 1917
Lets start with a bit of a political hot potato - now I have no real idea when it comes to the politics of the Middle East as most of what I am able to read is very much coloured by the press of the main protagonists, therefore I am not looking to make any political point here just present the information I have found...
On 11th December 1917, General Edmund Allenby entered Jerusalem on foot. He dismounted from his horse and humbly walked from the Jaffa Gate. His troops had captured the city in the preceding weeks. His mode of entry had been ordered by the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, and was recorded by newsreels. Allenby was the first Christian conqueror of Jerusalem since the First Crusade captured it in 1099, slaughtering Muslims and Jews indiscriminately as it did so. Jerusalem as a Christian city lasted only last 87 years until Saladin recaptured it in 1187. Muslim rule was never re-established after 1917. In the preceding centuries, Jerusalem had been a provincial city of religious importance, but the British made it a capital again – capital of the British Palestine Mandate which lasted until 1947. As the Ottoman Empire contracted, the vacuum was filled by the two imperial powers, Britain and France. France took Syria and Lebanon, while Britain kept the rest under an indirect rule system. Some self-government was granted, but the two powers kept most of the military muscle to themselves, and the exploitation of the natural resources.
Is coincidental that Jerusalem and its status is again in the news (thanks mainly to 'The Donald'). It is a fact that the shape of the modern Middle East had been set up to now by the First World War. The Second World War made little or no change. Here are the forces that shaped the Middle East:
Imperial & Economic Power, first by the successor powers to the Ottomans (Britain and France), then by the USA. The massive changes under way at the moment are due mainly to the decline of the US in the region.
Arab Nationalism, represented in 1917 by the Arab Revolt with the legendary T.E.Lawrence “Lawrence of Arabia” as one of its advisers. But the Arabs were misled, and instead of independence they were fobbed off with client kingdoms, of which only Jordan survives today. But the borders of Lebanon, Syria, Arabia, the Gulf states, Yemen and Iran were all settled, not by the Arabs, but by the British and French under the guise of the League of Nations. Today, the only Arab people without their own nation are the Palestinians.
Zionist, taking advantage of the Balfour Declaration, represented today by the State of Israel.
Jidahism. It is little known, but at the behest of the Kaiser, the Turkish Caliphate in Istanbul proclaimed a Jihad against the British Empire. However, it had little effect, except to inspire some desertions among Britain’s partly Muslim Indian Army, then in action in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). But who knew this medieval rite would still be influential a century later?
anyway moving on...
Attachment 237554 Attachment 237555
After an intense gas attack at Givenchy a strong enemy patrol tries to rush British posts, the garrisons of which have been overcome. Private Walter Mills (Manchester Regiment) although badly gassed himself, meets the attack single-handed and continues to throw bombs until the arrival of reinforcements and remains at his post until the enemy have been finally driven off. While being carried away he dies of gas poisoning but it is entirely due to him that the enemy is defeated and the line remained intact. For his actions on this day he will be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. Mills was buried at Gorre British & Indian Cemetery, Nr Bethune, Pas-De-Calais, France.[3]
His VC Medal was buried with his Daughter Ellen, who died in the 1934
EASTERN FRONT
Russia: National Council proclaims Lithuanian independence. Russian Front forces sent against Don Cossacks. Commissar for Polish Affairs appointed.
HOME FRONTS
Russia: Constituent Assembly meets at Petrograd until 13 December, when its broken up by Bolsheviks.
France: *Clemenceau demands removal of parliament immunity from ex-Prime Minister Caillaux (arrested December 12) and two other deputies (done December 22-23).
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Piave: Krauss with 4 divisions and 460 guns attacks Mt Grappa (‘Sacred Mountain’) sector; German 5th Div storms Mt Spinoncia but can get no farther despite repeated attacks. Austrian 4th Division, arrived from Eastern Front, captures Col della Berretta.
SEA WAR
East Atlantic: U-155 shells Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Attachment 237556
Deutschland was a blockade-breaking German merchant submarine used during World War I. It was developed with private funds and operated by the North German Lloyd Line. She was one of the first of seven U-151 class U-boats built and one of only two used as unarmed cargo submarines.After making two voyages as an unarmed merchantman, she was taken over by the German Imperial Navy on 19 February 1917 and converted into U-155, armed with six torpedo tubes and two deck guns. As U-155, she began a raiding career in June 1917 that was to last until October 1918, sinking 120,434 tons of shipping and damaging a further 9,080 tons of shipping. Deutschland was one of seven submarines designed to carry cargo between the United States and Germany, through the naval blockade of the Entente Powers. Mainly enforced by Great Britain's Royal Navy, the blockade had led to great difficulties for German companies in acquiring raw materials which could not be found in quantity within the German sphere of influence, and thus substantially hindered the German war effort.
Deutschland was built together with her sister ship Bremen in 1916 by the Deutsche Ozean-Reederei, a private shipping company created for the enterprise, a subsidiary company of the North German Lloyd shipping company (now Hapag-Lloyd) and the Deutsche Bank.She was constructed without armaments, with a wide beam to provide space for cargo. The cargo capacity was 700 tons (230 tons of rubber could be stored in the free-flooding spaces between the inner and outer hulls), relatively small compared to surface ships. Britain and France soon protested against the use of submarines as merchant ships, arguing that they could not be stopped and inspected for munitions in the same manner as other cargo vessels. The US, under diplomatic pressure for supposedly showing favoritism while having declared itself neutral, rejected the argument. Even submarines, as long as they were unarmed, were to be regarded as merchant vessels and accordingly would be permitted to trade. Only two submarines were completed according to the original design: Deutschland and Bremen, which was lost on a voyage to the United States. Due to the United States' entry into the war the other five submarine freighters were converted into long-range cruiser U-boats (U-kreuzers), equipped with two 150mm deck guns and were known as the Type U 151 class.
During the summer of 1917 U-155 made a 105-day cruise, commanded by Kptlt. Karl Meusel, leaving Germany around 24 May and returning on 4 September. During her traverse of the Northern Passage around the northern end of the British Isles and out into the Atlantic Ocean, she was stalked and nearly sunk by U-19 near Utsira Island, Norway. During this patrol, the boat fired on the port city of Ponta Delgada in the Azore Islands on 4 July at 3 a.m. with its deck guns. Portuguese army units did not respond due to being equipped with obsolete artillery. The coal collier USS Orion happened to be in port at the time undergoing repairs. Its company returned U-155's fire and dueled with the German boat for about 12 minutes. U-155 submerged without being hit and eventually retired. While the raid was light in damage (it killed four people), it alarmed Allied naval authorities about the defenseless nature of the Azores and their possible use as a base by boats like U-155 in the future. Allied naval forces, led by the U.S. Navy, began to send ships and establish a naval operating base in Ponta Delgada as a result. During her patrol she sank 19 merchant ships, most by either scuttling or gunfire. She attacked 19 Allied armed merchantmen but only succeeded in sinking 9 of them. Upon her return to Germany she had covered a distance of 10,220 nmi (18,930 km; 11,760 mi), of which 620 nmi (1,150 km; 710 mi) had been travelled submerged, one of the longest voyages made by a U-boat during World War I.
U-155 returned to Germany from her final cruise on 12 November 1918 and was surrendered on 24 November 1918 with other submarines as part of the terms of the Armistice. She was taken to Britain and exhibited in London and elsewhere and was eventually sold for scrap in 1921. On 17 September 1921 she was being broken up at Robert Smith and Sons, Birkenhead, when an explosion ripped the ship apart, killing five apprentices.
Attachment 237557
U-155 'Deutschland' in London after the war
The War in the Air
General Headquarters, December 11th.
“At 11 o'clock on the 11th instant our machines left their aerodromes in fine weather to bomb certain factories in Germany. On reaching the area of their objectives, our pilots found their target obscured by clouds, but seeing a clear gap farther north-east they continued their flight in that direction. Through the gap in the clouds they recognised the large railway junction north-east of Pirmasens and dropped their bombs upon it. The closing of the gap in the clouds prevented observation of the results.
“Although the whole sky was covered by low clouds during the return journey all our pilots succeeded in reaching their aerodrome safely.
RFC Communiqué number 117:
Low clouds and a slight drizzle prevented much work being done.
A total of 1,052 rounds were fired at ground targets, 550 being by two machines of No 5 Squadron.
Eight 25-lb bombs were dropped by the 2nd Brigade and 18 25-lb bombs by the 3rd Brigade on various targets.
With aeroplane observation, five hostile batteries were succesfully engaged for destruction by artillery of the Third Army, which destroyed one pt and caused an explosion. Machines of this brigade sent down 10 zone calls.
With observation by balloons, two hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction, six neutralised, and 21 other targets were successfully dealt with by artillery of the Second Army. Two of the shoots were carried out in conjuction with aeroplanes and one fire and three explosions were caused.
Artillery of the Third Army dealt with three targets.
41st Wing - seven machines of No 55 Squadron left the ground in fine weather to bomb the boot factory at Pirmasens, but found the target obscured by clouds, so flew to a gap farther north from which point they saw the large railway junction north-east of Pirmasens and dropped 12 112-lb and 10 25-lb bombs from 13,000 feet. The results were not observed owing to the drifting clouds.
On the return flight the machines kept together, but became split up after recrossing the lines owing to the heavy banks of clouds at 600 feet. All machines, however, landed safely in different places, with one exception when a machine was damaged, but the crew were uninjured.
Admiralty, December 12th.
"During the night of December 10th-11th naval aircraft carried out a bombing raid on Oostacker aerodrome and Bruges Docks. Many tons of bombs were dropped on both objectives. On the former, owing to poor visibility, results were difficult to observe, but at the latter good shooting was made and a fire started. All our machines returned safely.”
Admiralty, December 13th.
“On the night of December 11th a bombing raid was made by naval aircraft on Bruges Docks. Visibility was bad, with low-lying clouds. One of our machines is missing. The usual fighter patrols were carried out; one enemy aircraft was driven down out oi control and observed to crash.”
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to unfavourable weather conditions, little work could be carried out during the day. During one of the coast patrols several ground targets were attacked.
Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 14 Squadrons, H.Ps: A bomb raid was carried out on the evening of the 10th on Oostacker Aerodrome and Bruges Docks.
Visibility at first was fairly good, but soon afterwards deteriorated considerably, so much so, that the last machine to leave was forced to land, as the ground by then could not be seen.
Eight 250-lb and forty 112-lb bombs were dropped on this objective; and on Bruges Docks, eight 250-lb and fifty-four 112-lb bombs were dropped.
Bombs were seen to explode among the sheds just N. of the E. Bassin, and the Docks in general were well straddled. All machines returned safely.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft were inactive and no combats took place.
Casualty
Capt A G Waller (Ok) & Lieut L H Mackay (Ok), 55 Sqn, DH4 A7775 - force landed in ploughed field Gironcourt due bad weather on return from bombing Pirmasens
The following aerial victory claims were made by aces on this day...
Attachment 237558
There were six British airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237559
Captain Tunstill's Men (who have been pretty quiet of late)
In the morning there was heavy shelling of the British front line and of the reserve positions, which raised concerns about a possible Austrian attack, but nothing materialised. Pte. John Killerby (see 3rd September) was wounded, suffering shrapnel wounds to his left arm and shoulder, including a fractured scapula. He would be evacuated to the UK, arriving at Oakbank War Hospital, Glasgow, on 2nd January 1918.
Pte. William Postill Taylor (see 15th November), serving in France with 2DWR, was admitted to hospital suffering from a high temperature.
Pte. James Wilson (see 19th November), serving in East Africa as a lorry driver with the Motor Transport Section of the ASC, was admitted to hospital in Ndanda (in modern day Tanzania) suffering from malaria.
Pte. Herbert Farrand Hogley (see 25th November), who was in England having been wounded in action serving with 2/6thDWR, was transferred from hospital in Eastleigh to the Military Hospital in Bangor, North Wales.
CSM Harry Dewhirst (see 13th October), formerly of 10DWR, was posted from 3DWR at North Shields to 4DWR at Rugeley Camp, Staffs.
Pte. Ernest William Evans (see 24th October), who had been in England since having been wounded in June, was formally discharged from the Army as being no longer physically fit. His discharge report stated that following his abdominal wounds, “Has considerable bladder disturbance. Very sudden necessity to pass water always ‘wets himself’ if he does not get the chance to pass it at once. Has to support abdomen with hands while urinating. Will not make Class A, B or C”. He was awarded a pension of 27s. 6d. for four weeks, reducing thereafter to 8s. 3d; to be reviewed in a year.
A fine issue Chris.
Is there any chance that the , 'Airmen lost on this day' section could be produced in a larger font size. My old eyes are not up (or should that be down?) to the small print.
Cheers
Reg
Message received Reg.
Attachment 237996
WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER 1917
Lets start with the War in the Air
General Headquarters, December 13th.
“On the 12th inst., in spite of low clouds and mist, a great many of our aeroplanes were in the air. The enemy's troops were engaged with machine-gun fire during their attack on our positions at Bullecourt, bombs were dropped, and low reconnaissances carried out. There was much air fighting, in which a Gotha aeroplane and one other German machine were brought down, and three other hostile machines driven down out of control. Another hostile machine was shot down in our lines by anti-aircraft gun fire. All our aeroplanes returned.”
RFC Communiqué number 118:
The weather was fine in the morning, but clouds interfered, with work in the afternoon.
Three reconnnaissances were carried out by the 2nd Brigade and 11 by the 3rd, who also did eight contact patrols.
Artillery co-operation: With aeroplane observation, five hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction by the First Army artillery. One was neutralized, five gun-pits were destroyed and three explosions and four fires caused.
Seventy-two zone calls were sent down, 63 of which were by the 3rd Brigade.
12,334 rounds were fired at ground targets; 1,100 were by pilots of Naval Squadron No 8 and 1,150 by No 24 Squadron.
Bombing:
1st Brigade - No 2 Squadron dropped four 25-lb bombs, and No 4 Squadron seven 25-lb bombs on various targets.
2nd Brigade – Seventy-five 25-lb bombs were dropped by Corps machines.
3rd Brigade – Fifty-four 25-lb bombs were dropped by machines of the Corps Wing, which also fired 2,177 rounds. Low-flying scouts dropped 20 25-lb bombs on troops aid other targets.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Two photographic reconnaissances were attempted by No. 2 Squadron, but had to be abandoned owing to thick clouds over all objectives.
Anti-submarine patrol was carried out by Seaplanes. Nothing to report.
Owing to weather few fighter patrols could be carried out.
Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 14 Squadrons, H.P.s: On the evening of the 11th and morning of the 12th a bomb raid was carried out on Bruges Docks.
Four 250-lb and thirty-four 112-lb bombs were dropped, but owing to the low clouds results were difficult to observe. It was noted, however, that one of the bombs caused a particularly large explosion.
All machines returned safely.
While making a sweep round by Ghistelles and Dixmude, nine Camels from No 10 Squadron encountered six Albatross scouts. A general engagement took place in which one of our machines was attacked and shot down by an Albatross. Flight Commander Macgregor immediately attacked the EA and drove him down out of control.
Other indecisive engagements took place.
Confirmation of the destruction of this EA has since been received from the Belgians, who state that a British and a hostile machine were seen to go down at this time, near Leke.
During the course of the patrols several hundred rounds were fired into enemy trenches.
Enemy Aircraft:
Enemy aircraft activity was slight on all fronts except the 2nd Brigade, where a number of combats took place, and a Gotha machine was destroyed.
Lieut V Wigg, 65 Sqn, Albatros Scout captured St Julien at 09:25/10:25
Lieut V Wigg and Lieut C B Matthews, 65 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Houthulst Forest - Ypres at 09:25/10:25
Another hostile machine was brought down in our lines by Lieut V Wigg, No 65 Squadron, who, with the assstance of Lieut C Matthews, drove one down out of control and then attacked the second, with which he nearly collided owing to the closeness of the fighting, and finally shot it down in flames in our lines; Uffz Kählert, Jasta 26, Pow
Lieut K A Seth-Smith, 70 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Westroosebeke at 09:30/10:30
2nd-Lieut F G Quigley, 70 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Westroosebeke at 09:30/10:30
Capt E Y Hughes, 3 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Cambrai at 10:20/11:20
Capt K M St C G Leask, 84 Sqn, two-seater crashed ? Hendecourt at 13:45/14:45
Attachment 237808
Capt W W Rogers, 1 Sqn, Gotha G broke up north of Frelinghem at 14:15/15:15 – Capt W Rogers, No 1 Squadron, flying a Nieuport, saw two formations of eight or nine Gothas flying west, so climbed up with his patrol. Observing one of the enemy machines turn back, he attacked and after firing three-quarters of a drum at from 20 to 30 yards' range, the machine burst into flames, fell to pieces and crashed just, north of Frelinghien. This is confirmed by infantry and anti-aircraft; Hpt Rudolf Kleine & Ltn Werner Bülowius & Ltn Gunther von der Nahmer & Gefr Max Weber, KG3, all Kia,
Capt A E McKay, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Houthulst Forest at 14:20/15:20 - Ja7 ?,
Flt Cdr N M MacGregor, 10N Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control east of Dixmude at 14:40/15:40 -
Capt W M Fry, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Staden at 15:00/16:00
Lieut L D Baker, 23 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Staden - Oostnieuwkerke at 15:00/16:00
Casualty
Flt Sub-Lieut J G Clark (Pow), 10N Sqn, Camel N6330 - combat with Albatros Scouts at 14,000 feet shot down out of control north of Dixmude at 15:45/16:45; Ltn Paul Billik, Js7, 8th victory [Keiem at 15:30/16:30]
The Following Aerial Victory Claims were made on this day
Attachment 237805
The Following British Airmen were lost on this day...
Attachment 237806
Attachment 237807
Today also saw the The first prototype of the Beardmore W.B.IV aircraft flown for the first time
The W.B.IV was designed to meet Admiralty Specification N.1A for a naval land- or ship-based fighter aircraft. The design was dominated by the demands for the aircraft to be able to be safely ditching and remain afloat. A large permanent flotation chamber was built into the fuselage under the nose and the pilot was in a watertight cockpit. The propeller shaft ran underneath the cockpit from the Hispano-Suiza V-8 engine which was over the centre of gravity of the aircraft. The entire undercarriage could be released from the plane for water landings. The wing tips were fitted with additional floats, while the aircraft's two-bay wings could fold for storage on board ship. The single prototype first flew at Beardmore's Dalmuir factory on 12 December 1917, being delivered for evaluation at Martlesham Heath in July 1918. The W.B.IV had poorer performance than the much simpler and smaller shipborne version of the Sopwith Camel and was not developed further. The sole prototype was lost when it sank during ditching.
Attachment 237809
The War at Sea
HMS Partridge (Lieutenant Commander Reginald Hugh Ransome killed at age 31) is sunk by German destroyers in the North Sea while escorting a convoy of 6 merchant ships from Lerwick to Norway. The other escort ship HMS Pellew (Lieutenant Commander J R Cavendish) escapes while all the merchant ships are sunk. Seventy-four of the crewmen are killed on HMS Partridge including:
Lieutenant Lancelot John Barrington Walters age 22 son of the Reverend Charles Barrington Walters Rector of Sywell while Pellew suffer four fatalities before escaping.
Officers Steward 2nd Class William Spedding is lost at age 22. His brother was killed when HMS Hampshire struck a mine in June 1916.
Attachment 237810
HMS Partridge was a Royal Navy Admiralty M-class destroyer constructed and then operational in the First World War, later being sunk by enemy action in 1917. The destroyer was the sixth Royal Navy vessel to carry the name HMS Partridge. The vessel was assigned to the Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla by July 1916.[2] On 11 December 1917 the destroyer left from Lerwick on the Shetland Islands, along with HMS Pellew and several armed trawlers to escort six merchant ships to Bergen, in Norway.[3] The convoy was spotted by a flotilla of German destroyers and they unsuccessfully fought an engagement with the attacking destroyers, with Partridge being hit repeatedly by shells and torpedoes.[3] The destroyer subsequently sank in the North Sea on 12 December 1917.[4] Reports indicate that 97 of the crew were killed and only 24 were rescued.[3] The wreck is believed to be off the Norwegian coast.[3] One incident of reported heroism in the sinking, in which a Lieutenant Grey sacrificed a place in a life-raft for another officer resulted in the award of the Stanhope Gold Medal by the Royal Humane Society.
Attachment 237811
The Royal Australian Navy battlecruiser HMAS Australia was damaged in a collision with the British cruiser HMS Repulse. HMAS Australia was one of three Indefatigable-class battlecruisers built for the defence of the British Empire. Ordered by the Australian government in 1909, she was launched in 1911, and commissioned as flagship of the fledgling Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1913. Australia was the only capital ship ever to serve in the RAN.
Attachment 237812
Away from the fighting...
More than 500 French soldiers are killed when their train derails in Modane, France, on this day in 1917. The troops were returning from fighting World War I in Italy. There was ample warning that the conditions were dangerous, but the French officers ignored the expert advice and insisted that the overcrowded train proceed as scheduled.
More than a 1,000 (some estimate the number to be as high as 1,200) French soldiers were trying to travel between Turin, Italy, and Lyon, France, through the Alps in southeastern France to return home in time for Christmas. However, so many coach cars were attached to a single locomotive that the engineer in charge protested and refused to leave the station. The danger was not so much that the locomotive would not be able to pull the 19 cars, but that it wouldn’t be able to stop the cars since there were no brakes on 16 of the coaches.
A French officer, anxious to get the men home for the holidays, pulled out a gun and threatened the engineer until he agreed to begin the trip. Unfortunately, the engineer’s concerns were valid: As the train came out of the Mount Cern tunnel and approached the town of Modane in France, it had to descend a steep grade. The brakes could not hold the weight of the crowded coach cars and the train went out of control down the hill. Near the bottom, the train came to a wooden bridge and shot off the rails. The coach cars piled up; as they were made mostly of wood, many caught fire immediately.
The death toll was estimated at between 500 and 800 men. The fire was so intense that it burned at least 400 of the bodies beyond recognition. Although the army attempted to cover up the details of the tragedy because it implicated French officers, the engineer–who survived–finally released the full story some 15 years later.
EASTERN FRONT
Russia: Bolsheviks fight Cossacks at Rostov, occupy it on December 14. General Kaledin retakes it on December 15 with Alexeiev’s Volunteer Army forcing local Reds to flee to Black Sea Fleet.
Baltic: Estonian nobility appeal for German help. General Count Kirchbach takes over German Eighth Army (Hutier to Western Front).
MIDDLE EAST
Turkey: Djemal Pasha resigns as Gouverneur-General of Syria and Arabia and as C-in-C Fourth Army, returns to Constantino*ple.
Today we lost: 484
Today’s losses include:
- Multiple families that will lose two sons in the Great War
- Multiple sons of members of the clergy
- A woman will die on service whose brother will be killed next March
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
- Captain Herbert Mataher Spoor MC (Royal Army Medical Corps) is killed at age 45. He is the son of the Reverend Spoor.
- Lieutenant Digby Guy Learoyd (Royal Engineers) is killed in Mesopotamia at agae 28. He is the son of the Reverend Digby Johnson Learoyd Rector of Debden.
- Second Lieutenant Harold Wyse Allin (Shropshire Light Infantry) dies of wounds at El Arish Egypt at age 28. He is the son of the Reverend Alfred Thomas Allin.
- Regimental Sergeant Major Walter Charles Grubby (Royal Garrison Artillery) is killed at age 35. His brother will be killed next August.
- Chauffeuse Helen Maud Peel (Volunteer Aid Detachment British Red Cross Society) dies at home at age 22. Her brother will be killed in action the following March.
Home Fronts:
USA: Hoover calls for porkless days and wheatless meals!
Attachment 237995
December 13 1917, Washington–Herbert Hoover’s Food Administration was in charge of providing food to US Army both at home and in Europe and providing food relief to Europe. Many of Hoover’s efforts were voluntary programs to reduce food consumption on the home front, leaving more food for the Army and Europe while also letting every American feel like they were participating in the war effort through their daily meals. The voluntary “food instructions” included a “wheatless day” every Tuesday with no wheat products and a “meatless day” every Wednesday with no beef, pork, or lamb. On December 13, Hoover added a “porkless day” on Saturdays, and urged everyone to have at least one wheatless and one meatless meal every day, telling Americans that “as a nation we eat and waste 80% more protein than we require to maintain health. Therefore we can reduce the amount of meat we eat without harm.” Such voluntary programs helped avoid food rationing in the United States, though it is unlikely rationing ever would have happened regardless of consumption patterns. In the United Kingdom, which was under a dire U-boat threat and which had been at war for over three years, rationing was still purely voluntary at the end of 1917.
Air Operations:
General Headquarters
“On the 13th inst., one German aeroplane was shot down by our infantry. There is nothing further of special interest to report concerning aerial activity on either side.”
RFC Communiqué number 118:
Low clouds and ground mist made work in the air practically impossible.
One reconnaissance was carried out by the 1st Brigade and five by the 3rd Brigade.
8,702 rounds were fired at ground targets and 70 25-lb bombs dropped during course of the day. Machines of the 1st Brigade dropped six, the 2nd Brigade four and the 3rd Brigade 60 25-lb bombs, while pilots of No 12 Squadron fired 7,011 rounds from heights varying from 100 to 2,000 feet.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
During the day the sky was completely overcast, with low clouds and mist. It was only possible to carry out a very little war work.
Search patrols were carried out for missing C.M.B., and an airship reported to be in trouble. Information was received later that the airship had landed in Holland and the crew interned.
Fleet protection patrols were also carried out, no EA were seen.
Enemy Aircraft
Enemy aircraft were inactive and no combats took place. One hostile machine was shot down by infantry of the Third Army.
Casualties
2nd-Lieut A L Clark (Pow), 46 Sqn, Camel B5209 – took off 16:15/17:15 then lost way and landed Colonne near Merville with pressure pump trouble, took-off again and last seen in mist by 102 Sqn on offensive patrol
? (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut T R Scott (Wia), 12 Sqn, RE8 - hit by anti-aircraft fire on artillery patrol
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: 8
2Lt Andrew, J.L. (James Lionel), 56 Training Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Arthur, W.H. (William Herbert), 39 Squadron, RFC.
Ac Flt Lt Beale, E.E. (Ernest Edward), Cranwell Central Depot and Training Establishment, RNAS.
A Mech 1 Gent, C.L. (Clarence Linzee), 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps.
A Mech 3 Leonard, C. (Cornelius), No.4 Stores Depot, RFC.
Lt Liardet, F.C.E. (Frederick Charles Evelyn), RFC.
Lt Rowles, S.W. (Stanley Walter), 10 Squadron, RFC.
2Lt Scott, D.G. (Douglas Gordon), RFC.
Claims: 8 confirmed today (Entente 3: Central Powers 5)
Jean Georges Bouyer (France) #5.
Attilio Imolesi (Italy)#5.
Giovanni Nicelli (Italy) #4.
Godwin Brumowski #29.
Karl Kaszala #8.
Frank Linke-Crawford #13.
Karl Schattauer #2.
Alwin Thrum #4.
Western Front:
Moderate fighting on Ypres, Cambrai and Verdun fronts.
700 French Soldiers killed in train crash:
Attachment 237994
Some of the train wreckage pictured after the crash and fire.
December 12 1917, Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne–French soldiers from Salonika had been returning for leave via Italy for some time now. Added to this in December 1917 were the thousands of French troops now stationed in Italy itself after Caporetto. The latter had been rushed there as quickly as possible, and many of them were already due leave. Wanting to keep morale up after the mutinies earlier in the year, French officers were determined to get their troops back for leave in France before Christmas. Finding enough locomotives to do so, especially over the difficult Alpine passes on the border, was another matter.
On the evening of December 12, a train filled with over 1000 soldiers left Modane, near the Italian border. Only one locomotive was available for the train and few of the coaches had proper brakes. The train’s engineer initially refused to depart as a result, but was apparently forced to do so at gunpoint by an officer. The train’s route included a steep downgrade of 3.3% for several miles, and the brakes were not up to the task. The train’s speed grew out of control, eventually reaching 84 mph (the speed limit for the section was 25 mph). The first car derailed just after crossing a bridge into a narrow valley, and several of the remaining cars telescoped into it, killing many. Fire soon broke out; due to electrical problems, many of the cars were lit with candles. The confined space in the valley increased the strength of the fire and made efforts to combat it more difficult. Furthermore, the fire ignited grenades that had been carried by some soldiers, causing even more fatalities.
In all, around 700 French soldiers were killed in the crash, making it likely the deadliest train disaster until the 2004 tsunami. Military censorship meant that the crash was not widely reported in the press at the time.
Eastern Front:
General Kornilov's troops worsted by Bolsheviks near Bielgorod (southern Russia).
- Armistice negotiations on Russian front resumed (see 6th and 15th).
Southern Front:
Tunstills Men Thursday 13th December 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
The day was mainly fine but with some light snow showers. Normally snow would have been expected in late November but this was the first snow of the winter.
Pte. Ernest Portman (see 29th October) was transferred to 23rd Division Military Police “on traffic control duties”.
Pte. Robert Frank Smith (25829) (see 2nd November) was admitted to 23rd Divisional Rest Station suffering from swelling to his right knee.
Pte. Leonard Beaconsfield Turner (see 28th June) was admitted to 69th Field Ambulance, suffering from boils; he would be discharged to duty after two days.
Pte. Selwyn Stansfield (see 5th December), who had been in England since being wounded in May, and was serving with 3DWR at North Shields, was posted back to France and would join 2nd/5th DWR.
Pte. Ben Hutchinson (see 25th September), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20th September, appeared before an Army Medical Board which recommended that he be discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit for service.
A pension award was made in the case of the late Pte. Charles Arthur Stott (see 27th August), who had been killed in action on 10th June; his widow, Marcella, was awarded 18s. 9d. per week for herself and her daughter, Teresa.
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
British line extended north-east of Jerusalem and advanced between latter and Jaffa.
Naval Operations:
SM U-75, Kaiserliche Marine, a type UE I submarine struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off Terschelling, Friesland, Netherlands with the loss of 23 of her crew.
Shipping Losses: 10 (1 to a mine 9 to U-Boat action)
The armed boarding cruiser Stephen Furness is sunk in the Irish Sea west of the Isle of Man by German submarine UB-64. Six officers and 95 ranks are killed.
- Assistant Stewart Richard Henry Buckett is among the dead. He had been awarded the DSM for his actions during the sinking of the Alcantar in February 1916.
- Telegraphist Arthur Frederick Churchhouse is killed at age 19. His brother was killed last July.
The steamer Garthwaite (Master James Smith) is also sunk by a submarine four miles east of Whitby. Fourteen including the master are lost.
Political:
Constituent Assembly at Taurida Palace dispersed by Bolshevist troops.
- Russian Constituent Assembly dispersed by Bolsheviki (see 11th, and November 8th, 1917, and January 19th, 1918
Today we lost: 365Friday 14th December 1917
Today’s losses include:
- A son of the man who will conceive the idea of the two minute silence observed on Armistice Day
- A Wales International Rugby player
- A man whose son will be killed in the Second World War
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
- Piper Sergeant Thomas Henderson (Gordon Highlanders) is killed at age 36. His son Sergeant Pilot Thomas Valentine Henderson will be killed with the Royal Air Force in September 1940.
Air Operations:
RFC Communiqué number 118:
Practically no work was possible owing to low clouds, mist and rain. One reconnaissance was carried out by the 1st Brigade and a machine of this Brigade fired 60 rounds into Fosse 8.
Twelve 25-lb bombs were dropped by Nos 7 and 53 Squadrons and 700 rounds fired at enemy in Houthulst Forest.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Unfavourable weather prevented any war work being carried out.
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: 2
A Mech 2 Ryalls, F.E., Recruits Depot, RFC.
A Mech 3 Wassell, A.E., No.3 Stores Depot, Milton, RFC.
Claims: 3 confirmed today (Entente 3 : Central Powers 0)
Roy Drummond #4.
F.J. Knowles #4.
Guido Masiero (Italy) u/c.
Stanley Stanger #1.
Western Front:
All quiet on the Western Front.
Eastern Front:
Rostov occupied by Bolshevist troops.
Southern Front:
Italians surrender Col Caprile (Valstagna, Brenta river); otherwise enemy repulsed.
General Sarrail recalled from Salonika (see 22nd, and January 16th, 1916).
Tunstills Men Friday 14th December 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
A fine but dull day.
Pte. Frank Wood (see 5th November) was reported by Sgt. Harry Holmes (see 20th September) as having “dirty boots on 8.45am parade”; he was reprimanded by Capt. Henry Kelly VC (see 10th December).
Ptes. Ellis Sutcliffe (see 5th December) and Milton Wood (see 10th November) were posted from 3DWR back to France and would join 2nd/5th DWR.
Capt. Bob Perks DSO (see 27th November), serving with 3DWR at North Shields, wrote to his father with news of his prospects of leave over Christmas; “Thanks for the letter. I seem to have made some mistakes with my dates. My leave is from 21st to 27th inclusive. That means from early morning to late at night on the dates. But one’s time after tea is usually free and thus I shall be able to start on the Thursday 20th but not able to reach Hebden same night and hit upon Leads as a resting place. Similarly I intend to get back as far as Newcastle on 27th but it will be all right if I blow up here by morning 28th. As to meeting you, I should like it immensely but am rather doubtful as to how soon I can get off. With luck and an awful rush I might manage to arrive by 7.35pm, otherwise it will be something after ten. I will try and let you know nearer. Am very busy now, very and have had a touch of flu too but am recovering now. Am going to play Bridge with my vicarage friends to-night”.
The weekly edition of the Craven Herald reported news of the progress of two men who had been among Tunstill’s original volunteers. Pte. Jim Coates (see 9th November) had been wounded while serving with the West Yorks; Pte. Richard Howell (see 15th September 1914) had originally failed to pass his Army medical, but had apparently been called up at a later date (details unknown). There was also a mention of George Singleton, brother of Pte. Robert Singleton (see 8th December 1916), who had been another of Tunstill’s original recruits.
BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND
“Our Boys”: News was received on Sunday morning last that Pte. Albert Geldard, who was seriously wounded, has much improved. Mr. and Mrs. Singleton of ‘Closes’ have had official intimation that their son, Pte. George Singleton, has been wounded in France to the left arm and right leg. He is now in hospital in England. Corporal James Coates, who is still in hospital, is reported as being much better, and expected to be home before long. Pte. Richard Howell is engaged on farm work in France.
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
Two officers of the 71st Siege Battery of the South African Heavy Artillery are killed when the battery car they are driving to a railhead is struck by a stray 4-inch shell. Major Percy Nugent George Fitzpatrick is killed at age 28. He is the son of ‘Sir’ Percy and Lady Fitzpatrick and had volunteered on 4 August 1914 and served in the Rebellion and German South West Africa with the Imperial Light Horse. His father is the author of “Jock of the Bushveld” and conceived the idea of the two-minute silence observed on Armistice Day in memory of all those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Also killed is Lieutenant Philip Dudley Waller who is killed at age 28. He is and English-born international rugby union forward who won six caps for Wales and also played for the British Isles in their 1910 tour of South Africa earning three caps.
Naval Operations:
Naval Allied Council to be created (Ministers of Marine and Chiefs of Staffs).
UC-38, KAiserliche Marine, a type UC II submarine, was depth charged and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea by Lansquenet, French Navy. There were 20 survivors.
Shipping Losses: 5 (1 to a mine & 4 to U-Boat action)
French cruiser "Chãteau Renault" sunk by submarine.
Political:
Naval Allied Council to be created (Ministers of Marine and Chiefs of Staffs).
Today we lost: No reports available. (None on website appears this day is missing)
Air Operations:
General Headquarters
"Although the weather was fine on the 15th inst., a very high wind and ground mist interfered with reconnaissance and artillery work.
“During the day many rounds were fired from the air into the enemy's trenches and bombs were dropped by our aeroplanes on numerous targets, including two positions of long-range guns south-west of Lille. These gun positions were again bombed by us during the night.
“Enemy aircraft activity was considerable all day, and several fights took place. Three hostile machines were brought down, and two driven down out of control. None of our aeroplanes are missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 118:
The weather was fine but ground mist interfered with artillery work.
Eight reconnaissances were carried by the 2nd Brigade, during one of which useful information was obtained by No 20 Squadron in the early morning and three reconnaissances were done by the 3rd Brigade.
4,627 rounds were fired at ground targets and, 1,287 plates exposed.
With aeroplane observation 29 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction and 30 were neutralised; nine gun-pits were damaged, 12 explosions and four fires caused.
Bombing - Nearly three tons of bombs were dropped during the day.
1st Brigade - No 18 Squadron dropped 10 112-lb bombs on a large gun position at Maugre and four 112-lb bombs on another large gun position at Bauvin, while Corps machines dropped 19 25-lb bombs on various targets.
Corps machines of the 2nd Brigade dropped 88 25-lb bombs and those of the 3rd Brigade dropped 81 25-lb bombs.
RNAS Communiqué number 11:
Owing to unfavourable weather conditions, no operations of importance could be carried out.
Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft activity was considerable on all Army fronts and his machines dropped bombs in the neighbourhood of Bapaume in the morning.
Lieut R C Wade, 40 Sqn, two-seater out of control south-east of Lens – during a patrol by No 40 Squadron 2nd-Lieut R C Wade attacked a two-seater, which appeared to fall out of control
Lieut H S Wolff, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control
Lieut A V Blenkiron, 56 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Bourlon Wood at 09:00/10:00 - Lieut A Blenkiron. No 56 Squadron, shot down an EA Scout out of control during a fight, between eight enemy machines and SEs
Maj A D Carter, 19 Sqn, two-seater in flames near Comines at 09:50/10:50
Lieut E J Blyth and Lieut M R N Jennings, 19 Sqn, two-seater crashed west of Comines at 10:30/11:30
Major A D Carter, No 19 Squadron, attacked a two-seater from behind at about 25 yards range and shot it down in flames, while Lieuts E Blyth and M Jennings of the same Squadron shot down a two-seater which was seen by ground observers to crash
2nd-Lieut A H Rayner, 43 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Esquerchin at 11:00/12:00 - a patrol of Sopwith Camels of No 43 Squadron fought five EA Scouts and 2nd-Lieut A H Rayner shot one down out of control
Capt J T B McCudden, 56 Sqn, Rumpler C crashed east of Bois de Vaucelles at 11:05/12:05 - The following given by Capt J B McCudden, No 56 Squadron, who has just been awarded the DSO, of his encounters with two different two-seater EA:
“While looking for EA I thought would probably be about out over our lines, I saw one two-seater going NNW at 18,500 feet over Gouzeaucourt at 10.30. I stayed in the sun at 19,800 feet and dived on EA over Metz. Owing to miscalculation of EA's speed, I was only able to fire a few shots at it as I was closing on it too fast. EA continued to glide down with me pursuing him, but he got off too far east as the wind was very strong and we were going at 160 mph. I returned west climbing and at 11 am saw EA going north-west over Villers at 16,000 feet. I pursued EA who turned east, and secured a firing position at 200 yards range, just north of Gonnelieu at 11.5, and after firing about 30 shots from both guns, EA half span to the right and then went into a spiral dive for about 5,000 feet, then went down in an almost vertical dive and hit the ground half a mile east of Bois de Vancelles and nothing was left of it."
Lieut P A de Fontenay, Nieuport 27 B3625 and Lieut E S Meek, 29 Sqn, Nieuport 27 B6812, Albatros Scout out of control Westroosebeke at 14:00/15:00 - Nieuport Scouts of No 29 Squadron met five enemy scouts and 2nd-Lieut P de Fontenay shot one down which fell vertically, after which 2nd-Lieut E S Meek dived and fired at it and it was seen to fall out of control
Lieut J H Tudhope, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Douai at 15:10/16:10 - S.E.5s of No 40 Squadron attacked four hostile scouts near Douai and Capt J Tudhope hit one which appeared to fall out of control
Casualty:
2nd-Lieut H V Caunt (Pow), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 23 B1651 – took off 08:45.09:45 and last seen gliding west between the lines and Ypres on reserve patrol
Royal Flying Corps Casualties today: No records available to confirm.
Claims: 13 confirmed (Entente 12: Central Powers 1)
Western Front:
Snow interferes with operations.
Germans repulsed at Chaume Wood (Verdun).
Eastern Front:
Russian Armistice (28 days) agreement signed.
After six days' fighting, General Kaledin (Cossacks) enters Rostov; local Bolshevist chiefs flee to Black Sea fleet.
Southern Front:
General Guillaumet succeeds General Surrail at Salonika as Commander-in-Chief.
Tunstills Men Saturday 15th November 1917:
Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.
A cold and dull and day.
Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 10th December) inspected new draft of 10 officers and 400 men at Vengazzu, describing them as, “all good”.
2Lt. John Robert ****inson (see 5th December), who had suffered gas poisoning ten days previously while serving with 2DWR in the line near Arras, reported sick and left his unit for further medical treatment in France (details unknown).
Pte. Ernest Thorn (see 20th September), who had been in England since having been wounded on 20th September, was posted to 3DWR at North Shields.
Asiatic, African, Egyptian Front:
British left centre in Palestine advanced 1.5 miles on five mile front.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 5 (All to U-Boat action)
Political:
Bolshevist ultimatum to the Ukraine demands free passage for troops.
Brest-Litovsk–Trotsky’s attempts to get the other Allied powers to join them in armistice negotiations had been completely ignored. Likewise, the Allies had largely given up on their attempts to prevent a separate armistice, with the British ambassador in Russia writing on December 10: “It has always been my one aim and object to keep Russia in the war, but one cannot force an exhausted nation to fight against its will.” A handful of Bolsheviks wanted to keep fighting and to use the war to export the revolution, as the French had done in the 1790′s, but Lenin saw that this was madness:
Our tactics ought to rest on the principle of how to ensure that the socialist revolution is best able to consolidate itself and survive in one country until such time as other countries join in.
On December 15, an armistice was signed at Brest-Litovsk, formalizing and extending the ceasefire that had already been in place for a week. The armistice would last thirty days, but would automatically renew every thirty days unless one side pulled out. A week’s notice would be required to resume hostilities. The Central Powers would not be allowed to remove troops from the front, except those who had already received orders to redeploy; in practice, such orders were conveniently found when necessary. Fraternization centers would be set up to allow yet control the level of interaction between the two sides’ troops, and postal service would be restored between them as well.
Attachment 237553
16th December 1917
The War in the Air
RFC Communiqué number 118:
The weather was fine in the morning, but in the afternoon snow fell and completely stopped work. Up till then reconnaissances were carried out by the 1st Brigade, and on the night of the 15th/16th a machine of No 2 Squadron went out and reconnoitered certain areas. Four reconnaissances were carried out by Bristol Fighters and D.H.5s of the 3rd Brigade whose Corps machines did three contact patrols. With aeroplane observation nineteen hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; one gun-pit was destroyed, seven damaged, thirteen explosions and six fires caused. Fifty-nine hostile batteries were reported by zone call.
A total of 7,499 rounds were fired at ground targets and 120 photographs taken during day.
Bombing - Corps machines dropped bombs as follows:
1st Brigade - Thirteen 25-lb bombs; 2nd Brigade – Sixty-three 25-lb bombs; and the 3rd Brigade – Sixty-one 25-lb bombs on various targets.
9th Wing- ln spite of bad visibility and darkness on the night of the 15th/16th machines of No 101 Squadron dropped two 230-lb, eight 112-lb and six 25-lb bombs on the large gun at Maugre which had been firing into Hazebrouck the previous day. During this raid 700 rounds were fired into Maugre village and trench points.
RNAS Communiqué number 12:
Owing to the very unfavourable weather conditions, no war work of importance could be carried out.
Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft activity was about normal during the fine period.
Lieut J G Coombe, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Roulers at 10:20/11:20
Capt R H Rusby, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Roulers at 10:25/11:25
Lieut A Wingate-Grey, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Roulers at 10:35/11:35
Lieut E S Meek, 29 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Roulers at 10:35/11:35
An offensive patrol of No 29 Squadron attacked thirteen EA Scouts over Roulers, and four were shot down probably out of control - one by each of the following pilots:- Lieuts J Coombe and A Wingate-Grey, Capt. R Rusby and 2nd-Lieut E Meek. All our machines returned safely
Casualty:
? (Ok) & 2nd-Lieut H Keeton (Wia), 9 Sqn, RE8 - wounded in combat on artillery observation; Vfw Paul Baumer, Js2, 17th victory [north of Boesinghem] at 13:10/14:10] ?
The following Aerial Victories were claimed on this day
Julius Arigi Austro-Hungarian Empire #25
Josef Kiss Austro-Hungarian Empire #17
Franz Lahner Austro-Hungarian Empire #3
Hilliard Bell Canada #1
The son of Sarah Bell and a student at the University of Toronto, class of 1919, Hilliard Brooke Bell attended University College and was in the Canadian Officer Training Corps (C.O.T.C.) for a year before he enlisted in the 67th University of Toronto Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery in May 1916. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant in July 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant in September 1917 and posted to France with 66 Squadron a month later. In December 1917 his squadron moved to Italy where Bell scored 10 victories flying the Sopwith Camel. He was promoted to Captain and became a Flight Commander in March 1918.
Earl Meek Canada #4
James Coombe England #3
Attachment 237813
Reginald Howard Rusby England #1
Paul Bäumer Germany #17
Max von Müller Germany #36
There were just the two British Airmen lost on this day
Attachment 237814
The Luftstreitkräfte established air squadron Jagdstaffel 47 Royal Württemberg Jagdstaffel 47, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 47 or Jasta 47W, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte, the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. Incomplete records credit the squadron with 14 aerial victories during the war. The unit's known casualties include three killed in action, one injured in a flying accident, three wounded in action, and one taken prisoner of war.
Jasta 47 was formed at Flieger-Abteilung ("Flier Detachment") 10, Boblingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, on 16 December 1917. It was forwarded into action on the 24th. Its first combat sorties came on 6 March 1918, with its first aerial victory on 11 March 1918. The squadron would be assigned to at least five Jagdgruppes during its existence. There are no records of squadron victories after 16 July 1918, nor of casualties suffered after 24 September 1918.Nevertheless, Jasta 47 did serve through war's end.
Attachment 237815
Western Front
Artois: British success east of Avian.
Sea War
Bristol Channel: Sloop HMS Arbutus sunk by U-boat.
Home Fronts
Britain: Lieutenant-Colonel Freyberg – Victoria Cross – condemns Sassoon’s anti-war attitude to Lady Cynthia Asquith.
Politics
Russo-German Armistice, 16 December 1917
Between the representatives of the higher command of Russia on the one hand and of Bulgaria, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey on the other hand, for the purpose of achieving a lasting and honourable peace between both parties, the following armistice is concluded:
The armistice shall begin on December 17th at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and continue until January 14th. The contracting parties have the right to break the armistice by giving seven days' notice. Unless notice is given the armistice automatically continues.
The armistice embraces the land and aerial forces on the front from the Baltic to the Black Sea and also the Russo-Turkish front in Asia Minor. During the armistice the parties concerned obligate themselves not to increase the number of troops on the above fronts or on the islands in Moon Sound, or to make a regrouping of forces.
Neither side is to make operative any transfers of units.
Born on this day...
Attachment 237816
Arthur C. Clarke, British science-fiction writer and inventor, author of Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama and the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey, leading proponent in the development of geosynchronous satellites, in Minehead, England (d. 2008); Nabi Bakhsh Khan Baloch, Pakistani literary scholar, leading researcher and critic on Sindh poetry and other literary writing, in Sanghar District, British India (d. 2011); Pete Cenarrusa, American politician, Secretary of State of Idaho from 1967 to 2003, in Carey, Idaho
Many thanks guys. I'm still playing catch up after an enforced break. But what I have read so far is great material. I like the expression "The Donald" :) Not heard it put like that before!
Attachment 237553
December 17th 1917
OK still operating out of the back up office (i.e. the good lady wife's laptop) as it looks like the Ethernet port on my PC is FUBAR !!
Means lots of my links are missing so doing the best I can. Weather reports from the day indicate heavy snow which mean not a lot is happening especially in the air
Britain fights back against the U-Boat menace
Attachment 237985
Don’t waste bread: British appeal for economy in face of the U-boat menace.
HOME FRONTS
Britain: Lord Rhondda says ‘Food queues must be stopped’, rationing probably inevitable. No post to neutrals, except to PoWs or under permit.
Russia: All Church property to be confiscated, religious teaching abolished.
Canada: Unionist Government wins General Election.
EASTERN FRONT
ARMISTICE FROM NOON.
MIDDLE EAST
Arabia: British Government give King of Hejaz written assurance of future Arab independence.
AFRICA
Mozambique: Lettow with headquarter arrive at Chirumba (Mtarika), Portuguese Nyasa Business Company’s station.
SEA WAR
Mediterranean: Italian Navy ordered to economize stringently on coal and oil fuel (c.50,000t used per month and national stocks only c.360,000t).
Pacific: 2 US submarines collide in fog; Carp (F1) sinks with 19 crew members.
The War in the Air
General Headquarters, December 18th.
“On the 17th instant heavy snow prevented flying except on a small portion of the northern front. In this locality a certain amount of work was done by our aeroplanes, and bombs were dropped upon a hostile aerodrome near Courtrai. The enemy's trenches were also attacked with bombs and machine-gun fire. At night, Roulers station and aerodrome and Ledeghem and Menin stations were heavily bombed by us. In air fighting, two German machines were brought down in our lines and two others were driven down out of control. One of our machines is missing.”
General Headquarters, December 19th.
"Good work was done in the air on the 17th inst. by the Australian squadrons. Two of their pilots, who were attacked by many hostile scouts when employed on artillery work, succeeded in bringing down one of the enemy machines in our lines and dispersed the remainder.”
RFC Communiqué number 118:
Snow fell heavily on the whole front except on the Second Army.
With aeroplane observation by the 2nd Brigade, eight hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; seven explosions and one fire caused, and 16 zone calls sent down.
3,165 rounds were fired at ground targets by the 2nd Brigade and nearly a ton of bombs were dropped - 14 25-lb by machines of the 1st Wing; 31 25-lb by Corps machines of the 2nd Brigade, and 11 25-lb by 11 pilots flying Sopwith Camels of No 70 Squadron. During this raid by No 70 Squadron, fire of description was put up in in enormous quantity, yet in spite of this the pilots dropped their bombs from a height of 1,500 feet and returned safely.
RNAS Communiqué number 12:
A very high wind and low clouds prevented any work being carried out.
Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft were fairly active on the front of the Second Army.
Lieut J L M Sandy & Sergt H F Hughes, 69 Sqn, Albatros Scout captured Armentières at 13:00/14:00 - six hostile scouts attacked Lieut Sandy and Sergt Hughes, No 69 Squadron, flying an R.E.8. This pilot and observer refused to dive away but fought and shot one down within our lines. Lieuts Jones and Hodgson of the same squadron went to their assistance and fired away all their ammunition so returned for more, but did not find the enemy. Lieut Sandy and Sergt Hughes were unfortunately shot down and killed; Ltn Rudolf Clauss, Js29, Pow (G.101)
Capt W W Rogers, Lieut W D Patrick and Lieut R C Sotham, 1 Sqn, two-seater out of control south-west of Moorslede at 14:20/15:20
Lieut G B Moore, 1 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control south-west of Moorslede at 14:23/15:23
2nd-Lieut P Kelsey, 1 Sqn, Scout captured north of Ypres 14:25/15:25 - Ltn s Z Karl-Heinrich Voss, MFJ I, Kia [?] (G.100)
An offensive patrol of No 1 Squadron engaged scouts and two-seaters near Gheluvelt. Capt Rogers and 2nd-Lieut G Moore shot down one each out of control, while 2nd-Lieut P Kelsey, of the same squadron, engaged a scout over Passchendaele which went down in flames, broke to pieces and crashed in our lines north of Ypres
Casualties:
Lieut J L M Sandy (Kia) & 559 Sgt H F Hughes (Kia), 69 Sqn, RE8 A3816 - both hit by armour piercing bullet in aerial combat over Armentières at 13:00/14:00 and crashed near main Bruay - St Pol road at 15:00/16:00 on artillery observation. After the crew were killed, the R.E.8 continued to fly in circles for two hours before finally crashing fifty miles away from the scene of the combat.
The French Air Ace Capitaine Mathieu Marie Joseph Antoine de la Tour was killed on this day
Attachment 237986
After serving in the cavalry, Mathieu de la Tour transferred to the French Air Service in 1915, receiving a Pilot's Brevet on 6 May. After recovering from injuries received in a flying accident on 30 October, he was posted to Escadrille N57 on 29 December. In the first month of 1916, he scored his first victory, downing a German observation balloon. Wounded in combat on 25 April, de la Tour did not return to combat duty until the summer. Reassigned to N3, he scored 7 more victories during 1916, including a second observation balloon. Following a promotion in 1917, he assumed command of N26, scoring his final victory on 7 May 1917. Toward the end of the year, de la Tour was killed in a crash while flying a SPAD XIII.
Attachment 238034
Flight Lieutenant Joseph Gorman (Royal Naval Air Service) a sportswriter and brother of the part owner of the original Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League who played their first game just two days before today is killed on his 28th birthday while on a training flight in Italy.
The following aerial victory claims were made on this day
Guy Moore Canada #6
William Rogers Canada #8
Charles Davidson Scotland #3
William Patrick Scotland #2
Three British Airmen were lost on this day
Attachment 237987
Captain Tunstill's Men
There was heavy snow overnight 16th/17th, leaving about three inches on the ground; this was followed by further snow and rain in the evening.
The Battalion was based in dugouts and Italian tents in small wooded gullies close to the river. Conditions were described as very quiet, with the men occupied in making new dugouts and improving the defences.
The London Gazette published official notice of the award of the Military Medal to a number of men from 10th Battalion for their conduct in the actions of 20th September. Four of the men decorated had subsequently been killed: Sgt. James Scott (14445) (see 18th October); Cpl. Joseph Smith (12748) (see 20th October); L.Cpl. Arthur Dyson (see 17th October); and Pte. Arthur Samuel Potter
Thanks for the increased font size in the casualty boxes, can now read them again.
Oh yes!
Rob.
Attachment 237997
18th DECEMBER 1917
Lets start with the war in the air... just for a change
General Headquarters, December 19th.
“On the 18th inst., the thick haze again limited flying to the northern part of the front, where a great deal of artillery and photographic work was done. During the day over 150 bombs were dropped on the enemy's railway stations, sidings, and trenches, and many rounds were fired from the air into his trenches and billets. Fighting in the air on this part of the front was intense all day, and resulted greatly in our favour. Seven hostile machines were brought down by our aeroplanes, one was shot down in our lines by anti-aircraft gun fire, and another by the fire of our infantry. Three other hostile machines were driven down out of control. Three of our aeroplanes are missing. After dark yesterday, our aeroplanes bombed St. Denis Westrem, Roulers, and Lichtervelde aerodromes, and Thourout, Ledeghem, Cambrai, and Menin railway stations. All our machines returned.”
RFC Communiqué number 119:
Although fine, the dense haze greatly interfered with artillery work and photography, with the exception of on the front of the Second Army where 26 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction, two gun-pits were destroyed, eight damaged, 19 explosions and five fires caused.
Artillery of the First Army successfully engaged three hostile batteries for destruction.
Three reconnaissances were carried out by the 1st Brigade, one by the 2nd, two by the 3rd and a long distance photographic reconnaissance by No 27 Squadron.
1,057 plates were exposed, 583 being by the 2nd Brigade, and 6,541 rounds were fired at ground targets.
Bombing:
1st Brigade - Corps machines dropped 32 25-lb bombs.
2nd Brigade - Corps machines dropped 114 25-lb bombs on various targets, and No 70 Squadron dropped five 25-lb bombs from 2,800 feet on a railway siding.
3rd Brigade - Sixteen 25-lb bombs were dropped on various targets.
9th Wing - On the night of the 17th/18th December, No 101 Squadron dropped 14 112-lb and eight 25-lb bombs on Roulers and Ledeghem Stations and Rumbeke Aerodrome. One machine was hit by AA fire on the outward journey, carrying away portions of the lower plane and breaking the main spar and aileron. The pilot, however, dropped his bombs on Rumbeke Aerodrome.
No 102 Squadron dropped 10 112-lb and five 25-lb bombs on Menin.
On the 18th, No 27 Squadron dropped seven 112-lb bombs on Menin.
Admiralty, December 20th.
“On the night of December 18th a raid was carried out by naval aircraft on Brugeoise works, Bruges. Direct hits were observed on buildings, one of which started a large fire, which was observed by the returning machines to be still burning. Large quantities of explosives were dropped. Another raid was made at noon on December 19th on Vlisseghem aerodrome. Bombs were seen to burst among the sheds round the aerodrome, and several direct hits are reported. One enemy aircraft was destroyed, and another driven down probably out of control. One of our machines is missing.”
RNAS Communiqué number 12:
A Photographic Reconnaissance was attempted by No 2 Squadron in the vicinity of Ghent, but had to be abandoned on account of low clouds which stretched far inland over the objective.
The Reconnaissance, therefore, took photos of the West Cappelle— Ramscappelle district.
The bombing formation took photographs of Engel Aerodrome and Dump.
Bombing raid by day, No 5 Squadron, D.H.4s: During the afternoon a raid was carried out on Engel Aerodrome and Dump by five bombers accompanied by three D.H.4s as escort.
Eight 50-lb and thirty-two 16-lb bombs were dropped. Two 50-lb bombs were observed to explode close to the S.W. sheds of the aerodrome, from which all Bessoneaux had been removed. The dump was well straddled, and bombs were seen to burst on the railway sidings and sheds. Visibility was good.
Encounters with EA took place whilst commencing the return journey.
All machines returned safely.
On one occasion a patrol of six Camels, No 9 Squadron, attacked two Albatross scouts and a new unknown type with pointed wing tips and elevators. One of these was driven down and forced to land by Flight Sub-Lieut Taylor, who followed it to within 30 feet of the ground and fired a number of rounds into it.
A returning photographic machine attacked EA two-seater over Bergues without decisive result.
During the day many other encounters with EA took place without any decisive results. Difficulty was experienced with the guns owing to the intense cold. In three other cases it is thought that the observer was killed or wounded as no fire was returned.
The unknown type of scout described by R.F.C. is stated to be a Pfalz scout.
Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft activity was slight on all fronts except on the Second Army where 40 combats took place. One EA was brought down near Gavrelle by machine-gun fire from the ground (First Army), and another was shot down by anti-aircraft fire of the Second Army and fell in our lines near St Julien. In this fighting only three of our machines were missing brought down. These were three of No 65 Squadron and were the only ones missing during the day.
2nd-Lieut A A McLeod & ?, 2 Sqn, AW FK8, Albatros Scout out of control
Lieut F O Soden, 60 Sqn and Lieut A W Morey, 60 Sqn, Albatros C out of control Gheluvelt at 08:15/09:15
Capt O C Bryson and Lieut A B Fairclough, 19 Sqn, two-seater out of control Comines at 10:35/11:35 - pilots of No 19 Squadron took part in a number of different fights with considerable success. A two-seater EA was attacked by Capt A Bryson and Lieut A Fairclough, and was shot down out of control
Capt A E McKay, 23 Sqn, DFW C crashed Gheluvelt at 10:40/11:40 and DFW C out of control south of Gheluvelt at 10:45/11:45 - Capt A McKay, No 23 Squadron, was patrolling in the vicinity of Becelaere when he saw two two-seaters so led his patrol to attack them. He got on the tail of one which did not see him and opened fire at close range and the EA spun straight to the ground and was completely wrecked. Shortly afterwards he attacked another and after firing 100 rounds from close range, the enemy machine, which was a two-seater, went down completely out of control. He then had stoppage and in rectifying this lost sight of the falling aeroplane; ? & Ltn Wald (Wia), FAA 250 [?]
Capt W W Rogers, 1 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Moorslede at 11:40/12:40
Lieut W D Patrick, 1 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed north of Wervicq at 11:50/12:50
Five Nieuports of No 1 Squadron attacked seven EA scouts and Capt W Rogers shot one down out of control, while 2nd-Lieut W Patrick fired 50 rounds one from about 10 yards range just when it was firing at a Nieuport, and it fell down vertically with its engine full on and was seen by anti-aircraft to crash
2nd-Lieut F A Lewis & Cpl G Holmes, 53 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Gheluvelt at 12:00/13:00 - 2nd-Lieut F Lewis and Corpl G Holmes, No 53 Squadron, were taking photographs when they were attacked by a formation of about 10 EA which dived on them from about 1,000 feet above. The observer fired two drums into them and one machine was seen suddenly to fall apparently out of control, but was not actually seen to crash
2nd-Lieut F C Gorringe, 70 Sqn, two-seater crashed north of Comines at 12:45/13:45 - 2nd-Lieut F Gorringe, No 70 Squadron, observed an enemy machine approaching the lines, so got into the sun and then dived at it and shot it down and it was seen to crash and burn on the ground
Lieut A B Fairclough, 19 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed near Gheluvelt at 12:50/13:50
Capt G W Taylor, 19 Sqn, Albatros Scout crashed east of Gheluvelt at 12:50/13:50
Later in the day, Lieut Fairclough saw six EA and with his formation attacked them from above. He got good bursts into two of the machines, both of which he saw going down steeply. In the same combat, Capt G Taylor engaged another scout which went down apparently out of control. An anti-aircraft battery witnessed the fight and saw two German machines crash
Flt Cdr C B Sproat & AGL W Naylor, 5N Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Engel airfield at 14:00/15:00 and Albatros Scout out of control Engel airfield at 14:00/15:00 - whilst starting the return journey, the bombing formation was attacked by EA. Flight Commander Sproatt with A/GL Naylor engaged two Albatross scouts at short range. The first was shot down in flames by Flight Commander Sproatt. A/GL Naylor fired at the second machine which was observed to go down in a spin and was last seen in a nose dive. Several other EA were attacked and successfully driven off.
Air War
Britain: 14 of 16 German bombers (1 Giant) attack southeast England, 6 reach London. Total of 11,300lb bombs cause 97 casualties and £238,861 property damage, worst since Zeppelin Raid vom September 8-9, 1915. No 44 Squadron commander Captain Murlis Green MC achieves first night fighter success against aircraft over Britain in Sopwith Camel with 4 attacks over East London, forcing Gotha to ditch off Folkestone (armed trawler Highlander rescues 2 survivors); 2 other Gothas burnt after crash landing.
The following aerial victory claims were made on this day...
Albert Carter Canada #10 #11
Arthur Fairclough Canada #3 #4
Alfred McKay Canada #9 #10
William Rogers Canada #9
Frank Soden Canada #11
Godfrey Bremridge England #1
Attachment 237998
The son of Henry and Charlotte Bremridge, Godfrey Bremridge scored five victories flying the Sopwith Camel with 65 Squadron. He received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 11953 on a D.H.60 Moth at Brooklands Flying Club on 6 June 1934.
Oliver Campbell Bryson England #9
Jack Cunningham England #4 #5
Frank Clifton Gorringe England #2
Gilbert Ware Murlis Green England #8
Walter Naylor England #3 #4
Paul Bäumer Germany #18
Karl Bolle Germany #3
Heinrich Bongartz Germany #27
Hans von Häbler Germany #5 #6
Josef Jacobs Germany #12
Attachment 237999
Attachment 238000
Paul Lotz Germany #2
Gotthard Sachsenberg Germany #8
John Gilmour Scotland #4 #5
William Patrick Scotland #3
The following airmen were lost on this day
Attachment 238073
Attachment 238074
The U.S. Army established the 163rd, 166th, and 168th Aero Squadrons
Southern Fronts
Piave: Austrian 4th Division captures Mt Asolone (5315 ft) with 2,000 PoWs and view of plains below, farthest Austrian advance. Rommel’s Wurttemberg Mountain Batallion withdrawn from final but local and costly success (after German failure to take Mt Solarolo); he and his commander receive Pour le Merite.
Attachment 238001
A mountain gun is positioned on the Italian front.
Eastern Front
Germany: Kaiser in Kreuznach Crown Council approves Armistice terms.
Ukraine: Ukrainian Rada rejects Red transit demands (Lenin ultimatum from December 17) and mobilizes and cuts telegraph links on December 19.
Russia: Trotsky appeals to Europe’s ‘oppressed peoples’ after Brest*-Litovsk armistice signing.
Secret War
Smuts meets Austrian Mensdorff (ex-*Ambassador to London) on separate peace chances (until December 19). At Geneva Lloyd George’s Secretary Philip Kerr meets Dr Parodi (Turkey).
The steamship S S Coningbeg (Master Joseph Lumley) is torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea killing all 15 on board. Her master dies at age 56.
Attachment 238002
Lieutenant James Hubert Steer (South African Field Artillery) is killed in Palestine at age 21. His brother will die on service just before the Armistice next year.
Lieutenant Edward John Woodhouse (Indian Army Reserve of Officers attached King George’s Own Central India Horse) is killed in action at age 33. He had been an economic botanist to the Government of Bihar-Orissa and Principal of Sabour Agricultural College.
Second Lieutenant Frederick Godfrey Flower (General List attached Royal Flying Corps) is killed at age 23. He is the fourth son of the Reverend Frederick William Flower who lost another son in September 1916. After spending several years in Montreal, he volunteered for general service in 1915 with a Canadian Siege Battery, proceeding to France in the following year. He subsequently obtained a commission in the Royal Flying Corps as pilot.
Sergeant Horace Roy Stiff (Royal Field Artillery) dies of rheumatic fever at age 23. His brother was killed earlier this year.
Private Maurice Arthur Hill MM (Somerset Light Infantry) is killed at age 21. His brother will be killed in April 1918.
USS Mississippi was commissioned on this day
USS Mississippi (BB-41/AG-128), the second of three members of the New Mexico class, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state. The ship was built at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia, from her keel laying in April 1915, her launching in January 1917, and her commissioning in December that year. She was armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, and was protected by heavy armor plate, with her main belt armor being 13.5 inches (343 mm) thick.
The ship remained in North American waters during World War I, conducting training exercises to work up the crew. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the ship served in the Pacific Fleet. In May 1941, with World War II and the Battle of the Atlantic raging, Mississippi and her two sister ships were transferred to the Atlantic Fleet to help protect American shipping through the Neutrality Patrols. Two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi departed the Atlantic to return to the Pacific Fleet; throughout her participation in World War II, she supported amphibious operations in the Pacific. She shelled Japanese forces during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Philippines campaigns and the invasions of Peleliu and Okinawa. The Japanese fleet attacked American forces during the Philippines campaign, and in the ensuing Battle of Leyte Gulf, Mississippi took part in the Battle of Surigao Strait, the last battleship engagement in history.
After the war, Mississippi was converted into a gunnery training ship, and was also used to test new weapons systems. These included the RIM-2 Terrier missile and the AUM-N-2 Petrel missile. She was eventually decommissioned in 1956 and sold to ship breakers in November that year.
Attachment 238003
The keel for Mississippi was laid down on 5 April 1915 at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 25 January 1917, and after completing fitting-out work, was commissioned into the US Navy on 18 December 1917. Then-Captain Joseph Lee Jayne served as the ship's first commanding officer. After completing sea trials off Virginia, Mississippi departed the United States on 22 March 1918 for the Gulf of Guacanayabo in Cuba, where she conducted further training. Later in the year, she returned to Hampton Roads, Virginia, where she began a cruise between Boston and New York. From 1919 to 1921, William A. Moffett served as the ship's commander. On 31 January 1919, she left for another round of training in the Caribbean. Mississippi was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet and she accordingly left the east coast on 19 July. Throughout the 1920s, the ship routinely returned to the Caribbean for winter training exercises. Two of the original fourteen 5-in/51 caliber guns were removed in 1922. During Fleet Problem I, held in February 1923, Mississippi sank the old pre-dreadnought Coast Battleship No. 4 (formerly USS Iowa), battering her first with her 5-inch guns at ranges between 8,000 to 10,000 yards (7,300 to 9,100 m) before firing a salvo of 14-inch shells that struck Coast Battleship No. 4 amidships and inflicted fatal damage. During the gunnery exercise, spotter aircraft were used for the first time to help direct an American battleship's guns in a major exercise.
While conducting gunnery practice off San Pedro on 12 June 1924, there was an explosion in her forward superfiring Gun Turret No. 2. The resulting fire asphyxiated 44 members of the turret crew. Upon returning to port the gunpowder that was still in Gun No. 5, the remaining gun in the turret, exploded and killed four members of the rescue team. The shell that was in the gun narrowly missed the passenger ship Yale. This was, at the time, the deadliest peace-time disaster in the Navy's history.
She left San Francisco on 15 April 1925 for war games held off Hawaii, after which she went on a cruise to Australia, returning to California on 26 September. The ship returned to the east coast in early 1931 for a major modernization at Norfolk Navy Yard that began on 30 March. This overhaul significantly changed the ship's profile by removing the original fore and aft lattice mast. The former was replaced with a tower. Modernization also included replacement of earlier 3-inch/50 cal anti-aircraft guns with eight 5-inch/25 caliber guns. Further training exercises followed in September 1933. On 24 October 1934, she passed through the Panama Canal on her way back to the Pacific Fleet, where she remained through mid-1941, apart from the normal winter cruises in the Caribbean. By this time, World War II had broken out in Europe, spawning the Battle of the Atlantic. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the Neutrality Patrols to protect American shipping. On 7 May 1941, Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark, the Chief of Naval Operations, transferred Mississippi, the battleships Idaho and New Mexico, the aircraft carrier Yorktown, four light cruisers, and two destroyer squadrons to the Atlantic to reinforce the Neutrality Patrols. On 15 June, Mississippi arrived back in Norfolk, where she prepared to make her first patrol in the North Atlantic, which consisted of escorting a convoy from Newport, Rhode Island to Hvalfjordur, Iceland. She began another convoy escort mission on 28 September, also to Iceland. Mississippi remained there through November to protect American shipping in the area. During this period, she was assigned to the "White Patrol", a special task group, along with the other two battleships and a pair of heavy cruisers.
On 9 December, two days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi departed Iceland, bound for the Pacific Theater. She reached San Francisco on 22 January 1942, where she conducted training and escorted convoys along the west coast over the following seven months. Beginning in May 1942, the original 5-inch/51 caliber guns of the secondary battery were removed to make room for anti-aircraft machine guns. On 6 December, she escorted a convoy of troop ships to Fiji, returning to Pearl Harbor on 2 March 1943. Her first major combat operation began on 10 May, when she left Hawaii to support the liberation of the Aleutian Islands. She bombarded Kiska on 22 July, and the Japanese garrison withdrew from the island a few days later. After the conclusion of the campaign, Mississippi returned to San Francisco for an overhaul. On 19 October, she left San Pedro to join the invasion fleet that would attack the Gilbert Islands. During the Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign on 20 November, Mississippi bombarded Makin, there was again an explosion in her No. 2 turret, this time killing 43 men. After repairs, she continued on in the campaign, bombarding Kwajalein on 31 January 1944, Taroa on 20 February, and Wotje on 21 February. On 15 March, she shelled Japanese positions at Kavieng on New Ireland, before returning to the United States for an overhaul in Puget Sound. This overhaul increased the number of 5-inch/25 cal guns from eight to 14.
After returning to the fleet, Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Marines that went ashore at Peleliu, bombarding Japanese positions on 12 September, three days before the landing. She remained there, shelling the island for a week, before proceeding on to Manus, which had recently been taken by American forces. Assigned to the invasion fleet for the Philippines under Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf, Mississippi left Manus on 12 October and arrived off Leyte on the 19th, when she began the coastal bombardment. During the Battle of Leyte Gulf, on the night of 24 October, Mississippi and the rest of the coastal bombardment battleships decisively defeated the Japanese Southern Force under Vice Admiral Shōji Nishimura in the Battle of Surigao Strait. During the battle, the Japanese warships failed to detect the American vessels with their radar. Additionally, the narrow strait forced the Japanese to steam in line ahead, while Mississippi and the other battleships were stationed at the entrance, where they were able to fire full broadsides. As a result, Nishimura was unable to avoid having his "T" crossed. In the ensuing action, American destroyers inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese force, which was then annihilated by the concentrated fire from the battleships. Mississippi, which was equipped with older fire control radar, had trouble identifying targets in the darkness, and so fired only one 12-gun salvo, after Oldendorf had given the order to cease fire. This salvo was the last fired in the action, and proved to be the last time a battleship fired its guns at another battleship.
Mississippi remained off Leyte, providing gunfire support until 16 November, when she withdrew to the Admiralty Islands to make preparations for the next operation. On 28 December, she returned to Leyte, anchoring in San Pedro Bay. The ship began shelling Japanese positions on the island of Luzon on 6 January 1945. During the bombardment, a Japanese kamikaze struck the ship, but she remained on station, bombarding the Japanese defenses, until 10 February, when she withdrew to Pearl Harbor for repairs. She returned to service in time to join the invasion fleet that attacked Okinawa, arriving off Nakagusuku Wan on 6 May. She shelled Shuri Castle, inflicting heavy damage on a major strongpoint in the Japanese defensive line. Another kamikaze (initially identified as a friendly plane) hit the ship on 5 June, but she remained in action off Okinawa until 16 June. After the Japanese government announced it would surrender, Mississippi steamed to Sagami Wan, Honshū, as part of the occupation force, arriving there on 27 August. She was present during the signing of the surrender documents on 2 September in Tokyo Bay. Four days later, she left Japanese waters, bound for the United States. She reached Norfolk on 27 November.
13th is up. Apologies for the catch up delay but real life is taking a huge chunk out of me at present.
Very nice guys. Thanks - A heads up, Chris, for the December 17th post - I'm getting an invalid attachment 237983 a little below the portrait of de la Tour.
14th & 15th now up.
Attachment 237997
19th December 1917
Captain Richard Aveline Maybery MC & Bar RFC was shot down and killed on this day
Attachment 238080
Richard Aveline Maybery, the son of Aveline and Lucy Maybery of The Priory, Brecon, transferred to the Royal Flying Corps after serving with the 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers. Upon completing his training, he was posted to 56 Squadron in June 1917. He quickly proved to be one of the best pilots in the unit, scoring 6 victories in the month of July. One month after he assumed command of A Flight, Maybery scored his 21st victory over Bourlon Wood, downing an Albatros D.V. As he followed the burning plane to the ground, Maybery's S.E.5a was hit by anti-aircraft fire, crashing 600 yards south of the village of Hayecourt. He was buried where he fell by members of K-Flakbatterie 108. Ever cheerful and extremely popular, Maybery's death was a tragic blow to the members of 56 Squadron.
Captain Richard Aveline Maybery (Lancers Indian Army attached Royal Flying Corps) is killed in action at age 22 when he is shot down near Hayecourt. He is a twenty-one-victory ace who was born in Brecon, Powys, Wales in January 1895, the only son of Aveline Maybery, a solicitor, and his wife Lucy. He was educated locally and at Wellington College, Berkshire, before going on to the Military College at Sandhurst. After his graduation he joined the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers. At the outbreak of war he served in the North West Frontier province until he was injured in a riding accident. Bored during his rehabilitation and unable to sit on a horse he became involved in observing for a unit of the Royal Flying Corps who were based nearby. Later he travelled to Egypt where he trained to be a pilot, before he was posted to France with 56 Squadron. There he served with James McCudden, Arthur Rhys Davids and Keith Muspratt. Maybery scored his 21st and final victory on this day when he shot down an Albatros DV over Bourlon Wood. Maybery’s SE5a is then struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire, and crashes near the village of Haynecourt.
Lt. Richard Aveline Maybery, Lrs. and R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. After attacking two aerodromes in succession at very low altitudes, and inflicting considerable damage, he attacked and dispersed a number of mounted men and then attacked a goods train. He next attacked and shot down a hostile machine at 500 feet, and before returning attacked a passenger train. On numerous occasions he has attacked, single handed, large hostile formations and set a fine example by his gallantry and determination.
Military Cross (MC) Bar
Lt. Richard Aveline Maybery, M.C., Lrs. and R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as leader of offensive patrols for three months, during which he personally destroyed nine enemy aeroplanes and drove down three out of control. On one occasion, having lost his patrol, he attacked a formation of eight enemy aeroplanes. One was seen to crash and two others went down, out of control, the formation being completely broken up.
Eight Airmen were lost on this day
Attachment 238084
Attachment 238085
General Headquarters, December 20th.
“Although the weather on the 19th inst. was very fine, a dense haze prevented observation by our aeroplanes for artillery. Many photographs were taken, however, of the enemy's aerodromes in back areas, and a few bombs were dropped on his hutments and billets.
“Three hostile machines were brought down in air fighting, and two others driven down out of control. One of our aeroplanes is missing.”
RFC Communiqué number 119:
Dense haze greatly interfered with work.
With aeroplane observation 11 hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction; two gun-pits were damaged, five explosions and two fires caused.
Three reconnaissances were carried out by the 1st Brigade, five by the 3rd Brigade and eight by the 9th Wing when valuable photographs were taken of new enemy aerodromes. In all 683 photographs were taken during the day and 6,520 rounds fired at ground targets, 3,800 being by pilots of Naval Squadron No 8.
Bombing - Nearly three tons of bombs were dropped as follows:
1st Brigade - Two 112-lb bombs were dropped on a big gun position Maugre and two 112-lb bombs on Bauvin by No 18 Squadron.
Machines of the 1st Wing dropped 17 25-lb bombs on various targets.
Corps machines of the 2nd Brigade dropped 39 25-lb and those of the 3rd Brigade eight 25-lb bombs on various targets.
9th Wing – No 27 Squadron attacked Ledeghem on which eight 112-lb bombs were dropped.
On the night of the 18th/19th No 101 Squadron dropped six 112-lb, two 230-lb, and four 25-lb bombs on Rumbeke Aerodrome, one 230-lb and two 25-lb. on Thourout where a direct hit was obtained on a train, two 112-lb on Lichtervelde Aerodrome and eight 25-lb on Ledeghem Station, and 1,220 rounds were fired at lights other targets during this raid. No 102 Squadron dropped four 112-lb on St Denis Westrem Aerodrome where three bombs were seen to fall on sheds in the south-east corner of the aerodrome, two 112-lb on Courtrai, and four 112-lb and eight 25-lb on Menin. Lieut A B Whiteside and 2nd-Lieut J Richardson in one machine and 2nd Lieuts R W London and Lawrence in another machine flew over Gontrode Aerodrome, but it appeared to be deserted, so they flew back to St Denis Westrem, which was lit up, and dropped their bombs.
RNAS Communiqué number 12:
A Photographic Reconnaissance was carried out by No 2 Squadron over Oostacker, Mariakerke and Ghent, including the docks at Ghent and railway centres. Thirty-two plates were exposed with good results.
Spotting operations were carried out by No 2 Squadron for ships firing on Ostende. On the way home the machines were attacked by EA
Bombing raid by night, Nos 7 and 14 Squadrons, H.P.s: During the night 18th-19th, a raid was carried out on La Brugeoise Works, Bruges; twelve 250-lb and seventy-four 112-lb bombs were dropped. Visibility was extremely good, enabling good observations to be made. The northern end of the works was hit and a large fire was started which was still burning when machines re-crossed the lines. The remainder of the works were also straddled and bombs were seen to explode among the main buildings. All machines returned safely.
Bombing raid by day, No 5 Squadron, D.H.4s: At noon, Vlisseghem Aerodrome was attacked by six machines. Twelve 50-lb and fifty 16-lb bombs were dropped on the objective. A number were observed to explode among the group of sheds on the west side of the aerodrome, and a direct hit was reported on one of the smaller sheds.
The bombing formation was attacked on the return journey. One machine failed to return.
A patrol of No 4 Squadron encountered a formation of six enemy scouts of new type with rotary engine, dihedral bottom plane, straight top plane with extensions, and a very good climb. They were working in two formations, one above the other, the lower one was broken up, the other taking no part in the fight.
Many other indecisive engagements took place during the day.
Enemy Aircraft: Enemy aircraft activity was not great, although on several occasions formations were encountered in the Second Army Front.
Lieut A B Fairclough, 19 Sqn, two-seater out of control east of Hooglede at 08:05/09:05
2nd-Lieut H E Gales, 19 Sqn, two-seater out of control west of Roulers at 08:15/09:15
Pilots of No 19 Squadron again had a considerable amount of fighting, with successful results. In another patrol, Lieut Fairclough shot a two-sealer down out of control and 2nd-Lieut H Gales drove one down, which he followed near the ground, when he broke off the combat owing to a stoppage. The enemy machine appeared to be completely out of control
2nd-Lieut F C Gorringe and 2nd-Lieut F G Quigley, 70 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames 20.q.27 [Sleyhage] at 09:45/10:45 - 2nd-Lieut F Gorringe and 2nd-Lieut F Quigley, No 70 Squadron, attacked a scout which was manoeuvred extraordinarily well by a man who appeared to be a very experienced pilot. The enemy machine, however, was eventually driven down, and was last seen falling near the ground into the mist. There is little doubt that it was destroyed
Capt O C Bryson and Lieut A B Fairclough, 19 Sqn, two-seater crashed west of Passchendaele at 11:30/12:30 - pilots of No 19 Squadron again had a considerable amount of fighting, with successful results. Capt O Bryson and Lieut A Fairclough attacked a two-seater which they destroyed
Flt Cdr C B Sproat & AGL W Naylor, 5N Sqn, Albatros Scout destroyed off Ostende at 12:30/13:30 - returning from Vlisseghem while escorting the bombers, Flight Commander Sproatt with A/GL Naylor attacked an Albatross Scout. It was observed to spin down rapidly and a few seconds afterwards to fall to pieces in the air. Other EA were driven off; FlugM Erich Jankowski (Kia) [?]
2nd-Lieut F H Hobson, 70 Sqn, two-seater crashed Stadenberg at 12:35/13:35 and two-seater in flames Stadenberg at 12:35/13:35 - 2nd-Lieut F Hobson, No 70 Squadron, was leading a patrol of Camels when he saw three EA two-seaters below, so dived at them and attacked one, which he destroyed. He then attacked a second, but swerved round as he was attacked from behind, so lost sight of the one he had just fired at, but another pilot saw it fall in flames.
Capt R A Maybery, 56 Sqn, Albatros Scout in flames Bourlon Wood at 12:50/13:50 - an S.E.5 formation of No 56 Squadron saw eight EA south of Masniéres, so dived at them. Capt R A Maybery failed to return from this patrol and he was last seen behind a German machine machine which he had shot down in flames. This pilot has accounted for 20 EA and his is the only machine missing during the day
Lieut G H Lewis, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Lens - Pont-à-Vendin at 13:00/14:00
Lieut J H Tudhope, 40 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control Lens at 13:00/14:00
A patrol of No 40 Squadron met four EA scouts, and Capt Lewis and Capt Tudhope each shot down one out of control
Flt Sub-Lieut G C Mackay, SDS, Albatros C out of control Ostende - Zeebrugge at 14:45/15:45
Flt Cdr R Collishaw, SDS, Albatros Scout out of control Ostende at 15:20/16:20
While escorting D.H.4 Spotters, three Camels of Seaplane Defence Squadron encountered two Albatross two-seaters between Ostende and Zeebrugge. Flight Sub-Lieut Mackay attacked one diving towards Zeebrugge and fired two bursts, the observer then stood up holding up his hands, and was shortly afterwards seen to fall out of the machine, which went down out of control. Later, Flight Commander Collishaw carried out a surprise attack on four Albatross scouts, shooting one down out of control.
Maj A D Carter, 19 Sqn, Albatros Scout out of control [driven down?] Hollebeke at 15:45/16:45 - Major A D Carter, No 19 Squadron, was flying in the vicinity of Hollebeke when he saw an enemy scout attacking one of our artillery machines, so dived, at it and drove it down. Unfortunately, his engine cut out and he was unable to follow it down, but ground observers report that it fell completely out of control
Casualties:
Flt Sub-Lieut S S Richardson (Kia) & A/Gl R A Furby (Kia), 5N Sqn, DH4 N6008 - crashed into the sea off Blankenberghe on bombing; Flgmt Albin Bühl, MLS II, 2nd victory [Bühl claimed two victories, the first Nieuport – Ostende at 12:35/13:35 and the second Blankenburghe at 12:47/13:47]
Capt R A Maybery MC (Kia), 56 Sqn, SE5a B506 – took off 12:20/13:20 and last seen possibly out of control over Bourlon Wood at 13:00/14:00 immediately after bringing down EA in flames on DOP; Vzfw Artur Weber, Js5, 1st victory [north of Bourlon Wood at 13:30/14:30] ?
2nd-Lieut H R Gates (Ok), 29 Sqn, Nieuport 23 B3585 - force landed Sh28.j.10.a.4.6 [Polygon Wood] at 13:45/14:45 due engine failure on reserve patrol; anti-aircraft fire ?
The following aerial victory claims were made on this day.
Attachment 238081
The War at Sea
German submarine SM UB-56 struck a mine and sank in the Strait of Dover with the loss of all 37 crew.
SM UB-56 was a German Type UB III submarine or U-boat in the German Imperial Navy (German: Kaiserliche Marine) during World War I. She was commissioned into the Flanders Flotilla of the German Imperial Navy on 19 July 1917 as SM UB-56. She operated as part of the Flanders Flotilla based in Zeebrugge. UB-56 was sunk at 23:41 on 19 December 1917 at 50°58′N 01°21′E after striking a mine, 37 crew members lost their lives in the even.
She was built by AG Weser, Bremen and following just under a year of construction, launched at Bremen on 6 June 1917. UB-56 was commissioned later that same year . Like all Type UB III submarines, UB-56 carried 10 torpedoes and was armed with a 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun. UB-56 would carry a crew of up to 3 officer and 31 men and had a cruising range of 9,020 nautical miles (16,710 km; 10,380 mi). UB-56 had a displacement of 516 t (508 long tons) while surfaced and 646 t (636 long tons; 712 short tons) when submerged. Her engines enabled her to travel at 13.4 knots (24.8 km/h; 15.4 mph) when surfaced and 7.8 knots (14.4 km/h; 9.0 mph) when submerged.
Attachment 238082
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
Lance Corporal Mervyn Hugh Egerton Gorringe (Otago Regiment) dies of wounds at age 40. He is the son of the Reverend Peter Rollins Gorringe Rector of Manston.
Sapper John W Hickson (Royal Engineers) is killed at age 34. His brother was killed last August.
Private Arthur Hamilton Houghton (Royal Marines Medical Unit) is killed at age 26. He is the son of the Reverend Arthur Webster Houghton Vicar of St Stephen’s Bury.
AIR WAR
Britain: Air defences finally told of Giant bomber, codenamed Bertie, after its eight raid.
Attachment 238083
Five-engined Zeppelin Staaken ‘Gigant’ bomber
SEA WAR
Channel: New Dover Straits minefield claims first victim, coastal submarine UB-56 after Vice-Admiral Bacon advised to start flare and searchlight surface patrol along it.
Adriatic: 2 old Austrian battleships, 1 cruiser, 6 destroyers shell Italian Cortellazzo batteries again, but big ships withdrawn to Pola on December 20, 3 old battleships mothballed after December 28 to obtain personnel.
SOUTHERN FRONTS
Piave: British artillery in action at Montello. Italian counter*-attacks against Mts Rertica and Asolone fail to gain ground until fog and thick snow end operations on December 21.
Just attachment numbers Chris, no photos!.
Same here. It is a general problem.
Rob.