22 March 1917 – Major Montague Elphinstone

Today on the Western Front, the pace of air activity slowed with poor weather. There were a few aircraft shot up but no serious injuries.

One RFC death, however, was recorded, that of Major Montague Elphinstone from 3 Squadron RFC. Montague was 37 at the time, quite old for a new RFC officer. Then again he had volunteered to serve during the Boer War in 1902. After that he had become an actor until the outbreak of war. He immediately volunteered for the Army, and served as a private and Corporal. He attempted to join the cavalry, but eventually gazetted Second Lieutenant on 21st December 1914 into the Army Service Corps. In early 1916 he passed his pilot’s licence and transferred to the RFC.

There is some mystery as to how he was killed. His Casualty Card gives very little detail other than to state that he was flying a Morane Parasol. There is no further detail on whether this was a single or two seater, though most Parasols would have had two seats. Nor is their details of another crew member so this may be unknown or he was flying alone. It would not be unusual for two seater pilots to fly alone to save weight, though this was normally for bombing missions. At this time 3 Squadron was primarily a reconnaissance squadron.

Given the lack of detail it seems likely that this was a flying accident. His obituary on the Bancroftian website seems to confirm this noting he was “killed in a flying accident having sustained multiple fractures”. The provenance of this is unknown.

Another useful source of evidence is Flight Magazine. It contains contemporary death reports.  However, this also gives us few clues, simply stating:

The lack of detail is perhaps unsurprising, particularly if it was an accident. Whilst accidents in the UK would merit a coroner’s report (many of which were then reported in Flight), those which occurred at the front were not investigated so thoroughly, if at all.

Whether the “killed in action” description is down to a lack of detail by the recorders or a deliberate attempt to finesse the report is unknown. Families would likely take some comfort from killed in action rather than accident. The RFC was also under presssure to reduce accidents.

21 March 1917 – The Prince

Prince Friedrich Karl

Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia was the commander of Fliegerabteilung (Artillerie) 258, an artillery spotting unit, but was allowed to fly patrols in a single-seat fighter with the nearby Jasta Boelcke whenever possible. He was on patrol today with four other aircraft in Albatross DI 410/16 when they attacked 4 aircraft from 32 Squadron RFC. In the fight, Lieutenant Charles Edward Murray Pickthorn in his DH2, who had just been promoted to Flight Commander, put a bullet in the Prince’s engine and shot him in the foot. For once, there was a strong easterly wind blowing and Prince Friedrich was forced down in no-mans land some 200m in front of the forward posts of Australian 26 Battalion near Vaulx Wood. He tried to make a run for the German lines but was shot in the back by fire from Corporal BG James and EJ Powell. Private CH Hall ran out and captured the Prince, joined shortly by some Light Horsemen. Soon they were joined by Captain’s RG Legge and SW Neale, who eased the Prince’s concerns about being taken prisoner by Australians. Unfortunately for the Prince, his wounds were severe and he died on 6 April 1917.

This was the only good news for the RFC today as no other enemy aircraft were claimed and the RFC lost four other aircraft.

Hubert Wilson Godfrey Jones

Lieutenant Harold William Ludlow Poole 2nd Class Air Mechanic Arthur J Ball from 43 Squadron in Sopwith Strutter A2390 got int a fight with Leutnant Karl Allmenroder from Jasta 11. He shot through their petrol tank and they made a forced landing near Mazingarbe. Their aircraft burst into flames. Poole escaped but Ball was wounded and later died.

Lieutenant Edwin Louis Benbow MC from 40 Squadron was hit by AA fire and wounded in the back. He was forced to land his Nieuport 17 A6734 – near Ablain St Nazaire. Earlier that day, Benbow had emerged unscathed from Nieuport 23 A6782 when a wheel buckled and the machine overturned on landing.

Sidney Herbert Quicke

Captain Hubert Wilson Godfrey Jones from 24 Squadron in DH2 A305 was badly shot up in a fight and was last seen in spinning nose-dive at 1,000 feet over Roupy. He crash landed and somehow survived despite extensive injuries. He did not serve at the front again.

William John Lindsey

Finally,  Flight Sergeant Sidney Herbert Quicke and 2nd Lieutenant William John Lidsey From 16 Squadron were shot down by Manfred Von Richthofen in their BE2e. Quicke was killed in the crash, and although Lindsey survived he died later of his injuries. Quicke was one of the original RFC men who went to France in August 1914 when he was serving as a mechanic with 4 Squadron RFC.

19 March 1917 – Hotting up

James Gerald Fair

Early this morning, aircraft of the 9th Wing dropped 48 bombs on the ammunition depot at Aulnoye from a height of 6,000 feet. Jasta 3 attacked 27 Squadron and brought down three aircraft. Lieutenant William Samuel Caster in Martinsyde G100 7499 force landed at Brie inside the lines and was unharmed. 2nd Lieutenant James Gerald Fair was killed in Martinsyde G100 7503. 2nd Lieutenant Tom Webster Jay was taken prisoner after being shot down in Martinsyde G100 7508 by Leutnant Georg Schlenker.

Leutnant A Mohr from Jasta 3 was credited with having shot down Fair, but it is more likely that he actually shot down another aircraft – an RE8 (A79) with 2nd Lieutenant John MacGeorge and Lieutenant AA Murray from 34 Squadron on board. Their colleagues Lieutenant Harold Robert Davies and 2nd Lieutenant Basil Farmer went to their aid in RE8 (A88) when they saw them being attacked. Murray was hit in the head and later died of his wounds, and Farmer suffered a minor wound. Both pilots escaped unhurt and were able to get back over the lines, though Macgeorge crashed 100 yards from his aerodrome.

Two RE8s of 59 Squadron were on a photo mission when they were attacked hit by AA fire. Jasta 2 then swooped in and finished two of them off. Leutnant Werner Voss did for Captain Eldred Wolferstan Bowyer-Bower and 2nd Lieutenant Edwin Elgey in RE8 A4165. The aircraft crashed and burst into flames. Leutnant Fritz Otto Bernert took down Captain Claude Peregrine Bertie and Lieutenant Frederick Henry Wilson in RE8 A4168. Bertie was killed in the cockpit and the plane crashed. All four were killed.

Later in the evening, Werner Voss made another claim when he shot down 2nd Lieutenant Charles Robert Dougall and 2nd Lieutenant Sydney Harryman in their BE2c (5784) east of the lines. They were both taken prisoner but Harryman later died of his wounds.

19 Squadron were up on patrol in their SPADVIIs when they ran into Jasta 5. 2nd Lieutenant Stanley Stewart Beattie Purves was taken prisoner when his engine failed and he was forced to land. He tried to restart but was unable to do so. Lieutenant Arthur Trevor Hope was shot up in SPAD VII A6633. Captain William Jameson Cairnes in SPAD VII A312 suffered the same fate. Both force landed inside the lines but escaped unharmed.

 

18 March 1917 – Double Voss

Werner Voss claimed a double today. This morning he attacked a BE2e (5748) with Captain Charles Holland and 2nd Lieutenant Archibald Cecil Heaven from 8 Squadron on board. Holland was wounded and Heaven was forced to fly the plane back to the lines where he force-landed. He then dragged Holland into a shell hole until they were rescued. Heaven was awarded the Military Cross for bravery.

Later in the day, around 1750 he attacked Captain Guy Stafford Thorne and 2nd Lieutenant Phillip Edward Hislop Van Baerle from 13 Squadron in their BE2d (5770) on a reconnaissance patrol over Fampoux. They crash landed and were taken prisoner, though Thorne died shortly afterwards of his injuries.

Guy Stafford Thorne

Also killed today were 2nd Lieutenant John Thwaytes and 2nd Lieutenant Gerald Hugh Temple Bourne from 4 Squadron. who failed to return from an artillery patrol. It is believed they were hit by AA fire and the aircraft destroyed.

In return, Lieutenant  James Dacres Belgrave & Lieutenant Francis George Truscott from 45 Squadron claimed to have shot down a two-seater in flames north-east of Ploegsteert Wood at 1630.

17 March 1916 – Mass brawls

There was intense activity in the air today.

Arthur Elsdale Boultbee

This morning the biggest scrap involved 18 aircraft – 43 Squadron RFCwere on a photo reconnaissance mission over Beaumont covered by 25 Squadron RFC- and 17 enemy aircraft including 9 from Jasta 11. The British claimed six aircraft downed, but the German’s did not report any losses. The RFC lost three aircraft. Manfred von Richthofen claimed his 27th victory in Lieutenant Arthur Elsdale Boultebee and 1st Class Air Mechanic Frederick King from 25 Squadron, though accounts at the time suggested their FE2b (A5439) was actually crippled by AA fire before von Richthofen finished it off. Both men were killed. 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Leslie Constable and 2nd Lieutenant Charles Duncan Knox from 43 Squadron were shot down in their Sopwith Strutter (A1097) by Leutnant Kurt Wolff from Jasta 11. Their colleagues, 2nd Lieutenant James Cook Rimer and 2nd Lieutenant Reginald Herbert Lownds in Sopwith Strutter A1111 were shot down by Leutnant Karl Allmenroder. All four were killed.

George Macdonald Watt

Late in the day around 1600, Manfred von Richthofen claimed a second victory when he claimed to have shot down 2nd Lieutenant George Macdonald Watt and Sergeant Ernest Adam Howlett from 16 Squadron RFC in BE2c 2814. Both men were killed.

It wasn’t all scout victories as Wilhelm Hippert and Heinrich Klose from FFA227 shot down Lieutenant W Anderson and Lieutenant Duncan B Woolley from 20 Squadron in their FE2d (A27). They were taken prisoner.

11 Squadron RFC and Jasta 2 clashed with Jasta 2 getting the better of the fight. Lieutenant Archibald Campbell Woodman and 2nd Lieutenant Reginald Charles Cox claimed to have shot down one enemy aircraft but were in turn shot down in their FE2b (4979). They crashed near Grevillers and totalled the aircraft, Cox was wounded but Woodman was unhurt. Lieutenant Norman Hatfield Read and 2nd Lieutenant Larry William Nevile-Smith in FE2b 7694 were also brought down but escaped unhurt. Their colleagues 2nd Lieutenant Russell Wilfred Cross and Lieutenant Christopher Fryers Lodge were less lucky as they were shot down and taken prisoner in their FE2b (7695). Werner Voss and Heinrich Gontermann both made claims but there is some confusion as to who did what though Cross and Lodge is traditionally attributed to Voss.

Voss also made a later claim to have shot down Lieutenant Theodore Algernon Cooch from 32 Squadron RFC in his DH2 (A2583). The aircraft was completely wrecked near Bapaume and Cooch was wounded in the back.

4 Squadron RFC were up on an artillery patrol when 2nd Lieutenant John Thwaytes and 2nd Lieutenant Gerald Hugh Temple Bourne in BE2c 2755 were brought down, most likely be anti-aircraft fire. Their plane was totally wrecked and both were killed. Their colleagues 2nd Lieutenant Norman Hay Colson and 2nd Lieutenant Harold Bagshaw Mann in BE2d 6740 were attacked by 6 enemy aircraft and shot down. Colson was injured but Mann escaped unhurt.

Aaron Appleton

Jasta 18 made 2 claims. At around 1020, 2nd Lieutenant Alex Ivan Gilson from 1 Squadron RFC was shot down in spinning nosedive near during a combat with 8 enemy aircraft. Leutnant Paul Strähle claimed the victory. Two hours later, 2nd Lieutenant Aaron Appleton and Corporal Albert Cooper from 6 Squadron RFC were shot down in flames  in their BE2d (6241) following an attack by 5 enemy aircraft. Oberleutnant Heino Grieffenhagen claimed the victory. All four were killed.

11 March 1917 – Losses mount

After the poor weather of the last few days, the fighting int he air intensified again on the Western Front. In the event four major engagements took place.

Just after 10am 6 aircraft from 32 Squadron RFC and 12 from Jasta 12 clashed to the east of Bapaume. In the ensuing fight, 32 Squadron claimed to have downed one German aircraft and Jasta 12 claimed.

The Jasta 12 pilot was Leutnant Erkenbrecht who was shot at by Lieutentants Charles Edward Murray Pickthorn in DH2 7898, Gilbert Howe and Arthur Clunie Randall in DH2 A2548. Pickthorn and Howe both subsequently crash landed after being shot up. 2nd Lieutenant John Hassall Cross was also brought down in DH2 A5025.

Jasta 1 and Jasta 5 seem to have joined the fight and three more DH2s were shot up,  forced down and crashed. 2nd Lieutenant William Arnold Gemmell Young in DH2 7903, Captain James Milne Robb in DH2 A2535 and Lieutenant Randall. Remarkably none of the 32 Squadron pilots were killed though they all suffered injuries.

Horace Bowden

Eric Lubbock

While this was going on 45 Squadron and Jasta 18 clashed over Ypres. Jasta 18 came off best downing two of the patrol – 2nd Lieutenant Horace George Cecil Bowden and 2nd Lieutenant Douglas Baptist Stevenson in Sopwith Strutter A1071, and Captain The Hon Eric Fox Pitt Lubbock MC and Lieutenant John Thompson in Sopwith Strutter A1082. Leutnant Josef Flink claimed A1071 and Leutnant Paul Strähle A1082. All four men were killed.

The third big fight of the day took place between Jasta 1 and 5 and a flight of FE2bs from 18 and 23 Squadron RFC who were providing cover for photography.Two 23 Squadron aircraft were forced down with the crews taken prisoner. These were 2nd Lieutenant Charles Arthur Robert Shum and 2nd Lieutenant Frank Cecil Coops in FE2b 7713 and 2nd Lieutenant A Holden and 2nd Class Air Mechanic A G Walker in FE2b A5443. 2nd Lieutenant John Eric Lewis and Lieutenant Richard Mayberry from 18 Squadron were both wounded when they were forced down in their FE2b (A785). Their colleagues Sergeant Henry Philip Burgess 2nd Lieutenant Herbert Marshall Headley were less lucky and both were killed after their FE2b (A5475) was shot up and crashed.

Finally Jasta 11 got the better of the BE2s of 2 Squadron. 2nd Lieutenant George Chandos Hoskins and 2nd Lieutenant George William Betts Hampton in BE2c 4541 were sent down in flames in a spinning nosedive in the Loos Salient by Leutnant Karl Schaeffer. Manfred von Richthofen claimed to have brought down 2nd Lieutenant James Smyth and 2nd Lieutenant Edward Gordon Byrne in their BE2d (6232). Al four were killed.

 

 

 

9 March 1917 – 40 Squadron mauled

40 Squadron RFC were on the end of what was clearly a pre-planned joint operation by Jasta 11 and anti-aircraft gunners on the ground near Oppy. The RFC communiqué reported:

“…nine FE8s of 40 Squadron, whilst patrolling over Oppy in the morning, were unusually heavily fired at by anti-aircraft guns for about five minutes. Two hostile aircraft appeared well to the east of the patrol. The anti-aircraft fire suddenly ceased and eight or more hostile machines dived from above the clouds onto the FE patrol. Apparently the two machines, the anti-aircraft and the formation of hostile aircraft were working in accordance with a pre-arranged plan. In the combat that ensued at least one hostile machine was destroyed. Three of our machines failed to return and the remainder were badly shot about. One FE just succeeded in reaching our lines when it burst into flames. The pilot, who had been twice wounded, jumped from the machine. The fight lasted for about half an hour.”

Shepard’s FE8 6456

The first to go down was 2nd Lieutenant T Shepard in FE8 6456 who was claimed by Leutnant Kurt Wolff. He landed behind enemy lines and was taken prisoner. Shortly after this,  Leutnant Karl Allmenroder severely damaged 2nd Lieutenant Rupert Ernest Neve’s FE8 6399. He fled for the lines and had just crossed them when the aircraft burst into flames and Neve was forced to jump from the aircraft. Remarkably he survived through he was seriously injured.

 

After this, Leutnant Karl Schaeffer shot down 2nd Lieutenant William Brading Hills in FE8 6397 and then Lieutenant Geoffrey Frank Haseler in FE8 A4874. Both men were taken prisoner.

Haseler’s FE8 A4874

A hostile machine was claimed by 2nd Lieutenant Henry Cuthbert Todd before his FE8 6425 was shot up and he made a forced landing behind the lines. Lieutenant William Morrice in FE8 7836 suffered a similar fate. .

Manfred von Richthofen made up for failing to score in this battle by shooting down in flames 2nd Lieutenant Arthur John Pearson MC from 29 Squadron in DH2 A2571. Pearson was killed.

The disaster resulted in the immediate replacement of the remaining FE8s with Nieuports. 41 Squadron RFC was the only unit left flying the onsolete FE8.

 

6 March 1917 – Von Richthofen shot down

Today saw one of the busiest days of action on the Western Front.

This morning, 43 Squadron RFC in their Sopwith Strutters were on a reconnaissance mission escorted by FE8s from 40 Squadron RFC. Jasta 11 scrambled to intercept them. The combat showed that a strong formation could protect against the superior German fighters.

Edwin Louis Benbow

In the ensuing fight 40 Squadron’s Captain Robert Gregory in FE8 6384, and Lieutenant Edwin Louis Benbow in FE8 A4871, claimed to have shot down an Albatross Scout Albatros Scout in flames. Captain Harold Harrington Balfour and 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Roberts in Sopwith Strutter A1097 and 2nd Lieutenant Charles Price Thornton and Lieutenant Harry Dudley Blackburn, in another Sopwith Strutter also claimed to have shot down enemy scouts.

In the event, Manfred Von Richthofen had his engine and fuel tanks shot through and made a forced landing behind the lines. His colleague Leutnant Hans-Georg Eduard Lübbert was also shot down. He was wounded but made a successful landing behind his own lines. Von Richthofen attempted to claim that on of the Sopwith Strutters hit him, but contemporary accounts suggest it is more likely that one of the FE8s hit him most likely Benbow. Presumably,  the fact of him being shot down by another fighter was to much for Von Richthofen or the propaganda machine.

Geoffrey Brichta

43 Squadron did not get away scot-free as 2nd Lieutenant Stanley James Pepler and Captain James Duff Stuart were shot down in flames and killed in their Sopwith Strutter (A978) by Leutnant Karl Schaeffer.

Gerald Gosset-Bibby

Von Richthofen describes in his book that the officer who picked him up had no idea who he was and only realised in the mess hall when he came in wearing his Pour Le Merite. At that point he “feasted me with oysters and champagne”.

George Milne Underwood

Von Richthofen was back in the air in the afternoon where his patrol encountered 16 Squadron RFC. He shot down and killed 2nd Lieutenant Gerald Maurice Gosset-Bibby and Lieutenant Geoffrey Joseph Ogilvy Brichta in their BE2e (A2785).

Earlier in the day, his colleague Leutnant Kurt Wolff had claimed his first victory over another 16 Squadron aircraft when he shot down 2nd Lieutenant Albert Edward Watts and 2nd Lieutenant George Milne Underwood in their BE2d 5856. Both were killed in the crash.

It was a bad day for the RFC as another 6 crew were killed and 6 taken prisoner.

Evelyn Paget Graves

Jasta 1 came of better in a fight with 60 Squadron RFC as 2nd Lieutenant Philip Solomon Joyce was shot down in his Nieuport 16 (A208) by Obleutnant Hans Kummetz and Major Evelyn Paget Graves was brought down in flames in his Nieuport 17 (A213) by Walter Cymera.

Jasta 2 shot down two aircraft from 57 Squadron RFC and took both crews prisoner. They were Lieutenant Francis Eric Hills and 2nd Lieutenant Alfred Gordan Ryall in FE2d A1948 and Captain William Swanson Read Bloomfield and 2nd Lieutenant Victor Oswald Lonsdale in FE2d A1953.

Their colleagues Lieutenant William Frederick Waller Hills and 2nd Lieutenant William Sutton Gardner in FE2d A1963 were less lucky as they suffered a broken propeller following an attack by Vitzfeldwebel Heinrich Büssing from Jasta 5. They crashed and were killed.

Lieutenant Cuthbert William Short MC and Lieutenant Simon MacKay Fraser of 3 Squadron wre4 shot down in their Morane P (A268). Short managed to land in friendly territory but later died of his wounds. Edmund Nathanael from Jasta 5 claimed the victory.

Denys Greenhow

Captain John Ewart MacKay and 2nd Lieutenant Denys Edward Greenhow from 45 Squadron were attacked by 5 enemy aircraft and shot down in their Sopwith Strutter A1072. MacKay was able to land the aircraft but Greenhow had been killed.  Both Karl Schaeffer from Jasta 11 and R Kralewski from Jasta 4 claimed victory.

Later in the afternoon Jasta 2 encountered 32 Squadron RFC another 2 aircraft were shot down and the crews taken prisoner.They were Lieutenant Maximilian John Jules Gabriel Mare-Montembault MC in DH2 7882 shot down by Oberleutnant Adolf Ritter von Tutschek and Captain Herbert Gordon Southon in DH2 7941 shot down by Leutnant Werner Voss.

 

4 March 1917 – All noisy on the Western Front

After a quiet day yesterday, there was a significant amount of action in the air today.

1 Squadron RFC claimed three enemy two seaters. Lieutenant Christopher Joseph Quintin Brand and Lieutenant Victor George Anderson Bush, shot down Roland C which crashed near Boesinghe – Wytschaete at 12:35. Leutnant Ernst-Albrecht Freiherr von Ompteda was taken prisoner and his observer Lieutenant Erwin Breuninger was killed. Later Lieutenant Edwin Stuart Travis Cole shot down an LVG C which crashed north of Ypres. The crew, Vitzfeldwebel Denneke and Leutnant Rockel were taken prisoner. Finally Lieutenant Tom Falcon Hazell shot down another LVG C out of control near Westhoek. Vitzfeldwebel Gotthard Waldschmitt and Leutnant Waldemar von Gartzen, were both killed. It is Hazell’s first victory.

James Percy White

3 Naval Squadron also got into a fight with Jasta 1 and suffered its first casualties. Flight Sub-Lieutenant James Percy White was shot down in Sopwith Pup N6165 by Oberleutnant Hans Kummetz. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Leslie Arthur Powell was seriously wounded when his Sopwith Pup N6166 was shot up. He later died of his wounds. Finally, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harry Redmond Wambolt was shot down and killed in his Sopwith Pup N6170 by Leutnant Herbert Schröder.

Harry Redmond Wambolt

In return, Flight Lieutenant Raymond Collishaw, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Leonard Henry Rochford, Flight Commander Theophilus Chater Vernon, Flight Sub-Lieutenant John Joseph Malone, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harold Edwards and G/L P O Walker, and Flight Sub-Lieutenant Horace Ernest Philip Wigglesworth, claimed enemy aircraft shot down. British pilots with other squadrons made a further six claims Including Max Bohme, from Jasta 5 who was taken prisoner with his aircraft, an Albatross DII captured intact.

Boehme’s Albatross DII

Other RFC casualties today were Lieutenant Beresford Winnington Hill and 2nd Lieutenant William Harms from 59 Squadron who were carrying out aerial photography in their RE8 (A4163) when they were shot down and killed by Leutnant Renatus Theiller from Jasta 5. Thellier also shot down Lieutenant Herbert Lambourne & Private Joseph Collinson from 18 Squadron in their FE2b (A789), They crash landed behind the British lines and both were wounded.

William Harms

Captain Alan Lees from 54 Squadron RFC was shot down in Sopwith Pup (A633) by Leutnant Georg Schlenker from Jasta 3. He was taken prisoner.

2nd Lieutenant George Pollard Kay and 2nd Lieutenant Walter Willox Steuart from 46 Squadron RFC crashed their Nieuport 20 (A285). Kay was wounded and Steuart was killed.

Herbert John Green

43 Squadron and Jasta 11 got into a tangle, 2nd Lieutenant Herbert John Green and 2nd Lieutenant Alexander William Reid MC from) 43 Squadron RFC were attacked by three enemy aircraft in their Sopwith Strutter (A1108). Both men were killed. Manfred von Richthofen claimed the victory. Their colleagues 2nd Lieutenant Philip Lovel Wood and 2nd Lieutenant Alan Hughes Fenton  were attacked by five enemy aircraft in their Sopwith Strutter (A1109). They were shot down and killed. Leutnant Karl Schaeffer, claimed the victory.

Reginald James Moody

Flight Sergeant Reginald James Moody and 2nd Lieutenant Edmund Eric Horn from 8 Squadron were shot down in flames in their BE2d (6252) and killed by Leutnant Werner Voss from Jasta 2.

2 March 1917 – Loop of death

Commander Charles Rumney Sampson’s dictum from March 1915 holds now as it did then:

“Don’t try to do what is termed by some people as ‘ Stunt Flying’. This is not wanted for war and is not conduct required of an officer.”

Unfortunately another two RNAS pilots were killed today when they ignored this. Flight Sub–Lieutenant John Eric Northrop flew to Burgh Castle delivering another airman for duty.

Edward Laston Pulling

On landing Northrop asked his friend Flight Lieutenant Edward Laston Pulling DSO if he would “loop him”. Pulling agreed without a second thought and they took off in BE2c 8626. At 2000 ft Pulling put the aircraft into a dive to achieve sufficient speed for the loop. He pulled back on the stick and as the aircraft reached the top of the manoeuvre the internal drift wire in the starboard lower wing broke. The wing gave way causing the plane to fall in a spin and crash in the middle of Denes aerodrome. Both Pulling and Northrop were killed.

Both men had qualified as RNAS pilots in October 1915. Pulling had become the more famous in November 1916 when he was one of the pilots involved in the destruction of Zeppelin L21.

In actual war flying, Lieutenant Cyril Stephen Cravos and Flight Sergeant Alfred George Shepherd from 5 Squadron RFC failed to return from an artillery patrol near Gommecourt in their BE2e (7192). It is believed they were hit by anti-aircraft fire but they must have crashed in no-mans land as their bodies were never recovered.