The weather improved sufficiently on the Western Front to allow most air activity to continue, though a heavy mist remained. The Naval fighter Squadrons covering the Northern part of the British line were particularly active.
Robert John Orton Compston
Early this morning, 9 Squadron RNAS was up on patrol. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Oliver William Redgate and Flight Commander Stearne Tighe Edwards both claimed enemy two-seaters out of control.
Around 1125, Flight Commander Robert John Orton Compston DFC from 8 Naval Squadron attacked a DFW firing about 200 rounds at point-blank range. The E.A. fell over on its side and went down vertically out of control.
Later in the patrol, Flight Commander Compston and Flight Sub-Lieutenant Edward Grahame Johnstone, shot down a DFW which crashed near Sallaumine. Flight Commander Compston then attacked another aircraft firing about 150 rounds at point-blank range. Other pilots fired 400 rounds at this enemy machine, which was observed to fall completely out of control and crash. Flight Commander Richard Bernard Munday also attacked an AIbatross Scout, firing over 250 rounds at very close range. The aircraft suddenly went down vertically out of control and was last seen to be still falling. Flight Sub-Lieutenant James Butler White fired 100 rounds at an enemy aircraft at close range and it turned over on one wing and fell into a steep dive.
Rupert Randolph Winter
A couple of hours later, Flight Commander Rupert Randolph Winter and Flight Sub-Lieutenant Mark Adamson Harker from 9 Naval Squadron claimed a Fokker DrI destroyed south-west of Roulers. Winter in Sopwith Camel B6430 failed to return from the mission as did his 10 Naval Squadron colleague Flight Sub-Lieutenant Wilfred Henry Wilmot in Sopwith Camel B637. Both were shot down in the same combat by pilots from Jasta 26, Otto Fruhner and Otto Esswein claimed victories but it is unclear who shot down whom.
Finally, In the same engagement Flight Lieutenant Walter George Raymond Hinchliffe also from 10 Naval Squadron claimed an Albatros Two seater.
airwar19141918 