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Firstly, I am sorry about the lack of paragraphing format in the above posting. I put them in but could not get them to stick. I may have put Use HTML on by mistake.
Any way here is our answer from Dr. Fuchs.
Snip
" Large gaps make it almost impossible to give pieces of information about your father. What his captivity was affected by could have been contained in the flight report book of the "Flyer-news and pursue Donai"^ (stands so under the AOK 6); a crucial hint or information. In this book it stands under the news report of 29.6.1918, a report that was recieved at 5.30 from the Flakgruppe 49. It sounded "5.17 1 D.H. (=Havilland) 4: Bailleu - Estaire - La Gorgue - Lestrem, (shot) through Flak, lies in Pl.Qu. (plansquare) 3118 (by Lestrem)".
At 5.40 Estaire, the following report went in: "5.12 - 5.15 1 D.H. 4 Laventie - Estaires, 500 h, Flak and Erd - M.G. would have been forced into landing by the Church in Lestrem (AOK 6 pp.319). Confusion between a De Havilland 4 and the new De Havilland 9 would have been a possiblity.
On this day in this region, no other English aircraft landed or plunged. Strangely enough, mentions the 'Newspage of the air force'* in its compilation of the shooting down of hostile flyer while the June 1918 under 29.6 without Havilland (Nr. 24 of the 8.8. 1918).'
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This is only part of the letter. It was translated by a non-aviation-historian German speaker and if people think it would be helpful, I will type the original German letter for you.
What is the word 'Urd' mean? "Urd-M.G."
"In diesem Buch steht unter dem 29.6.1918 eine Meldung, die um 5.30 Uhr von der Flakgruppe 49 eingegangen war...Um 5.40 Uhr ging aus Estaires folgende Meldung ein: "5.12 - 5.15 1 D.H. 4 Lavente - Estaires, 500 h, wurde durch Flak u. Erd-M.G. dicht bei der Kirche von Lestrem zur Landung gezwungen".
^ "Flugmeldebuch" der "Flieger-Nachtrichten-und-Verfol-gungsstelle Douai"
* Nachtrichtenblatt der Luftstreitkräfte".
Thanks for all your help and any comments.
Best Wishes
Mitch
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