B 5193

Hi Everyone,

Just came across a postcard of a crashed allied
machine very similar to the Quentin Roosevelt photo. The clearly visible serial # is B 5193 and the back of the card says February 29, 1918 Piave which I imagine wouls be the Italian front.
Can anyone help me with details. Thanks in advance.

VBR,

Holck

[Darryl]

Hi Count,

Camel B5193 last seen Conegliano, possible engine failure 10.00 20/2/18. The pilot was Lt DC Wright who was killed.

regards

Darryl

[Soderbaum]

Hi

It seems that vfw Wittenhagen of Jasta 31 claimed a Sopw-1 South Conegliano on 20 Feb. 1918 as his first confirmed victory.
Perhaps he was responsible...

Gunnar

[Rod_Filan]

I have this photo identified as being taken at Compaquolle Mareno de Piave, Italy - (Feb. 29, 1918)<p align="center"><p align="left">Thx for the additional information.

VBR

[AGO]

......sad sight."Compaquolle Mareno" is a quite strange name for a place in Italy.Maybe the Camel fell to the ground between Campolongo and Mareno di Piave?These are two towns only some 2 and 5 kms resp. SSW of Conegliano (some 1,2 and 3 miles).Austro-German airfields of San Fior and Pianzano were few kms far.
VBR
AGO

[Graeme]

According to The Sky Their Battlefield, Wright was shot down in B5193 over Conegliano on 20 February 1918 and died in Vienna two days later. However, in his book "Offensive Patrol" Norman MacMillan shows Wright as having survived the war. Neither source mentions a combat but only Wittenhagen claimed a Camel on 20 February.

[Soderbaum]

Hi

Apperently Wittenhagen was Lt dR when claiming his victory on 20 Febr. 1918....Does someone knew his first name..?

Gunnar

[Darryl]

Hello All,

MacMillan is mistaken. Douglas Christie Wright, Lt, 28 Squadron (late of 18/Canadian Inf) killed 20/2/18 in B5193.

His CWGC entry reads thus:

In Memory of
DOUGLAS CHRISTIE WRIGHT
Lieutenant
18th Bn., Canadian Infantry
attd. 28th Sqdn., Royal Flying Corps
who died on
Wednesday, 20th February 1918. Age 22.
Additional Information: Son of Lilian St. Clair and the late John Douglas Wright, of 98, Highland Avenue, Toronto, Canada.


Commemorative Information
Cemetery: TEZZE BRITISH CEMETERY, Italy
Grave Reference/
Panel Number: Plot 5. Row C. Grave 8.

Location: Tezze is a village in the Province of Treviso, a large town north of Venice. The village is 8 kilometres east of Susegana, a town on the main road some 24 kilometres north of Treviso. The British Military Cemetery lies about 270 metres south of the village of Tezze. The cemetery is permanently open and may be visited anytime.

German side records I have not, but Jasta War Chronology and Jasta Pilots agree with Gunnar.

regards

Darryl