Observation Duty

[MikeW]

I've just come across several records in an RNAS fighter squadron record book referring to the Squadron Commander performing "Observation Duty". The CO reported on enemy and allied aircraft activity.

Anyone come across this duty before, what exactly did it involve? Was it a flying or ground based activity?

Observers were usually non pilots and the most important part of the crew. They performed aerial photography, reconnaisance and most importantly they were the gunners. In some services they were actually the aircraft commanders although they weren't pilots.

[MikeW]

Sorry Pete,

obviously not clear enough - this is a fighter squadron flying triplanes. Out of the blue in amongst the various types of Offensive Patrol and Sweeps and escort missions are several "Observation Duties" performed by the "Old Man". No one else, no two seaters.

Sort of thing reported was "saw RE8 escorted by 2 pups", "hostile 2 seater photographing front" etc.

This wasn't an observation mission in the normal sense.

[Ginger.]

There is a passage in 'Winged Victory'where the suspicious CO shadows one of the Flights and observes them not putting up a very good show as the Flight Commander has battle fatigue.I wonder if this is the meaning of the phrase?

I think this was one of the regular duties of squadron leaders. They were responsible for providing a general heads-up of the situation for their pilots, and many interpreted this as meaning that they were supposed to go up once a day themselves to do a sort of look-see. If they accidentally found themselves crossing the lines in order to perform that duty, well, it wasn't entirely their fault, was it? They were just being scrupulous. (This refers, of course, to the situation after mid-1917 when COs were forbidden from crossing the lines.)

[Droops]

Fascinating stuff Mike! Have you read this in any other squadron reports?

Anyone else know of this? I'd like to learn more too.

Regards,

John

[MikeW]

Thanks all,

Ginger - you're right, I'd forgotten that passage! Winged Victory rings true because it was basically a thinly disguised auto biography.

Michael - yes, wasn't Collishaw officially grounded for a time with 3 Naval/213 sqn when he was CO. Of course, he was really interested in "observing" enemy aircraft being shot down, preferably by himself!

John - Only limited references for this I'm afraid. I find it hard enough to research just one squadron.

Thanks again

Mike

G'day Mike,

I remember reading "Grid" Caldwell used to check on the offensive spirit of his men. Also Little used to take up the new pilots and if they followed him he would support them anyway he could, but if they did not, he would have nothing to do with them. I think Dallas also met his fate showing a new pilot around. From memory the new pilot got caught in a sky trap and Dallas gave his life saving the new boy. Booker also fell this way.

Regards,
Andrew.

[Barrett]

You may imagine the frustration that many/most RFC COs felt at the order against going EOL, from a leadership perspective alone. In WW II a few american squadron commanders refused to fly for more than the minimum required for flight pay even though no restrictions were ever placed on them. A USMC MoH guy said that his first CO called a meeting and announced that because he held the only regular commission in the squadron, he was too valuable to risk and therefore would encourage the lads from the ground. Morale took the sort of plunge you'd expect.

>They were responsible for providing a
>general heads-up of the situation for
>their pilots,

Lt Col Strange the Wing Commander of 80 Wing would do similar, tag along with formations. After one flight in which his Camel came back holed, he heard an AFC mechanic say to another, "That'll learn him." In the case of 1 Sqn Williams didnt fly operationally once he became O.C. but he did do reconn on the allied side of the lines and got the observer he took up with him to do photography. The observers thought he was padding his personal collection but it was probably more along the lines of of this thread.

>(This refers, of course, to the situation
>after mid-1917 when COs were forbidden
>from crossing the lines.)

Was there an actual order for this?

Major Murray-Jones ( OC 2 Sqn AFC ), his bar to DFC citation reads, "By his keenness and enthusiasm, Major Jones has inspired his squadron with a fine spirit of emulation and raised it to a high standard of efficiency. On 10th November he lead his whole squadron on a low bombing raid against an enemy railway station. Descending to 100 feet, he remained at this low altitude till all his machines had completed the attack, though subjected to very heavy fire from machine guns. Owing to the steady deliberation of the attack, very serious damage was inflicted on the trains and rolling stock."

On the Harboudin raid, Cobby a Flight Commander who led the formation, had as his wingman, Lt Col Strange the Wing Commander. Murray-Jones led 2 Sqn AFC, McCloughry was flying with 4 Sq AFC and IIRC Nethersole was leading 103 SQn in Dh9a's and Conningham was leading 92 Squadron. That was pretty much all the ranking officers of 80 Wing! Plus Murray-Jones got a second DFC out of it.



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