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Below is a reprint of the ballon confirmation theory that Al and I hashed over a couple of years ago. The information is drawn from Phil Markham's published research.
By all acounts of his peers, Phil Markham was an excellant and unbiased researcher. Mr.Markham had originally set out to prove that Bishop did indeed attack the aerodrome ( which would have meant a good book deal) but eventually came up empty handed for proof.
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I was wondering if someone might try to float ( excuse the pun) the Balloon Confirmation theory. I see I wasn’t disappointed. First let’s review a few facts in this regard;
Occupied aerodromes on the date in question that were within Bishop’s range were:
Bohain..................................Jasta 26
Boistraincourt/ Estromel...........Jasta 5
Epinoy..................................Jasta 12
Eswars................................. Jasta 7
Premont................................Jasta 6
Proville..................................Jasta Boelcke
The nearest Royal Flying Corps Balloon Unit to any of these was No. 2 Section of No. 16 Company at map grid reference 57c W2b, 15 kilometers west-south-west of the nearest occupied German aerodrome, Proville. This places the nearest balloon some 13.5 miles from Estromel.
(A) Balloon observers were able to reliably spot things on or near the ground within only a few miles of their position. This is why reconnaissance aircraft were necessary to spot further on.
(B) Balloon Observers were equipped with either binoculars or a small spotting scope. Being in a balloon made long range observation extremely difficult since the observer’s platform was subject to the vagaries of the winds aloft. Ask any qualified pilot about the difference between surface winds and winds aloft.
(C) Contrary to an earlier post, the weather that day was NOT perfect. Bishop himself reported that it as slightly hazy which reduced the horizontal visibility to only a few miles.
(D) Although many confirmations of victories came from balloon observers, there was no report filed of an observed action in the area of Estromel by any of the observers.
(E) The last time I checked, the sun rises in the EAST!
To recap all of this…. For a balloon observer to have witnessed the alleged attack on Estromel he would have had to be able to spot a small Nieuport at a distance of some 13 miles, operating at very low altitudes while standing in an unsteady basket, through a ground haze , and all while gazing in the direction of the rising sun!
Surely, I am not the only one who has a problem with the “Balloon Confirmation” Theory.
Now then, before this one gets thrown at me, there was a balloon observer by the name of Louis Alexander Weirter who, in November 1917 claimed to have witnessed Bishop’s action, although he never filed a report of such.( I believe that reporting things observed was the JOB of observers). Unfortunately for Bishop and his followers this claim was made, not to the chain of command but to the heads of the British War Museum, who he was trying to get to commission a painting from him that he said would show Bishop engaging 6 enemy aircraft and for which he had been awarded the VC.
The painting was commissioned and delivered in 1919. One glance at the finished work is enough to totally discredit his claim. It depicts a British aeroplane (that resembles a Nieuport only in as much as it is a biplane and has the engine in front) engaging 4 German aeroplanes OVER the front lines at about 5000 feet.( according to Bishop there were never more than 2 aircraft in the air , besides him, at any one time)
As it turns out Mr.Weirter's section was located at least 17 miles from Estromel and he is even less likely to have seen anything . ( One interesting item to note; the artist named the painting “ Captain Bishop winning the Victoria Cross”. Someone at the museum later decided to rename it simply “ An Incident on the Western front.”)
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I'm not going to get drawn back into this debate again. Al has his opinion, I have mine. I believe that we have finally agreed that we will disagrre on this.
Al, why don't you write a book?
Salute,
David Johnson
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