On 14 August 1917, Norman Sharples was involved in a combat in which his observer, 2nd Lt O G Lewis was (mortally?) wounded; this was in RE8 A4734. He was killed in RE8 B5019 on 20 September 1917 along with Lt B W Ryan when their machine was shot down by ground fire in the area of Langemarck.
Maurice Alexander O’Callaghan was rather more fortunate; on 31 July 1917 he was untouched when his pilot, Capt G A Lascelles, was wounded in a combat in A4636. It would appear that he then went to No 8 Sqn for he was again unharmed on 1 December 1917 in AW FK8 B314 when his pilot, Lt Albert Marlow Kinnear, was wounded. His luck eventually ran out when he was wounded in action on 8 October 1918 along with 2nd Lt James Graham in C2894 (now back in 7 Sqn). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (re the London Gazette of 8 February 1919).
But, I still can’t find a picture of A4381.
Graeme
