Kagohl III losses 7th july 1917

[Regulus]

Hi,

On the 7th of july was the second massive daylight raid on London. *22 planes partcipated
and no less then 4.775 kilo’s of bombs were dropped. *The Central Telegraph Office near St
Paul’s cathedral was one of the targets that were hit. *72 bombs were dropped in the City
and in the Metropolitan Police District.
2nd Lt. FAD Grace and his observer 2nd Lt. G Murray of 50 Sqdn, shot one of the Gotha’s
down, off Harwhich. *They attacked the rear machine of the formation.
Other claims were made by Sqdn Commander CH Butler who reported a Gotha crashing
at sea, 22 miles west of Oostende. *Flight Sub Lt. RH Daly claimed one brought down near
Thornton Ridge, and Flight Sub Lt. AH Lofft reported one driven down near Walcheren,
he was flying together with Daly. *And finally Flight Lt. JE Scott claimed one *30 miles east,
north east of North Foreland.
The raid of the 7th july would be in any case the last big daylight raid of Kagohl III on
London.
Does anyone know how many of these claims are valid ?

VBR from Regulus

[MikeW]

1) Grace & Murray flying an FK8 of all things, shot down a straggler that seemed unable to keep up with the main group. They saw it crash into the sea, and saw a couple of survivors on the sinking Gotha's port wing. The action was not off Harwich but much closer to the Belgium coast.


2) It seems most likely that Butler's and Scott's claims were for the same aircraft that Grace and Murray shot down, even though Butler was awarded a bar to his DSO, and Scott got a DSC.

3) It is thought that Daly of the Manston War Flight shot down an escort machine sent out from Belgium to protect the returning bombers.

4) Lofft reported that the machine he attacked put its nose down as if going to land - he then broke off with jammed guns and engine trouble.

3(N) and 4(N) were despatched from Dunkerque and tangled with the waiting escort machines, claiming 4 shot down.

There is no doubt that 1 Gotha was shot down into the sea, 1 made a forced landing on the beach at Ostende badly shot about, and 3 crashed during their approach and landings (which may or may not have been due to combat damage).


Mike

[Rick]

Mike,

Good stuff. Items (1) and (2) probably refer to the crew from KG 3/Ks 14 shot down in Sea off Zeebrügge and all KIA:
Ltn.d.R. Max Elsner, O, Vzfw. Franz Hölzer, P, and Uffz. Georg Mickel, G.

The only other KG crew lost this date (KICs) were from Ks 13 and are:
Ltn.d.R. Max Röselmüller, O, Ltn. Hans Richter, P, and Vzfw. Wilhelm Weber, G, at Gent-St. Denis. R.

[Regulus]

Thank you very much Mike and Rick !

This make's things a lot clearer to me. I hope that the burrial inventories return quickly to the german cemetery of Vladslo. Lot's of Kagohl/Bogohl personnel is burried over there.
Also an interesting place concerning R.Fl.Abt. 501.

VBR from Regulus.

Rick,
I have Lt. Max Röselmüller with Kagohl 3/16 (source?)
Where does your information - Staffel 13 - come from?

Regulus,
I checked the Vladslo cemetery list and found only a few names of Kagohl/Bogohl 3, Kagohl 4/24 and Bogohl 5/5:
Bach, Bäcker, Diewald, Priggen, Kaufhold, Kirsch, Kleine, Leonhardt, Liebler, Parschau (Hans)and Schröder.
(I have certainly some others not found)

Mosen

[Soderbaum]

Hi Mosen

To add a bit more confusion,..

I have a note that Röselmüller was a member of Kasta 14........ ???

:-/
Gunnar

[Rick]

Well guys, I originally had Rösenmüller in Ks 16, but changed to Ks 13. Beats me why I did it!! R.