G. artilleryman's opinions re:air service

dpolglaze · 16 November 2009, 06:35 PM

Greg,

Great stuff. Thanks.

Dan

Gregvan · 16 November 2009, 09:04 PM

Hi Dan,

Nice to know you liked it. Though it's not really an aviation book, I still think you might enjoy reading it. That's just what you need, right? Another book?

Greg

FOKKERJ · 17 November 2009, 12:05 AM

Hi Greg,

Thanks for sharing "With the German Guns; 50 months on the Western Front 1914-1918 by Herbert Sulzbach (translated from Zwei lebende Mauern by Richard Thonger - Frederick Warne, London, 1981)".

Sulzbach seem to have a keen eye for detail and a great memory.
Too bad that there aren't more well written accounts such as this one.

Best Wishes, Jay

YavorD · 17 November 2009, 01:21 AM

Thank you, Gregvan!
It is quite natural the officer on duty at an artillery observation / command post is in right position to appreciate what is going on both on the ground and in immediate vicinity in the air.
Is there any notes concerning 'spotting' or 'artillery regulation' other than captive balloons?
Regards,
Yavor

Gregvan · 17 November 2009, 07:43 PM

Hi YavorD,

Glad you liked it.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much at all in the book about cooperation with artillery spotting aircraft, etc. Either it was too commonplace for Sulzbach to comment on, or he simply wasn't involved in it. I'll give the book another quick look-through when I get a chance.

Geg

YavorD · 18 November 2009, 01:50 AM

Thank you, Greg!
Yavor

dpolglaze · 18 November 2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Hi Dan,

Nice to know you liked it. Though it's not really an aviation book, I still think you might enjoy reading it. That's just what you need, right? Another book?

Greg

One can never have enough books.

Dan

crankcase · 18 November 2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YavorD

Thank you, Gregvan!
It is quite natural the officer on duty at an artillery observation / command post is in right position to appreciate what is going on both on the ground and in immediate vicinity in the air.
Is there any notes concerning 'spotting' or 'artillery regulation' other than captive balloons?
Regards,
Yavor

One thought I had (not tested empirically) is that while the enlisted man (infantry) is likely to complain about things (lack of air cover, the food), I would expect officers to have a different attitude as they are more in control of things and have a broader perspective.

I think this is consistent with what Yavor says, even if the officer is not in artillery or an activity which has daily coordination with the air service.
marc

YavorD · 18 November 2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crankcase

...I would expect officers to have a different attitude as they are more in control of things and have a broader perspective.
...

Hi Marc,
Extrapolating my limited army experience in combination with couple of books read, I do not expect infantry officers below division level to receive formal training or briefings concerning inter-service cooperation. Officers were briefed about enemy positions and aerial photography used, when available, as well instructed to try to prevent soldiers shooting (too much) their own aeroplanes

Regards,
Yavor

Catfish · 26 November 2009, 08:49 AM

Hello Gregvan,

thanks very much for posting, must have taken some time to type this

I had somewher heard that german planes sometimes dropped all kinds of things over friendly frontlines, like newspapers, ammunition, and even medical articles packed in special bomb-like containers - one of the photos of such a container and its carrier plane is in the Bundesarchiv.

There are also photos of low flying Albatros planes, which is stated to have happened against british troops. In Neumann i read that the real impact of low flying scouts, be it as bombers or just machine-gunning, were considered as very ineffective. You really cannot compare their effect with the P38s and P-47s of WW2.

The german Schlastas still continued, partly voluntarily, and their officers were surprised to see that a good part of the squadron really returned to their aerodrome - most bullets had gone right through the fabric, but nothing more. But it was still considered as almost useless, compared to a heavy gun barrage before an attack, and chasing the enemy was done much more efficiently by following soldiers. Indeed it seems the "air war" of WW1, as important it may have been for strategical reconnaissance tasks and psychological effects, did not really have that much tactical value - not yet, that is.

Thanks again for posting!
Greetings,
Catfish