A visit to Perth Cemetery (China Wall) Zillebeke: 13 Airmen

[Jos]

Hello Peter,


Thanks for the kind words.


Jos

[Testerchild]

Jos,

Many thanks for posting this: China Wall is on my list for next visit, no date decided as yet, particularly for the 20 Squadron men: my own special interest.
I find all the CWGC sites very moving, sobering and beautifully kept.

Bob

[R Gannon]

Hi Jos

Another touching series of photo's.

As I have some good visibility on 1 Sqn may I add these coments:

Capt JME Shepard - he had been with the squadron since Aug 16 as a two -seater pilot flying reccon duties. 15 Feb 17 represented 1 Sqn's first operational day as a fighter squadron. He was fling together with 2Lt H Welch when they encountered 3 EA scouts 3 miles east of Ypres. In the subsequent encounter, one of these scouts got onto the tail of A6622 and sent it down in a virtical dive over Gheluveldt Wood. 2Lt Welch attacked this EA and drove it down, but had to break off when attacked by the other two.

2Lt RWL Anderson was from South Africa and joined 1 Sqn on 30 Apr 17. He was credited with one victory on 7 Jun 17 flying B1638, a 2-seater sent down apperently OOC to NE of Lille at 0710 (cfm by pilots of 1 Naval). on 11 Jun 17 his B1669 recieved a direct hit by Flak over Pilkem. Claimed by FlakBttr 504.

Cheers Russ

[Jos]

Hello Russ,

Always glad with your input.
You're right about Shepherd's Nieuport 17. The number must be A6622 indeed. I looked for info in TSTB and picked the wrong number. A6610 belonged to Second Lieutenant V.H. Collins who flew A Nieuport 16.

However Andersons Nieuport 17 had according to TSTB number B1689. I ask this to be sure, because I'll have to change the info on the photo.

Regards,

Jos

[R Gannon]

Hi Jos

I wasn't nit picking in regards serial numbers, just went off what I have written down in my master logs. But in regards Nieup from by 2Lt RWL Anderson (who was from Cape Town), the number in my log came from a C&C GB listing of RFC losses. However on checking some SRB data at my disposal then B1689 looks to be correct, as Anderson flew this Nieup on the previous day.

A little visibity in regards 19 Sqn's Lt Lowe lost on 27 Jun 17 - he was part of a 5 machine formation which attacked 6 EA scouts to SE of Houlthoust at 1845 and as noted was last seen low down just to east of Houlthoust (Wood). Capt Sowrey sent one of the EA scouts down apparently OOC.

As to the two unknown airman killed on 21 Sep 18 - it may well be the DH9 crew of Shanks & Spear (D3092) sent down by TWO EA, but I beg to differ that they were victims of Jacobs - they were more likely victims of Js 20's Ltn Plauth #8 aided by Js 7's Ltn Firnstein. I feel the machine belatedly credited to Jacobs was in fact D5759. You will know from TSTBF that the other 108 Sqn crews reported this a/c as recieving a direct hit from AA and fell away OOC - the C&C Int article on Jacob's provides his CR and nine supporting witness statements (all by fellow pilots from his Jdgp including Plauth) all of whom look to be trying to discredit what must have been a Flak claim for the said a/c. They all claim the said DH9 fell behind the formation and that Jacob's attacked and disposed of it with one burst. He claime it as his 30th, but it was awarded as his 34th. One might hazard that the reason why the DH9 fell out of formation was that it had been hit by Flak.

The overall picture was that the 10 strong 108 Sqn bombing formation was attacked by a reported 15 EA - the Jacobs data confirms 13 Fokkers (9 from Js 7 and 4 from Js 20). One of the two attacking D3092 was sent down apparently OOC and awarded as a shared victory to the 108 Sqn flight. Some 19 Sqn Dolphins went to the aid of the DH9's and also claimed on of the Fokkers as OOC.

Cheers Russ

[Jos]

Hello Russ,



Thanks again for your input.

I have the following info. It is taken from a (in Dutch written) book by Dirk Verhelst: Vleugels boven Hooglede-Gits 1914-1918 (Wings above Hooglede-Gits 1914-1918).
The book tells the story of Hooglede and Gits. Not only what happened in the air but also what happened on the ground; seen from from a military and civilian view.


On 21 September 1918 nine DH 9 planes of 108 Sqn dropped bombs on a depot in Lichtervelde. Just after that they were attacked by 15 German aircraft from behind. In the ensuing fight 108 squadron claimed 2 victories. One EA was crashing in Gits (a Fokker Dr. 1 with white tail and white stripes diagonal on the upperwing); the other one crashed in Staden.
The 108 Sqn had losses too. DH9 (D5759) with Second Lieutenant Mc.Lellan and Second Lieutenant Jackson were hit by Flak west of Lichtervelde. The plane broke up and came down from 3350 meters. The crew was buried in the German cemetery of Beveren-Roeselare. After the war they were reburied in Harelbeke New British Cemetery.
In the other DH 9 (D3092) were Second Lieutenant Daniel Shanks and Sergeant Richard Sear. Near Zarren (12.22 hrs) they became the victim of Leutnant Josef Jacobs (Jasta 7).


Regards,

Jos

[R Gannon]

Hi Jos

Interesting, but I still think Jacobs claimed D5759 and that Plauth downed D3092.

Cheers Russ

[Jos]

Hello Russ,

You could be right. In Bloody April.... Black September you can read:

Shortly before noon, Jasta 7 found and attacked DH9's of 108 Squadron over Zarren, on the Dunkirk front. Josef Jacobs claimed two, but only one was confirmed. Leutnant Karl Plauth of Jasta 20 getting the second at Staden. The "Nines" claimed one Fokker out of control.

That suggests that Jacobs ór Flak shot down D5759.

Regards,

Jos

[R Gannon]

Hi Jos

Yes it was definately a disputed victory claim. Also all the sources I have, only point to one OOC claim on the part of 108 Sqn.

Keep up the great work.

Cheers Russ