182
The Ypres Times.
Five of us went out on a bombing raid, our target being the bridges across the River Lys
at Warneton. I remember that only three of us succeeded in reaching the required height
of 5,000 feet, because of our load of bombs. The other two followed us 2,000 feet lower
down. It was the worst formation of aeroplanes I have ever seen. Fortunately, there
were several British scouts about, so that we were not molested by hostile aircraft. It was
a hazy evening, and one could not see far, but Ypres, as usual, shone as white as ever. The
anti-aircraft shells were busy enough over the Salient, and all five machines bore evidence
of the enemy's marksmanship when we returned. One new pilot was very pleased his
'plane had been hit. He had been out ten days and had not had a single hole to show
till then. Whenever an observer brought a Hun down,, a white band was painted round the
barrel of his Lewis gun. Then, when he left the squadron, the gun was handed on to
another observer with the traditions it had earned. One gun had four bands on it, but was
itself damaged beyond repair by machine-gun fire. Lieut. accounted for two hostile
triplanes over Ypres just when I joined the squadron. The attacking machines came up
from underneath, but did not escape the watchful observer's eye. Before the pilot was
fully alive to what was taking place he had swung his gun round and shot them both
down, one after the other. It was ascertained afterwards that one of them, which fell near
Shrapnel Corner, had a British rotary engine inside. We had one lone machine of a superior
type with which to do long distance photography, and this was sent out one morning to
take some snaps of an area beyond Courtrai. On the way home the pilot of this machine
saw what appeared to be a formation of British scouts, and made to join them. He
thought they were friendly because the enemy were firing vigorously all round them
with Archie shells. Too late he realised that it was a trap, and the formation con
sisted of Fokker D.VII biplanes. Both pilot and observer were severely wounded before
they reached the safety of our lines. The poor old Bristol fighter was literally in rags
when it landed. Wires were streaming out in all directions and the canvas of the wings
and fuselage were riddled with holes.
PLANES LEAVING THE AERODROME.
Imperial War Museum Photo. Crown Copyright.
