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Remembered Today:

What goes around,.....


paul.pengelly

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Whilst looking through masses of war diaries came across this snippet which stood out for its oddness .

 

From Assistant Director Medical Services -1st Canadian Division-War Diary

 

26/10/1915 -...A German aeroplane was brought down between our 1st and 2nd line of trenches and observer ,a Lieutenant in Veld  Flugeralton Wing 33 brought into No 3 Field Ambulance Dressing Station with slight wound to head,the pilot killed by plane turning over after hitting the ground.Both young 17 to 18 years of age.

 

27/10/1915-...On the captured German aeroplane was a Colt Machine Gun which belonged to 14th Canadian Battalion and was lost at Ypres in April.The aeroplane fell in trenches occupied by 14 th  Battalion.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great story, very interesting indeed.  Any more oddities like that?

Thanks for sharing.

 

Cheerio,

Caleb

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From my series of posts on the other Forum:

 

TUESDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1915

 

General headquarters, Oct. 27th.

 

"OUR flying officers brought down two German aeroplanes yesterday, one falling in our lines and the other close behind the enemy's front trenches."

 

Hostile Aircraft:

 

Capt Robert Loraine & Lieut Eric Fox Pitt Lubbock, 5 Sqn, FB5 5459, Albatros C captured Sh28.U.13.a.5.6 [Rossignol] at 09:30/10:30 - on a fighting patrol near Houthem, observed two German machines approaching from the east.  Half a drum was fired into the first machine as it attacked and it went down almost vertically, followed by the Vickers; Lorraine fired the remainder of the drum and the EA crashed to earth and turned completely over at Square U.13.a5.6m Sheet 28.  Lorraine climbed to engage the second machine.  At 6,000 feet the engine of the Vickers stopped and Capt Lorraine was forced to land; Uffz Otto Gerold (Kia) & Ltn Paul Bucholz (Pow), FA 33

 

Graeme

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

While going through all the Canadian War Diaries for that period looking for my man, came across these.

 

The same downed German aeroplane incident (26/10/1915) from two more war diaries.

 

3rd Bde Canadian Infantry

.....”several maps and photographs,a camera and a wireless apparatus were taken.The machine was not badly damaged although the Germans fired 82 shells at it while it was on the ground.Curiously enough the machine gun on the aircraft belonged to 14th Btn and was lost at St Julien.

 

1st Btn Canadian Engineers.

26/10/1915

”On this particular day our sappers had rather an interesting experience.....

.....”an enemy plane had been brought down by combined fire from anti-aircraft gun or one of our own planes,the machine falling between our 1st and 2nd lines.This at once became the target for the German artillery who did not relish our forces acquiring one of their own aeroplanes,so they commenced to shell it with an object of destroying it.We had been ordered to bring this machine in from the trenches.This was not done ,however,until after a screen and a barricade had been erected .It was brought in all right without any casualties to our party,later on the engine and all parts were turned over to the Royal Flying Corps.

 

A nice change from pumping out flooded trenches for them.

 

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  • 1 month later...

And the same incident from 3rd Bde Canadian Infantry War Diary

26/10/1915

 

”A German airplane belonging to the squadron at Moorslede was attacked by one of our Aeroplanes near Vierstraat and pursued towards Messines.It was also fired on by the anti-aircraft guns,the pilot was wounded and the machine flew towards our lines from the rear at a very low height.Fired-on by the 13th Bn it turned turtle and fell at the junction of Leckie Ave and Dragoon Alley the pilot was killed by the fall but the observer was not seriously hurt and was captured”

 

They also report on the re captured Colt MG ,and the Germans firing 82 shells at it and missing.

 

Never did find what I was looking for though..... 

 

 

 

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And from 13th Canadian Battalion ,The Royal Highlanders of Canada

Oct 26th - Plus Douve

9.10 Allied plane patrolled enemy lines

9.15 German aeroplane observed over our lines flying low.It was exposed to heavy rifle fire and m.g fire from reserve and support trenches also to heavy shelling from anti aircraft guns.Allied plane also appeared and opened fire.The German was seen to be in distress and fell rapidly over our lines,eventually landing in rear of trench 139 near Leckie Ave.

A second hostile plane appeared and fire was opened,this machine ,however although probably hit,and disabled,fell within the German lines.

 

.....Major McGibbon of this Bn secured from the captured aeroplane a camera fixed to a canvas cover and operated by a trigger.This carried a bullet -mark,but was only slightly damaged.It was sent to Brigade HQ.The plane also carried a Colt Machine -gun..

 

If only this amount of information was available for every action, We would all be a lot happier !

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  • 1 month later...

And finally to complete the circle ,I think I have found out about the Colt machine gun that was “lost” by  Canadian 14th Btn in April 1915 at Ypres .

It was picked up by the advancing Germans and made its way into a airplane ,which was then shot down by a British plane in a section where the 14th were based,the Colt machine gun was then recovered...did they get it back I wonder.

 

From 14th Btn.war diary ,April 21st -St Julien 

“Relived by 13th Btn .....Machine gun section under Capt Williamson also remained with 13th Btn,2 guns being mounted in ruined houses on outskirts of St Julien”

 

This was when the German army used Chlorine gas  for the first time ,and neighbouring French Divisions broke ,leaving the Canadians flank exposed and having to withdraw to the reserve trench,enabling the Germans to move forward.

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