Lt John Godlee RFC KIA

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

I notice that John was shot down and killed today near Bethune France.

Does anyone know how or whom brought him down or any other info on him.

I am aware he was commisoned from the AIF in Dec 1915.

Cheers

S.B

[Dolphin]

Steve

2Lt John Godlee of No 32 Sqn RFC (formerly 10th Light Horse) died of wounds after a fight when flying DH2 7874 on an Escort Patrol on 19 July 1916. After a combat with two Fokker Eindekkers - he attacked one, and was shot down by another - he crashed West of the Lines near Noeux les Mines; 2Lt Godlee died of wounds on 22 July.

I hope that his helps you.

Gareth

[stevenbecker]

Thanks Mate,

I take it no one made a claim for him?

Do we know which Jasta's were operating around there that day for a possible victor.

Cheers

S.B

[Dolphin]

Steve

It's just a bit early in the War for a Jasta; the first specialist fighter unit (not surprisingly, Jasta 1) was formed on 22 August 1916.

There's a very short account of 2Lt Godlee's last flight in Norman Franks' Sharks Among Minnows, which says that a patrol of FE 2bs from No 25 Sqn and DH2s from No 32 Sqn were in action with Fokkers around 0630, and that one Fokker was seen going down after losing a wing. No 32 Sqn pilots thought that Godlee had shot down one of the Fokkers he fought with but, according to the book, it was the crew of FE 2b 5245 (2Lt N W W Webb and Lt J A Mann) who were responsible. The Fokker, which crashed on or near the airfield at Provin, was flown by Vzfw Otto Dapper of the Kampfeinsitzerkommando (single seater unit) of Flieger Abteilung 18; he was a 25 year old from Meissen. There were no other German Fokker pilot fatal casualties that day.

To round off the account, 2Lt Noel William Ward Webb went on to become a Sopwith Camel pilot with No 70 Sqn credited with 14 victories (5 with No 25 Sqn - the Fokker on 19 July was his 1st) and an MC and bar. He was killed in action by Ltn Werner Voss of Jasta 10 on 16 August 1917, and was Voss's 37th victory. The Fokker on 19 July was the 4th and last victory credited to Lt John Anderson Mann MC (formerly 5th Bn, Cameronians); he was killed in action on 9 August 1916 when flying in FE 2b 6996, flown by Capt Cliford John Hart (formerly 5th Bn, Bedfordshire Regiment, Royal Field Artillery and 5th Bn, Worcestershire Regiment).

I know the above doesn't answer your question, but it might give you some useful background.

Regards

Gareth

[stevenbecker]

Thanks Mate,

Its a start.

Cheers

S.B