The war experiences of 2nd Lt. C. E. Gregory RFC/RAF in 1918
42 Squadron RFC, Greg’s future squadron, moves the 32 miles (52 km) north northeast from Fienvillers, Somme to Chocques, Pas-de-Calais. Chocques is west of Béthune and SSW of Merville, in the Lys sector.
After 4 hours and 45 minutes under instruction in a dual control aircraft, Greg’s second flight of the day is his first solo: a 45 minute flight in a DH.6, reaching an altitude of 1500 ft. 20 minutes after returning, he was up in the air again…and again later in the afternoon.
Date: 22.3.18 Hour: 9.30 Machine type and No.: DH7226 Passenger: [Self] Time: 40 mins Height: 1200 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
Date: 22.3.18 Hour: 10.15 Machine type and No.: DH7670 Passenger: – Time: 45 mins Height: 1500 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: First solo
Date: 22.3.18 Hour: 11.20 Machine type and No.: DH7670 Passenger: – Time: 45 mins Height: 1200 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Practice
Date: 22.3.18 Hour: 5.50 Machine type and No.: DH7673 Passenger: – Time: 40 mins Height: 1500 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Practice
At around 4.30am, the German offensive code-named ‘Michael’ began in the direction of Amiens and its rail junctions, with a five-hour artillery bombardment that preceded the assault troops’ attacks.
For more, see The Spring Offensives by Michael Seymour.
A bit more dual work in a DH.6 before first solo
Date: 21.3.18 Hour: 3.50 Machine type and No.: DH7670 Passenger: Self Time: 1 hour Height: 1000 Course: Aerodrome Remarks: Dual
Date: 21.3.18 Hour: 6.25 Machine type and No.: DH7670 Passenger: [Self] Time: 10 mins Height: 800 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
Date: 20.3.18 Course: Holiday. No flying
Date: 19.3.18 Course: Weather unfavourable
No flying. The Met Office’s Daily Weather Report (50 MB download for March 1918) for that day from the nearest weather station (Salisbury Plain) showed the morning starting foggy, turning to overcast, drizzle and rain in the morning, and squalls in the afternoon. Here is the synoptic chart for the morning:
DH.6 Serial No. 7670 must be starting to get familiar by now, with two more flights today:
Date: 18.3.18 Hour: 9.0 Instructor: [Thomas] Machine Type and No: DH7670, DH7670 Passenger: CEG Time: 25 min, 20 min Height: 1200 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
Another view of a DH.6 at Yatesbury, with the hangars in the background.
Two different aircraft, each a DH.6, today:
Date: 16.3.18 Hour: 2.50 Instructor: [Thomas] Machine Type and No: DH2130, DH7670 Passenger: CEG Time: 20 min, 15 min Height: 1000 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
Two flights for Greg today, both in a DH.6, which was his principal basic training aircraft:
Date: 15.3.18 Hour: 10.30 Instructor: [Thomas] Machine Type and No: DH7666 Passenger: CE Gregory Time: 50 min Height: 1200 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
Flight’s log book entry
Date: 15.3.18 Hour: 5.10 Instructor: [Thomas] Machine Type and No: DH7666 Passenger: CE Gregory Time: 25 min Height: 1200 Course: [Aerodrome] Remarks: Dual
So today was the first day of instruction proper, as opposed to air experience.
Quite possibly it was today that the photograph that’s used for the main image for this blog was taken:
This seems to a posed shot taken of student pilots generally. Greg’s co-student Albert Gertrey is seen here in the same pose, and probably the same aircraft.
The DH.6 was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland, who had moved to The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (‘Airco’). Airco’s successor in business today is BAE Systems, who have this to say about it:
The DH6 was first flown in late 1916 and was an angular tractor biplane with a resolutely rectangular wing plan-form allowing the individual wing panels to be interchangeable. As a result, the 1919 edition of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft conferred the following description: ‘it has rather the appearance of having been built by the mile and cut off to order’. Performance was limited by the low power and the high drag of the rather crude engine installation.Most aircraft used the Royal Aircraft Factory 1A engine but supply shortages led to the 90hp Curtiss OX-5 and 80hp Renault engine being used is some production batches.The two prototypes A5175 and A5176 were fitted with fins and rudders of the archetypal de Havilland shape, whereas production machines featured a more angular rudder, without an aerodynamic balance.
The type also featured a heavily cambered wing leading edge to ensure benign stalling characteristics. This (and possibly the low performance) led to the type acquiring the soubriquet ‘Clutching Hand’ although many also considered this appropriate due to its forgiving nature when flown by inexperienced pilots. Other nicknames included ‘skyhook’ and ‘flying coffin’ (the latter not on account of its safety record, but rather because of the shape of the cockpit opening). In fact some maverick instructors actually claimed it to be useless as a trainer because it was too easy to fly.At least 2,282 DH6 were built, including those sub-contracted to the following companies: The Gloucestershire Aircraft Co. Ltd; The Grahame-White Aviation Co. Ltd; Harland & Wolff; Kingsbury Aviation Co. Ltd; Morgan & Co. Ltd; Ransomes, Sims & Jeffries Ltd; and Savages Ltd.In 1917, the training role within the RFC was revamped with the aim of making flight instructors into specially trained pilots. After initial use of the DH6, it was replaced with the much larger Avro 504K and surplus aircraft were transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service as anti-submarine patrol aircraft. It was in this role that the DH6 found another surprising accolade as it was found that in the unfortunate occurance of an enforced ‘ditching’, the aircraft remained afloat for up to 10 hours.However, it was severly underpowered which resulted in the majority of convoy escorts being flown solo, a complicated arrangement considering most air to ship communication was via an Aldis lamp. By the end of the conflict over 1,000 aircraft were still in service albeit in second-line roles.
https://www.baesystems.com/en/heritage/airco-dh6—–
The RAF 1a engine was an 8.8 litre V8, developing 108 hp/80 kW.
On the day Greg begins flight training, the RE8s of 42 Squadron RFC, his future squadron in France, arrive at Fienvillers in the Somme department from Poggia Renatico, near Ferrara in Italy. The squadron had been in Italy since November 1917. Fienvillers is some 16 miles/25 km NNW of Amiens.
42 Squadron had been formed on 1 April 1916 at Filton, near Bristol. It left for France in August 1916 and was successively located at St Omer, La Gorgue (near Merville, on the Lys, west of Lille), Ballieul and Fienvillers/Candas (Somme). A tour of Italy followed (Santa Pelagio, Istrana, Grossa, Santa Luca and Poggia Renatico), before returning to Fienvillers on 14 March 1918. Hat tip to Trevor ‘fetubi’ of The Great War Forum for the list of 42 Squadron locations.