Meanwhile in France…
Lts Puckle (Pilot) and Nicolson (Observer) of 42 Sqn RAF again saw aerial combat, only three days after their last encounter. This time they were on photographic duty, and were incidentally attacking enemy kite balloons near Estaires when they became entangled with a couple of Albatros scouts. Presumably the job of the scouts was to defend the kite balloons.
Time: 11.35am Locality: ESTAIRES Pilot: Lt H. Puckle Observer: Lt J. F. W. Nicolson Two Albatros Scouts. While attacking 4 E.K.B. at R.4, R.11, R.17, G.20, two Albatross Scouts were seen by Observer to be climbing up to machine about 1500 feet below. Observer fired a drum of Lewis into nearest E.A. which spun down, flattened out and flew away East. The other Scout also flew away.
Estaires
The map squares R.4, R.11, R.17 and G.20 (1:40,000 sheets 36A and 36) are either side of Estaires, which is in the Département du Nord on the River Lys, about 15 miles (24 km) west of Lille:
