Hot on the heels of his first shoot yesterday, Greg is on another one today, this time with 14 Siege Battery RGA (6″ howitzers). It was recorded as successful, but he had to cut short the observation because of engine trouble. And later in the day an “artillery chap” was taken up for a test flight – presumably after the engine had been looked at.
Log Book
Date: 2.7.18 Hour: - Machine type: RE8 No.: E27 Observer: Lt Pring Time: 2 hrs 10 Height: 6000 Course/Remarks: Shoot with 14SB [14 Siege Battery]. Successful.
Date: 2.7.18
Hour: -
Machine type: RE8
No.: E27
Passenger: Art. Chap
Time: 30 mins
Height: 3500
Course/Remarks: Test flight
Diary
Tuesday 2nd July 1918. Shoot with 14 SB. 6” hows. 48 Ranging rounds. Sent CI engine, after one MOK. Saw an MT in hunland.
CI was the signal for “Am returning to landing ground”. MOK meant that the mean point of impact of a salvo fired by the artillery battery was a direct hit. An MT was a motor transport.
Squadron Record Book
Type and Number: R.E.8.27
Pilot and Observer: P. Lt Gregory. O. Lt Pring.
Duty: Art Obs 14 S.B. (6" How) on H.B. [Hostile battery] at L.19.b.26.37.
Hour of Start: 12.10pm
Hour of Return: 2.20pm
Remarks:
SUCCESSFUL. Called up 12.30pm. K. 12.35pm. L. 12.37pm. G. 12.40pm. V. 2.0pm. G. to V. 1 hr 20 mins
OBSERVED:- M.C.2 M.B.3 2 Y. 1 Z. 6 A. 17 B. 10 C. 5 D. 1 E. 6 W. 48 ranging rounds. "V" out and 1 M.O.K. sent. 2 explosions at 1.15pm and 2.10pm.
Shoot by P. Height 6000'.
MISC INF. 1.10pm fire K.23.d.5.5 burning intermittently. 1.30pm 1 M.T. on NEUF BERQUIN-ESTAIRES Road going towards ESTAIRES. 1.30pm fire Q.18.a.5.7. 2.5pm 100 rounds fired into MERVILLE STATION. Vis. fair, cloudy after 2.0pm Obs. by P. & O.
Here’s where the action was, on the eastern side of Merville:
So even while the shoot was going on, both Pilot and Observer were watching. They reported all they could see from their vantage point. Always the ‘eye in the sky’.