A day of contrasts: Greg does battle with a machine gun post in the morning, and takes a kitten called Snowball up for a test flight later in the day. Then he visits St Omer.
Log Book
Date: 15.7.18 Hour: 11.45-1.30 Machine type: RE8 RE8: 2526 Observer: Lt. Hodgson Time: 1 hr 45 m Height: 2000 Course/Remarks: CBP. 4 Cooper bombs. 650 rds Vickers & Lewis
Date: 15.7.18 Hour: 5.35-6.20 Machine type: RE8 RE8: E27 Observer: Lt. Hodgson Time: 45 m Height: 2000 Course/Remarks: Engine test – Eng OK
Diary
Monday July 15th. E27 dud. C.B.P. 10.30 to 1.30. (Actually 11.45-1.30.) Eventually took up Martin’s bus as E27 was hopelessly dud. Managed to find a Hun machine gun firing at us from the ground. Strafed him pretty badly, but could not make him shut up. Rotten weather – cloudy & poor visibility. E27 repaired. Took her up in the evening for a test with Lt Hodgson as passenger, also kitten Snowball. Snowball apparently enjoyed the trip but objected to the wind. Did most of the journey under Hodgson’s coat. Visited St. Omer.
More details of the patrol, and the location of the machine gun post, are in the Squadron Record Book:
Squadron Record Book
Type and Number: R.E.8.2526 Pilot and Observer: P. Lt Gregory. O. Lt Hodgson Duty: Artillery Patrol Hour of Start: 11.45 Hour of Return: 13.30 Remarks: 11.55. 4-25lb bombs dropped on K.36.a.5.6. All bursts observed, two on the railway. 12.15. C.W.S. sent R.A. [see map below] R.A. kept under observation, but no flashes seen. 12.15. sent U.L. U.R. U.D. [Unfit for counter-battery work, artillery registration or photography] 12.30. explosion at Q.3.c.4.7. S. of the siding. [see map] 12.33. one flash seen in Q.B.10. K.K. sent. No more flashes seen at this place. 13.10. C.W.S. sent X. 250 rounds V.G. fired into trenches round CALONNE. [see map] 300 rounds L.G. into trenches and back areas, and 100 rounds L.G. at active M.G. post at K.26.c.6.4. [see maps] Height 12/1800’. E.A. nil. A.A. normal. Vis. poor to fair. Obs. P. & O.
Here is a larger scale map showing the position of the machine gun post at K.26.c.6.4, which is right on the German front line. The British front line is about 250 yards away.
Nothing more is recorded either of Kitten Snowball or of Greg’s visit to St Omer that evening.