Back to the core activities of a counter-battery patrol and a shoot. The patrol was over and around Merville, as today’s Squadron Record Book entry shows, but the shoot was aborted because of low clouds.
Log Book
Date: 4.8.18 Time: 1.20pm Rounds Lewis: 400 Rounds Vickers: - Bombs: 2 Time on RE8s: 106 hrs 15 mins RE8: E27 Observer: Lt Hodgson Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Height: 2000 Course/Remarks: C.B.P. Cloudy. Machine guns active.
Diary
Sunday Aug 4th. CBP & Shoot (1 pm). Unable to do shoot because of (very) low clouds. Called up battery & afterwards sent UL [Weather unfit for Counter Battery work]. Hun ground machine guns active.
Despite not being able to do the shoot, Greg’s patrol was fairly active over and around Merville:
Squadron Record Book
Type and Number: R.E.8.2500 [sic, should be 27] Pilot and Observer: P. Lt Gregory. O. Lt Hodgson Duty: Artillery Patrol Start: 13.20 Return: 15.55 Results and Remarks: 13.25. 2-25lb bombs dropped at K.34.a.6.5. Bursts observed. 13.25. fire in building at K.29.c.2.2. 13.30. sent U.L. U.R. U.D. C.20. [Weather unfit for counter-battery work, registration or photography.] 13.35. C.W.S. sent X. 13.45. called up 323 S.B. and got triangle out. [wait] Clouds came at 1500’ so sent U.L. Clouds, before starting shoot. 14.30. C.W.S. sent Q.6. No flashes seen in Q.6. 14.34. 1. E.K.B. [enemy kite balloon] N. of ESTAIRES. 14.35. 200 rounds L.G. into Q.8.d. from 1800’. 15.10. C.W.S. sent L.14. No flashes seen there. 15.15. to 15.30. 100 rounds L.G. into Q.8.d. from 1700’ Concentrations. [Concentrations of artilley fore, as opposed to barrages] 14.00. Square K.35.b. M.P.I. [mean point of impact] good. 14.50. Houses in area Q.4.b.15.37. M.P.I. good. " " " K.34.c.65.15. " " " " " K.34.c.99.20. " " 15.35. Southern half of MERVILLE, K.29.c & d. A.A. normal. M.G.s active Vis. good. Obs. By P. & O.
The following map contains the points and squares mentioned above .
For a map reading primer, see: