Dolphin Archives - Greg's War

42 Squadron RAF were on the move for the last time before both the Squadron and Greg returned to the UK. Today, as part of the move, Greg flew RE8 2872 from Saultain to Abscon Aerodrome, accompanied by sandbags in the observer’s compartment. It was to be his penultimate flight.

Log Book

Date: Dec 30^th 
Machine Type: RE8 
RE8: 2872 
Observer: Sandbags 
Time: 15 min 
Height: 2000 
Course/Remarks: Travelling to Abscon

42 Squadron Moves to Abscon Aerodrome

In their last move on the Western Front, 42 Squadron relocated 12 miles (19km) west from Valenciennes, broadly in the direction of Arras.

Route from Saultain Aerodrome to Abscon Aerodrome on a modern map (courtesy Google). — Saultain to Abscon on a modern map (courtesy Google). Click map for a larger image, or click here to go to Google maps.

So now they were back west of the River Scheldt (Escaut).

The aerodrome occupied a triangular site on the southern edge of the small town of Abscon.

Abscon Aerodrome location on Google Maps satellite view. Click map for a larger image, or click here to go to Google maps.

From 1914 it was a German airfield. But had been in Allied hands since its liberation by Canadian forces on 18 October 1918. This was the day after the liberation of Lille. The first RAF occupants were 19 Squadron (Dolphins), who moved in on 24 October 1918 and were still there when 42 Squadron arrived. So it is possible that the previously discussed photograph of a Sopwith Dolphin in Greg’s collection was taken when 19 and 42 Squadrons shared Abscon as a home:

Monday 23 September 1918 – Sopwith Dolphin

98 Squadron (DH.9s) arrived shortly after 19 Squadron had taken up residence, but left a few days before 42 Squadron arrived.

Thanks to Anciens Aerodromes for the squadron information.

Today, the former aerodrome at Abscon is partly a housing development, and partly farmland.

Abscon

Abscon itself was a small mining town, with various other industrial activities (including a sugar refinery and a glassworks, according to French Wikipedia). Just before the outbreak of the First World War the population was a little over 3,000. Today it is about 4,500.

Sopwith Dolphin

Sopwith Dolphin. Click for larger image. Credit: Greg’s War Collection

Although this photograph is in Greg’s collection, there’s no indication of either when or where it was taken. Judging by the tents in the background, it was clearly somewhere in the field. And the photo has the look of having been taken by a Vest Pocket Kodak camera. So it’s likely that Greg took it himself while on active service on the Lys sector.

19 Squadron RFC/RAF was the first to be equipped with Dolphins, beginning in late 1917. At the time, the squadron was based near Lille. If they were still in the same area in the closing months of the war they would have been almost neighbours of 42 Squadron. Just possibly, then, this is a Dolphin of 19 Squadron that Greg photographed on a visit (either by him or by the aircraft). Unfortunately the serial number, which would help to pin down its provenance, isn’t visible in the photo.

The Sopwith Dolphin was “the world’s first single seat multi-gun fighter”, according to the RAF Museum, which houses a reconstructed example. It was designed for high altitude combat. An unusual feature was the split upper wing mounted at the level of the top of the fuselage. This afforded good aerial visibility, but at the price of a clear view of the ground. The Dolphin’s engine was a powerful but somewhat unreliable 200 HP, geared, in-line Hispano-Suiza, marking Sopwith’s move away from the rotary engine that had powered the Camel.

Tag: Dolphin

Monday 30 December 1918 – 42 Sqn Moves to Abscon

Log Book

42 Squadron Moves to Abscon Aerodrome

Abscon

Monday 23 September 1918 – Sopwith Dolphin

Sopwith Dolphin

Further Reading