Neuf Berquin Archives

The two principal activities of Greg’s time with 42 Squadron came together today, with a counter battery patrol in the morning and a shoot on a target near Neuf Berquin in the afternoon.

Log Book

Date: 12.8.18 
Time: 9.15 
Rounds Lewis: 300 
Rounds Vickers: 200 
Bombs: 2 
Time on RE8s: 123 hrs 00 mins 
RE8: E27 
Observer: Lt. Hodgson 
Time:  2 hrs 30 mins 
Height: 4000 
Course/Remarks: C.B.P. Very misty.  U.L. U.R. U.D. [Weather report: unfit for counter-battery work, artillery registration or photography]

Date: 12.8.18 
Time: 18.20 
Rounds Lewis: - 
Rounds Vickers: - 
Bombs: - 
Time on RE8s: 124 hrs 25 mins 
RE8: E27 
Observer: Lt. Hodgson 
Time:  1 hr 25 mins 
Height: 6000 
Course/Remarks: Shoot with 213 SB South. L21.  Unsuccessful.

Diary

Monday Aug 12^th.  Two jobs.  CBP in morning & shoot in evening.

Shoot on L21, near Neuf Berquin

L21 was a map square ENE of Merville, near Neuf Berquin, on the road to Estaires:

Map square L21, near Neuf Berquin, form a 1:40,000 map dated December 1917. Click for larger image. Map credit: IWM/TNA/GreatWarDigital

More on counter-battery patrols here:

Counter Battery Patrols and Zone Calls

And more on shoots here:

Observation of Artillery Fire – A Shoot

Meanwhile at 42 Squadron…

There was another air combat today at Neuf Berquin near Merville:

Air combat report. Click for larger image

Time: 6.30 a.m. Locality: MERVILLE Pilot: Capt. R. A. Archer, M.C. Observer: 2/Lieut. H.C. Grimes 5 Albatros Scouts of whom only 3 persisted. While over NEUF BERQUIN saw 5 aeroplanes patrolling about same height over ESTAIRES. Went on South. the 5 aeroplanes who proved to be hostile got into the sun over us. We turned towards our own lines. When about over L'EPINETTE, L.7.c, 3 dived on us firing. Seeing none of our own machines about we side-slipped home, recrossing the line at about 1500' at LE SART. During the whole of the fight, the Observer fired his gun at the E.A. but Pilot made no effort to get the Vickers on. 3 of the E.A. persisted in the attack until our lines were reached.

Map extract of Neuf Berquin, Estaires and Le Sart, from 1:40,000 series. Estaires is 15 miles (24 km) west of Lille and 4 miles (6 km) east of Merville. Each numbered square is 1,000 yds. Click for larger image. Credit: IWM/GreatWarDigital

Looks a bit like a late realisation that the aircraft were hostile. And then the pilot was fully preoccupied in getting them back to safety.

Tag: Neuf Berquin

Monday 12 August 1918 – CBP and Shoot

Log Book

Diary

Shoot on L21, near Neuf Berquin

Sunday 2 June 1918 – Air combat

Meanwhile at 42 Squadron…