Nicolson Archives - Greg's War

28 May 201823 May 2018

Tuesday 28 May 1918 – Three Air Combats for 42 Sqn

Meanwhile in France (again)…

…almost 70 miles (110 km) to the north of the battle at Cantigny, 42 Squadron was having a busy day dealing with enemy aircraft, with three ‘Combats in the Air’ reports being filed about activity over Calonne and Le Sart, either side of the River Lys to the west of Merville, itself 17 miles (30 km) west of Lille:

Calonne and Le Sart, near Merville, from 1:40,000 scale map. Click for larger image. Map credit IWM/GreatWarDigital

1. Capt. Davis and Lt Chatterton

This crew had a tough time against 12 aircraft only three days ago on 25 May 1918.

Air combat report – click for larger image

Time: 5.15 a.m.  
Locality: CALONNE
Pilot: Capt. A. E. Davis  
Observer: Lieut. J. Chatterton, M.C. 

Three small two-seater Fighters, and one with slight extensions on top plane.  

While doing a shoot 4 E.A. appeared over CALONNE.  I turned West but one machine dived on our tail and fired continuously.

Observer fired about 100 rounds into this E.A. which then turned away.  The second then dived and also fired continuously.  Observer fired another drum at about 200 yards into this E.A. which also turned East.

A third machine then dived on us but after firing about 100 rounds on us the whole formation withdrew East.

Vickers gun fired about 50 rounds at E.A. after they had turned East.

2. Lt. Welsh & 2/Lt. Watkins

Time: 10.30 a.m.  
Locality: LE SART
Pilot: Lieut A. W. Welsh 
Observer: 2/Lieut H. Watkins 

Two seater, possibly Aviatik  

R.E.A. [Reconnaissance Enemy Aircraft] obviously trying to bomb our trenches dropped 3 at LE SART, during which time he was fired at back by back and then front gun.  He immediately flew back over MERVILLE to ESTAIRES.

3. Lts. Puckle and Nicolson

This was another crew that had seen air combat recently: on 19 May 1918 and 22 May 1918.

Time: 4.35 p.m.  
Locality: CALONNE 
Pilot: Lieut H. Puckle 
Observer: Lieut J. F. W. Nicolson 

Four two seaters, one with extensions, type unknown.  Machine which fired on our tail had two guns.  Machines had a blue bottom plane (underneath) and large blue patch under the fuselage.  Very small black crosses.   

While flying over CALONNE 4 E.A. two seaters were sighted.  Pilot fired 25 rounds into 1 E.A., then gun jambed.  E.A. then turned on R.E.8. and got one on the tail.  Observer fired 250 rounds into this E.A. which turned East and flew with the others towards MERVILLE. 

One machine had a kidney-shaped tail (not the one with extensions) thus: [see image]  The extensions on the only E.A. which had them were short and square.

22 May 201819 May 2018

Wednesday 22 May 1918 – 42 Sqn in Air Combat Again

Meanwhile in France…

Lts Puckle (Pilot) and Nicolson (Observer) of 42 Sqn RAF again saw aerial combat, only three days after their last encounter. This time they were on photographic duty, and were incidentally attacking enemy kite balloons near Estaires when they became entangled with a couple of Albatros scouts. Presumably the job of the scouts was to defend the kite balloons.

Time: 11.35am  
Locality: ESTAIRES 
Pilot: Lt H. Puckle Observer: Lt J. F. W. Nicolson

Two Albatros Scouts. 

While attacking 4 E.K.B. at R.4, R.11, R.17, G.20, two Albatross Scouts were seen by Observer to be climbing up to machine about 1500 feet below. Observer fired a drum of Lewis into nearest E.A. which spun down, flattened out and flew away East. The other Scout also flew away.

Estaires

The map squares R.4, R.11, R.17 and G.20 (1:40,000 sheets 36A and 36) are either side of Estaires, which is in the Département du Nord on the River Lys, about 15 miles (24 km) west of Lille:

19 May 20189 October 2018

Sunday 19 May 1918 – 42 Sqn in Air Combat

Meanwhile in France…

While Greg was at Hursley Park, an RE8 of 42 Sqn RAF saw aerial combat this day while Lts Puckle (Pilot) and Nicolson (Observer) were on artillery registration duty at 6:30am. “Artillery registration” was more informally known as a “shoot” – the process of directing fire from a battery onto a target, typically a hostile battery, as practised by Greg at Yatesbury on 4 May 1918:

Saturday 4 May 1918 – Shoot, but No Photos

Lts Puckle and Nicolson’s report was as follows:

Time: 6.30am Locality: Between NIEPPE FOREST and 
                       MERVILLE

Pilot: Lt H. Puckle Observer: Lt J. F. W. Nicolson
Two seater, either an Albatros or resembling one

The E.A. was first fired on when flying north from 
MERVILLE and 500 feet above us.  Two drums were fired
at him when he turned and flew towards MERVILLE, 
and in flying somewhat across his track 1½ drums were
fired, and the E.A. disappeared into the haze over 
ESTAIRES apparently undamaged.

Merville and the Nieppe Forest Map — Merville and the Nieppe Forest. Scale: 1:40,000 in original print; each numbered square is 1,000 yds (914 m). Map credit: IWM/TNA/RGS/GreatWarDigital

The area between the Nieppe Forest and Merville, on the River Lys. Merville is 17 miles (30 km) west of Lille. Map credit: Imperial War Museum/Great War DigitalSo no harm done (or inflicted). But a nervous moment for the crew of an RE8, which was not built for elective aerial combat. The risks were never far away.

The combat report was signed by Major H. J. F. Hunter MC, who on 17 April 1918 had taken over as the new CO of 42 Sqn from Major R. G. Gould MC. Major Hunter would be in charge when Greg was posted to the squadron in June.