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A v1at1on 1te Units
PuBL1sH1Nc
I
No 56 Sqn
RAF/RFC
T
lex Revell
ALEX REVELL has been
interested in World War 1
pilots and aircraft since the
age of six, when he began
reading the famous John
Hamilton series of aviation
classics. Other interests
intervened in his teens,
but he began serious
aviation research in the
early 1960s. Primarily
interested in people and
their role in the 1914-18
air war, he traced and
interviewed many ex-members
of the RFC/RAF/RNAS, and
is particularly proud that
many of them became
personal family friends.
An internationally
acknowledged researcher
into the history of the
RFC/RAF and RNAS during
World War 1, Alex has had
many articles published
in specialist aviation
magazines and the
journals of Cross &
Cockade International
and The First World War
Aviation Historical Society, of
which he is a founder
member. He has also
written a number of
aviation-related World War 1
titles over the years.
HARRY DEMPSEY has been
passionate about World War 1
aviation for more than
30 years, resulting in his
production of some of the
most technically accurate
artwork on the subject for
Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces
series. He has illustrated
all the World War 1 titles in
Osprey's ever-growing range
of aviation titles.
OSPREY
Aviation Elite Units
PUBLISHING
No 56 Sqn
RFC/RAF
OSPREY
Aviation Elite Units • 33
PUBLISHING
No 56 Sqn
RFC/RAF
Alex Revell
Sen es editor Tony Holmes
Front Cover First published in Crea< Brirain in 2009 by Osprey Publishing,
On JO January 1918-a bright winter's Midland House, West Way, Bodey, xford OX2 Ol'H, UK
morning -No 56 Sqn ace Capt James
443 Park Avenue South, New York, Y 10016, USA
McCudden took off alone at0945 hrs. The
previous day the engine of his SE Sa had E-mail; [email protected]
been fitted with high compression pistons,
and McCudden hoped that they would © 2009 Osprey Publishing Lrd.
sufficiently increase the power of his
Hispano-Suiza 88 motor to enable him to
All righrs reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for rhe purpose of private study.
catch and engage the enemy's high-flying,
Maybach-powered, Rum pier Cs. After two research. criticim1 or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and
unsuccessful engagements involving a Parcncs Ac(, 1988, no pan of rhis publication may be rcprodl1ccd, stored
Hannover Cover Bullecourt and five Albatros in a rclricval system, or crans111i11ed in any form or by any means, clcc1ronic,
scouts south of Vendhuille, McCudden saw
electrical. chemical, mechanical. oprical, phorocopying. recording or otherwise,
five more Gennan fighters climbing for
height above AnneuK. Determined as ever wirhour 1he prior wrinen permission of the copyrigh1 owner. Enql1iries should
to follow his own dictum 'to destroy as many be addrcs,t:d 10 1he Publishers.
as possible of the enemy at the least risk and
casualties to one's own side', lhe veteran A Cl P caralogue record for rhi> book is available from rhe Brirish Library
ace wailed until the aircraft had reached
14,000 h before using a 5000-ft height
advantage to dive on them; ISBN: 978 I 84603 428 2
'Oown I went. and very quickly got E-book ISBN: 978 I 84908 I 04 7
behind the leader, into whom I fired a burst
at very close range. He at once went down Edited by Tony Holmes
vertically, witfl 11ieces of tflree-ply wood
Page design by Mark Holl
falling off his fuselage, and he was seen to
strike the ground by our ''Archie .. gunners. Co\'er :irrwork by Mark Posdcrhwaire
I hadn't time to watch him, as I was fighting Aircr:rft Profiles by I larry Dempsey
four more scouts now and had my attention Index by Alan Tlmcher
fully occupied. However, I got into position Printed in China through Bookbuilders
behind a Pfalz. and after a short burst from
the good old Vickers he went down in a
spiral dive and crashed also.' 09 I 0 I I I 2 I 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I
The remaining three enemy scouts,
in McCudden's own words 'now evinced FOR A ATALOGUE OF Al I. BOOKS I' BUSHED BY OSPREY
signs of alann'. He fired at another Albatros, MILITARY AND AVLATION PLEASE CONTACT:
which spun away, but was then attacked by
a second machine from behind. McCudden
quickly reversed the positions, got onto the '0RTI I AMERICA
tail of the Albatros and opened fire, bul after Osprey Direct, C/O Random I louse Dimibucion Cemer. 400 Hahn Road,
only a short burst both guns stopped -his Wesrminscer, MD 21157
Lewis gun was out of ammunition, and the
E-mail - uscustomcrscrvicc n. ospreypublishing.com
belt of his Vickers had broken. McCudden
now felt 'awfully brave'. and realising the
remaining Albatros and Pfalz were 'awfully ALL OTI IER RECIO S
dud', stayed to fight them, chasing the scouts Osprey Oirecr, The Book Service Lrd, Disrriburion Cenrre, Colchesrer Road,
south of Cambrai before heading home. Fraring Green, Colchester, F,,,,ex, CO? 7D\V, UK
The leader of the formation, Vfw Adam
Barth of Jasta 10, flying Albatros D V E-mail - cusromerservice@mpreypl1bli~hing.com
4565/17, was killed, whilst the pilot of
the Pfalz-McCudden's second victory ww,-.,•.ospreypublishing.com
of the day, and his 46th overall -survived
the crash (Cover artwork by
Mark Postlethwaite)
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
PROMISE FULFILLED 6
CHAPTER TWO
FRANCE 13
CHAPTER THREE
ESTREE BLANCHE 28
CHAPTER FOUR
OVER THE SALIENT 48
CHAPTER FIVE
NEWYEAR AND NEWTACTICS 77
CHAPTER SIX
KAISERSCHLACHT 88
CHAPTER SEVEN
LAST OFFENSIVES 109
APPENDICES 120
COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY 126
INDEX 128
w PROMISE FULFILLED
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unday, 30 Seprember 1917, dawned fine and bright. In France, at
Esrree Blanche aerodrome, near rhe River Lys, rhe pilors of
No 56 Sqn Royal Flying Corps (RFC) had waired wirh some
imparience for firsr lighr. The unit's score of enemy aeroplones desrroyecl
had reached a roral of 198, and each pilor hoped ro have the disrincrion of
claiming rhe 200th victory. The quesrion of which flight should perform
the firsr parrol of rhe day had led ro a heated discussion at dinner the
previous evening, at which each of rhe Aighr commanders had pur forward
lheir own case wirh ::,ome force. By the rotation of patrols, however, it was
B Flight's rum ro fly the firsr porrol, and irs commonder, high-scoring ace
Capt James McCudJen, haJ stuck quietly bur firmly ro its righr ro du so.
The SE 5as ofB Flighrrook off ar 0745 hrs. Enemy rerrirory was almost
t rally obscured by a rhick ground misr, and, consequenrly, unril rhc sun
began ro disperse ir ar around 0900 hrs, rhere was lirrle enemy aniviry.
Ar 091 5 hrs McCuclden anempred ro lure a formation of Albarros 'V'
Srrutters under a formarion of Bristol F 2B Fighters from No 22 Sqn, but
rhe wary German pilors turned east, refusing the bait. Five minutes lacer
McCudden saw five more Albarros scouts over Hourhem. He arracked
one of rhesc, driving ir clown ro 2000 fi:, bur failing ro gain any decisive
resulr. B Flight returned ro Esrree Blanche, disgruntled by its failure ro
score. During rhe remainder of rhe morning and inro rhc early afrernoon
a number of pilors flew solo missions, bur all wirhour result.
A and C Flights rook off ar 1630 hrs, with weather conditions having
by now improved considerably. Capt Geoffrey Bowman led C Flight to
Ypres, ar which point he was forced ro rurn back wirh a burst oil rank. The
remaining members of the Aight - Lrs Richard Maybery and Reginald
Hoidge-flew on, keen to score the 199rh and 200th victories for C Flighr.
At 1700 hrs Maybery and Hoidge attacked five Pfalz D IJ I scouts
over Roulers. Maybery's opponent turned under him, and as he dived at
rhe Pfalz, Hoidge came berween them, forcing Maybery to break off
his pursuit. Finding himself beneath a second Pfalz, he pulled down his
Lewis gun and fired half a drum of ammunition at rhe enemy scout. The
Pfalz dived away and Maybery followed, firing short bursts. The German
scour conrinucd down and crashed west ofRoulers. giving No 56 Sqn its
19 9th vicrory.
Maybery then came under attack from yet another Pfalz, so he turned
wesr and rejoined Hoidge, who had had no luck in the flghr- persistent
gun stoppages had robbed him of an almost certain victory.
A shorr while larer borh pilers artacked 3 rwo-searer over rhe easrern
end ofHouthulst Forest. Again, gun jams forced Maybery and Hoidge to
break off rheir attacks, allowing the two-seater to escape to the easr. They
next chased a pair of rwo-seaters that rhey had spotted over rhc northern
end of the forest, but both aircraft dived away to rhe easr as well. The
200th victory was proving elusive. Maybery then sighted yer anorher
two-seater, west of Men in. He dived to attack it but after a short bursr his
Lewis gun stopped. He had used up the drum.
,,
Diving under the enemy machine, Maybery frantically began changing
:0
magazines, but in his eagerness and excitement he failed to place the drum 0
s:
correctly and it fell off, hitting him a glancing blow on the head before
bouncing over the side of the cockpit' Maybery, his head spinning- a full
Lewis gun drum was no mean weight - turned for home, having no
more ammunition left. His Vickers gun had been inoperative throughout
the patrol. '
m
Hoidge had had no better luck. He subsequently attacked a group of CJ
four Pfalz scouts single-handedly, but his guns continued to give trouble
and he was forced to break off the action and return home, having run
low on fuel.
Further south, A Flight had been in action with eight enemy scouts
over Comines. Flight commander Capt Gerald Maxwell had selected his
opponent carefully. A full drum of Lewis and 100 rounds of Vickers 'from
very close range1 senr rhe Albarros down our of conrrol, nose over mil.
When A Flight landed back at Estree Blanche, they found that ofC Flight
only Maybery had returned. They eagerly compared notes, but it was not
until all the pilots had finally landed that it was established that Maybery
had scored rhe 199th victory and Maxwell rhe 200th. Maybery's victim
was estimated w have crashed at 1700 hrs and Maxwell's 30 minutes later.
By the time the combat reports had been made out, with 'Grandpa'
Marson, the Squadron Recording Officer, presiding, it was nearly dark.
The entire unit assembled outside the sheds. At the word of command
from No 56 Sqn's commanding officer, Maj Richard Blomfield, the
squadron's entire stock of Very lights (Flares) was fired into the evening
sky - 40 red, white and green lights lit up the countryside. Dinner that
night was a gala affair. The food was excellent, the squadron's band played
and there was 'much speechmaking'. After a great deal of high-spirired
horseplay in the ante-room, the pilots went to bed, well pleased with the
successes of the day, and elated and proud of the squadron's record.
The following day a letter of congratulation was received fro111 Gen
Hugh Trenchard, General Officer Commanding (GO ) the RFC in the
Field. Jr said, in part;
'The work of this squadron has been really wonderful, and it reFlects
the greatest credit on you as a Squadron Com111ander, the Flight
Commanders, pilots and the NCOs and men, and it has no doubt
helped largely towards reducing the ene111y to a proper frame of mind in
rhe air.1
The 200th victory and Trrnchard's letter set the seal on No 56 Sqn's
growing reputation as the most successful fighter squadron in the RFC.
This achievement was the cul111inarion of five months - apart from
two weeks spent defending London - of intense and fiercely contested
air fighting.
EARLY DAYS
On 9 June 1916 three 2nd class air mechanics were posted from
Farnborough to Fon Grange, in Gosport, Hampshire, as a nucleus Flight for
No 56 Sqn. By 17 June, the nu111berof men assigned to rhe unit had risen to
around 20, and the squadron's first co111manding officer, Maj EL Gossage,
had taken com111and. At a noonday parade on 23 June 1916, No 56 Sqn
rook on its own idenriryfrom No28Sqn (itsparenrunit),andon 14Julyit
w moved roLondon Colney, a reccndycsiablishcd large training aerodrome in
z
0 Hertfordshire. During the remainder of 1hc year the squadron gradually
cwc built up tO full strength.
>a._ On 6 February 1917, after four more changes of command, 1he CO
<!
:i: who was ro rake the squadron ro Fran e, and lay chc foundations of its
u
tradition; and greatness, cook command. Maj Richard Graham Blomfield,
de cribed by one pilot a 'the prin e of organisers', was dererrnined ro
make his unit che finest in France, and he chose his pilocs - especially his
three flight cornmanders - carefully. He also left no avenue unexplored
to ensure chac the NCOs and men a igned to No 56 Sqn were also the
best available, particularly those who woLtld service and maintain the
unir's aeroplanes.
Blornfleld was also a greac believer in rnorale, and fully realising che pan
rhat music could play in its upkeep, he formed an excellcnr and highly
No 56 Sqn CO Maj Richard Graham
Blomfield was described as being
'Tremendously energetic and keen.
He was always to be seen hurrying
here and there, giving close personal
supervision to every detail of the
squadron's work - activity and
organisation personified'
Capt E L Foot in an SE 5 at London
Colney in April 1917. One of the
original flight commanders, Foot
was injured in a car accident on the
evening of 6 April and was unable to
fly to France with the squadron the
following morning. This photograph
clearly shows the large canopy
so disliked by the pilots. Neither
a Lewis gun or Aldis gunsight
have been fitted to this machine
