19 Sqdrn. "B" Flight - End of Day Report - April 15, 1917

'B' Flight, 19 Squadron is temporarily reassigned to another area.

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - End of Day Report - April 15, 1917

Mission 56: Offensive Line Patrol

Patrolled 3 Hexes (-0)
Trench Strafing (+30½)
One German Scout Shot Down (+20)
One Hit on Supply Convoy (+2)
One Hit on Goods Train (+2)
+54½ VP's

Mission 57: Photographic Reconnaissance

Failure to Undertake Mission (-10)
-10 VP's

Mission 58: Artillery Spotting

Successful Spotting (+20)
One Allied Scout w/ Minor Damage (-3)
One Use of Advanced Landing Field by Undamaged Aircraft (-2)
+15 VP's

Mission 59: Twilight Patrol

Patrolled 5 Hexes (+10)
Trench Strafing (+26)
+36 VP's

Victories

One German Scout (Kerneels-Pépin)
To Date: 5 Aircraft and 9 Balloons

Casualties

None Today

Replacements

Scout Pilots:
Lt Hamish Lumley (temp)
2Lt Hamilton Bellefeuille (temp)
Denied:
One Observer

Ratings Changes

2Lt Perry BR -1
2Lt Kerneels-Pépin PS +1

Victory Point Totals

+95½ Today
+53½ To Date

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Twilight Patrol - 15 April, 1917.

Sir:

As the only scout pilots "B" Flt had at Corbie this evening were the inexperienced 2Lt Perry and myself, I took on the Twilight Patrol. Taking off under an overcast which soon turned to light rain, I circled the aerodrome until a mist rolled in. I proceeded toward the lines, circling near the Mercatel Advanced Landing Field until the sun began to set. One of our machine gun posts fired on me near Arras, but fortunately missed. The German machine gunners were no better as I made my way southward, strafing the German trenches and waving to our troops. I turned for home upon reaching Bapaume, and arrived at Corbie without incident.

(signed) 2nd Lieutenant Gilbert Kerneels-Pépin
B Flight, No. 54 Sqdn RFC
April 15, 1917

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Victory Points

Patrolled 5 Hexes +10
Trench Strafing +26

Total +36

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Artillery Spotting - 15 April, 1917.

Zone B

Sir:

2Lts Carson-Jeffries, Perry, and Kerneels-Pépin accompanied me escorting No. 5 Sqdn's Sgt Barnes to spot for our guns near Mercatel. Sgt Hill was Barnes' pilot. The entire mission was conducted at 1000 feet, mostly in light rain.

The flight was uneventful until we reached the front lines. Three Albatros D3s from Jasta 11 attacked us at that point. Sgt Hill got his DH4 out of the fight quickly, and I stayed with him. The 2Lts acquitted themselves well in the face of such superior aircraft, although Carson-Jeffries' engine was hit. After the Germans broke off, I directed him to proceed to the Mercatel Advanced Landing Field on his own, as it was relatively nearby.

Sgt Barnes established contact with the battery easily, but registering the guns did not go as well. Success was achieved in ten minutes, although it seemed much longer as we circled behind the lines. Fortunately, fire from the ground was badly aimed, and no HA interferred with us.

My engine started giving me trouble as soon as we returned to the Allied side of the lines. The Flight saw me safely to the Mercatel Advanced Landing Field, where I discovered that Carson-Jeffries' engine had quit over Mercatel. He was able to glide over the ruins and set down near the Advanced Landing Field, causing only minor damage to his aircraft. Perry and Kerneels-Pépin returned to Corbie with Barnes and Hill.

(signed) Captain Matthew Edeline
"B" Flight Leader, No. 54 Sqdn RFC
April 15, 1917

****************

Victory Points

Successful Spotting (Barnes) +20
One Allied Scout w/ Minor Damage (Carson-Jeffries) -3
One Use of Advanced Landing Field by Undamaged Aircraft (Edeline) -2

Total +15

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Photographic Reconnaissance - 15 April, 1917.

Sir:

With No. 5 Sqdn providing only one observer for today's operations, I thought it best not to to insure he would be available for this afternoon's important Artillery Spotting mission. Thus I have cancelled this morning's Photographic Reconnaissance.

(signed) Captain Matthew Edeline
B Flight Leader, No. 54 Sqdn RFC
April 15, 1917

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Victory Points

Failure to Undertake Mission -10

Total -10

54 Sqdrn. 'B' Flight - Defensive Line Patrol - 15 April, 1917.

Zone A

Sir:

I led 2Lts Carson-Jeffries, Perry, and Kerneels-Pépin on a patrol against enemy ground targets between Vimy and Lens this morning. We proceeded at 1000 feet under overcast skies, which turned to light rain as we reached the lines near Arras. Strafing the enemy trenches as we passed over them, we continued northeast, finding a goods train beyond Vimy. We all attacked, and I observed a hit. Next, a supply convoy was found on the road into Lens. Carson-Jeffries' and Perry's engines gave them some momentary trouble, but they were able to keep them going, and once again, we all attacked. Kerneels-Pépin's wings were holed by fire from the ground, but that did not prevent him from damaging the convoy.

Two hits out of eight attacks on ground targets did not impress me, and I decided that rather than searching for more ground targets, our four machine guns might be more effectively employed strafing the German trenches as we began our return to Corbie. So we made our way steadily strafing enemy positions from Lens to Arras. At one point, a damaged German two-seater was seen heading eastward high above us, and a bit later Perry's machine was hit by ground fire, taking superficial damage to the fuselage.

Just as we were about to leave the lines and head for home, three Albatros D2s dove on us. The enemy pilots seemed relatively inexperienced, and despite their initial advantage, Kerneels-Pépin got beneath one and shot it down! Neither of the remaining HA were ever able to fire on us, and eventually they broke for the safety of their rear area. Low on ammunition, I declined to persue them, and we all returned to the aerodrome.

(signed) Captain Matthew Edeline
"B" Flight Leader, No. 54 Sqdn RFC
April 15, 1917

****************

Victory Points

Patrolled 3 hexes -0
One German Scout Shot Down (Kerneels-Pépin) +20
Trench Strafing +30½
One Hit on Supply Convoy (Carson-Jeffries) +2
One Hit on Goods Train (Edeline) +2

Total +54½

April 15 ASSIGNMENTS

WEATHER: 11. Overcast - rain expected later (10+ / 11+)

“B” Flight No. 19 Sqdrn: Re-located temporarily to other area

“B” Flight No.54 Sqdrn: (11) Artillery Spotting (PM), Photo Reconn., Offensive Line Patrol