FlyPast – August 2018

40 FLYPAST August 2018

OVER THE TRENCHES MONS

Noel. Jillings was awarded one
of the first Military Crosses and
survived the war.]
Later in the day we heard that
one of 5’s aeroplanes [Avro
504, 390.] had failed to return
from a reconnaissance. Some
considerable time after, we
learned that the occupants, Lt
Charles G Bayly, Royal Engineers
and 2nd Lt V Waterfall, East
Yorkshire Regiment, had
descended to about 2,000ft
[609m] to better reconnoitre
German troop movements and had
been shot down by concentrated
rifle fire (see panel on page 43).
They were reverently buried by
Belgian peasants.
On Sunday 23rd we could hear
heavy gunfire all day. It was obvious
that British and German forces had
clashed but how things were going
we had no idea. We now know that

no one expected the main German
thrust to be through Belgium,
therefore coming against the British
Expeditionary Force [BEF].
The fact that the BEF was not
surrounded and annihilated by
sheer weight of numbers and
materiel was a miracle for which
the flying personnel of the RFC can
claim a fair share of credit. Their
reconnaissance first showed the
strength of the German forces and
the attempts made by the enemy
to outflank the BEF.

Retreat
Early on August 24, we were
ordered to get ready to move.
We left Maubeuge that Monday

morning for an unknown

destination. The retreat from

Mons had begun. [The British were

forced back by greater German

numbers and a sudden French

withdrawal, although the enemy

had suffered disproportionately

high casualties. There were just

over 1,600 British casualties;

German numbers are estimated

to be as high as 5,000]. I have an

idea that we, being more mobile

than many of the other forces,

were sometimes diverted to minor

roads, leaving the more direct ones

for frontline forces.

We arrived at Le Cateau

[southeast of Cambrai] at about

4.30pm and found our machines.

Then followed several hours of

intense work to get them filled up

and serviceable. The transport,

myself included, left again at 9pm

and arrived at Saint-Quentin at

about 3am.

I was one of a group who partly

cleared a cornfield of newly

cut sheaves for the purpose of

making a landing ground for the

aeroplanes. These came in soon

afterwards and, owing to the small

size of the landing ground, had to

be shepherded into place quickly

and packed tightly. Major [Robert]

Brooke-Popham, CO of 3 Squadron,

was noted for his mildness of

temper. I was therefore surprised

when he looked up at a machine

preparing to land and said to me in

a loud voice: “I wonder where this

******* fool thinks he is coming!”

We left Saint-Quentin at 3pm on

the 26th and arrived at La Fère

[south of Saint-Quentin] about

8pm. Next morning we were

suddenly called upon to prepare

defences and we made a post for a

Lewis machine gun. We understood

that there were German Uhlans

[light cavalry] about.

All non-commissioned officers

and men of the RFC were issued

we had no idea. We now know that

no one expected the main German
thrust to be through Belgium,

morning for an unknown

destination. The retreat from

Then followed several hours of

intense work to get them filled up

“The fact that the BEF was not surrounded and annihilated by sheer weight of

numbers and materiel was a miracle for which the fl ying personnel of the RFC

can claim a fair share of credit”

Leyland lorries provided much of the

transport for 5 Squadron. 3 SQUADRON RECORDS

Above

Engine failure forced Avro 638 to land behind

enemy lines on October 7, with the capture of

Captains Grey and Boger. G S LESLIE