FlyPast – August 2018

August 2018 FLYPAST 41

with Webley revolvers; fortunately
we were not attacked. We
remained at La Fère all day on
the 27th, on which the Battle
of Le Cateau was fought and
General Horace Smith-Dorrien
and his army inflicted such heavy
casualties on General Alexander
von Kluck’s army that the
Germans, from then on, deemed it
prudent not to risk another major
battle as long as they
were advancing.
British casualties were heavy
and many units disorganised.
It was only the discipline of the

troops that made it possible to

organise them into a fighting force

again. [Although the Germans had

suffered around 2,900 casualties

in the engagement, it’s worth

noting that British losses were

far greater, with 7,812 men killed,

wounded or captured].

Next morning, August 28, at

5.30am, we departed. The [early]

hour suggested that it was not

healthy for us to stay longer.

Our destination was Compiegne

where there was a recognised

aerodrome but we went via Laon

and Soissons, which must have

doubled the distance, perhaps to

avoid the possibility of meeting

German cavalry. We arrived at

Compiegne at 4.30pm.

Several French long-horned

Maurice Farmans landed and the

pilots seemed to have packed

all their belongings into their

machines. One even had a bicycle

strapped to the side.

More serious was a German

Albatros, which flew over us and

dropped three bombs. This was

my first experience of bombing.

They were small and did no

damage, except to the dignity of

Sgt ‘Micky’ Keegan of 5 Squadron

who happened to be answering

nature’s call. He retired hurriedly

and not entirely in good order.

Two-day stays

We started for Senlis near the

racing stables at Chantilly, north

of Paris, at about 10am on August

30 and reached our destination

around 10.30pm. The next

morning a German DFW machine

flew over us. We fired at it but

without apparent effect.

We left there at 2pm on the 31st

and arrived at Juilly, near the

town of Meaux, at about 6pm. This

meant that, instead of travelling

southwest, as we had been doing

since leaving Maubeuge, we

had turned southeast and were

making for the southern side of

Paris instead.

During the afternoon of Tuesday,

September 1, we were allowed to

go to a lake for a swim. Not being

able to get a wash for days it was

unadulterated luxury.

August 2018 FLYPAST 41

and not entirely in good order. unadulterated luxury.

Above

An unidentifi ed pilot makes a report. This

would then be immediately driven to BEF HQ.

3 SQUADRON RECORDS

Main equipment of 5 Squadron was the Farman
F.20, including 461. G S LESLIE

Farman F.20s of 5 Squadron lined up.

5 SQUADRON RECORDS