WW1 Operational Log Book of Lt Geoffrey Butters RAF.
29 July 1918 to 11 November 1918
103 Squadron in the immediate post war era. Butters was a full Lt Observer and still only 19 at this time. My guess is that he is seated front row right
Lt Butters was posted to 103 Squadron at Serny France in July 1918 and started flying operations as an Observer in late July. 103 Squadron were part of 80 Wing who were tasked with bombing and reconnaissance operations between the German front line up to and around the Lille area. The bombing targets were mostly railway stations, sidings and airfields.
Serny was situated about 50 miles west of Lille and 20 miles from the German front line and these operations were no more that 3 hours in duration.
As the Germans started to retreat the Squadron moved forward to a new airfield at Floringhem for 5 days. Butters was on leave at this time. By November the Squadron hand moved to Ronchin airfield in Lille itself and from where they attacked targets further west.
The reconnaissance operations were both visual observations and photographic. In his log book Butters goes into considerable detail noting trains, rolling stock, motor transport and barges both stationary and moving with their location and direction. Also aircraft and airfields, AA and artillery batteries and observation balloons.
The DH9 is derided due to the poor performance of its engine. However there is no evidence of this in Butters log as he was only involved in 3 early returns with engine trouble out of 53 sorties.
19 aircraft failed to return from operations. There are others damaged beyond repair due to battle damage or crash landings on return.
Joel Gordon Chrispin, whose log book I also have a copy, flew 66 bombing operations and 19 reconnaissance from June to the Armistice without any early returns. 85 times across the front line.
103 Squadron Killed or Missing aircrew on operations on the Western Front numbered 29 plus 1 POW Died of Wounds, 5 POW Wounded and 7 POW
Considering the amount of war flying they were doing that is not excessive. There are a number of 103 Squadron personnel who died of non operational or unspecified causes at this time. Enemy action of some sort or accident or illness
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53 sorties.
Bombing - 37
Reconnaissance - 16
Early returns – 3 engine trouble.
Aborted - 4 bad weather.
Combats – 8 with 1 claim – EA driven down.
EA sightings – 2
Most of these operations were flown with Lt Michael Sullivan Lewin born in August 1898 was living in Cape Town South Africa with his family who may have emigrated when he was a child. He was a similar age to Geoffrey Butters
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Abbreviations
AA – Ack Ack
EA – Enemy aircraft
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From Serny airfield
1/ 29 July 1918 – Pilot Lt P S Tennant – Bombing Aubers – 12,500 ft - Visibility poor 2 112lb bombs. No EA or Ack Ack
2/ 30 July 1918 – Pilot Lt P S Tennant – Bombing ? – Engine trouble. Returned to base with bombs
3/ 9 August 1918 – Pilot Lt W N Wilson – Bombing Erquinghem – 12,500 ft - 2 112lb bombs. No EA. Slight Ack Ack. Crashed undercarriage on landing
4/ 9 August 1918 – Pilot Lt C J Wilcox – Bombing Waverin – Machine would not climb due to engine trouble. Returned to base with bombs.
5/ 14 August 1918 – Pilot Lt W N Wilson – Bombing Peronne – 13000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Bursts were obscured owing to cloud. 20 EA observed but no attack
6/ 15 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Peronne – 13,500 ft - Visibility poor 2 112lb bombs. Burst not observed. Combat - 16 EA seen. 50 rounds fired. Lost formation in mist and landed at 207 Squadron. Remained overnight and returned next morning
7/ 16 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Peronne – Bombs not dropped. Again landed at 207 Squadron. Oil pipe broken. Stayed night and returned next day.
8/ 17 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Peronne – 14000 ft - Visibility poor 2 112lb bombs. Burst unobserved. Combat 22 EA over target which attacked and driven off.
9/ 21 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Tournes - 14000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. All bursts observed in town and billets. Visibility excellent No EA. Slight AA.
10 / 21 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Tournes – 13,500 ft – 8 bursts north east of objective. One burst at junction of road and railway. Visibility good 2 112lb bombs. No enemy AA active. No EA
11/ 23 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Tournes – Aborted - Returned with bombs owing to cloud and mist cover
12/ 23 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Tournes – 13,500 ft – 2 112lb bombs 7 bursts north east of objective. Visibility fair. 4 plates exposed. Combat - 3 EA over Nieppe Forrest and 4 over objective which attacked with no results.
13/ 25 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Gondecourt – 13,200 ft – 2 112lb bombs Bomb bursts obscured. Combat - 4 EA attacked. . Visibility good.
14/ 26 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Lomme – 14000 ft – 2 112lb bombs 7 bursts observed in town. AA active. Large piece of AA through right hand bottom plane
Capt Stubbs had an unexploded AA shell pass through fuselage which shattered instruments.
15/ 27 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing La Meterie – 11,500 ft – 2 112lb bombs. No EA. No enemy AA.
16/ 31 August 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Santes – 10000 ft. - 2 112lb bombs – Bursts unobserved. Very poor visibility.
17/ 3 September 1918 – Pilot Lt W N Wilson – Reconnaissance – 2000 ft / 9000 ft Visibility fair. No EA.
18/ 3 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – 6000 ft to 9000 ft – Visibility fair – AA accurate and active. No EA.
19/ 4 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing St Andre – 13500 ft - 2 112lb bombs. 3 burts on road north of objective. No EA. AA active and accurate.
20/ 6 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Fives – 14000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Bursts unobserved. Combat - Attacked over objective by 7 EA and pursued till Haubourdin where they broke off. 150 rounds fired.
21/ 7 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Reconnaissance – Height 10000 ft – Visibility very poor. No EA. AA active and accurate.
22/ 8 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Reconnaissance – Height 13000 ft – Visibility fair. Slight AA. No MT. 9 trains Armenteires. No barges
23/ 14 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Bombing Annoelin. - 14000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. 1 burst on road and 1 on railway, 5 bursts in village and 2 on building. Poor visibility. Slight AA. No EA.
24/ 16 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Fives – 13500 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility good. 4 plates exposed. 10 bursts observed.
Combat - 20 Fokker bi planes at 9:45 over Lille after bombing Lt Cole and Sgt Hookway driven down in a spin. SE 5as drove off Huns at about 2000 ft. Capt Ayrton and Lt Jenkin presumably hit by AA and went down in a spin discharging smoke. 600 rounds fired at EA all by Observer
25/ 16 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Fives – 13500 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility fair. 14 bursts observed with 1 on siding at Fives station. AA very accurate and active. 6 EA observed over Lille
26/ 18 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin- Bombing Haubourdin - 14500 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility fair. AA active
27/ 21 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – 14000 ft – Visibility poor.
28/ 24 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – 10000 ft – Visibility fair.
29/ 25 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Santes - 14000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility poor. AA active
30/ 25 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – 10000 ft – Visibility good.
31/ 26 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Aqu Amappes - 14200 ft – 1 230 lb bomb. Visibility fair.
32/ 27 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Wasnes-au-Bac - 1 230 lb bomb. Visibility poor. Combat - 8 EA. 1 EA driven down.
33/ 27 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Wasnes-au-Bac - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility fair. Combat - 10 EA. 400 rounds fired. 1 Bristol Fighter observed to be shot down
34/ 28 September 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Wasnes-au-Bac - 13000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility fair.
35/ 28 September 1918 – Pilot Lt Sgt McNeil - Bombing Fives - 14000 ft - 2 112lb bombs. Visibility fair.
36/ 1 October 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Fives – 15000 ft - 1 230lb bomb
37/ 1 October 1918 - Pilot Lt R Jackson - Bombing Fives – 14000 ft - 1 230lb bomb Visibility good.
38/ 2 October 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Fives – 15000 ft - 1 230lb bomb Visibility obscured by clouds. 2 EA observed over Haudeurdin
39/ 2 October 1918 - Pilot Lt R Jackson – Returned owing to clouds and rain storm
40/ 3 October 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – Height 10000 ft – Visibility fair.
41/ 3 October 1918 – Pilot Lt R E Dodds - Reconnaissance – Height 9000 ft – Visibility good.
42/ 4 October 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin – Special low level reconnaissance – Height 900 ft to 1500 ft – Visibility poor. - Colonel Strange notes congratulations in log.
43/ 7 October 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – Height 6000 ft to 9000 ft – Visibility poor.
44/ 8 October 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – Height 15000 ft – Visibility fair.
45/ 9 October 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Fives – Returned with bombs owing to engine trouble.
46/ 10 October 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – Returned due to bad weather.
47/ 14 October 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing Tournai – 15000 ft - 1 230lb bomb Visibility Fair.
Leave
From Rochin airfield
48/ 1 November 1918 – Pilot Lt J G Chrispin – Photographic Reconnaissance – Height not recorded – Visibility fair.
49/ 4 November 1918 - Pilot Lt J G Chrispin – Low level bombing Chappelle a Wattigim aerodrome – 2000 ft - 1 230lb bomb Visibility Fair. Visibility Very good.
50/ 8 November 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing – Returned with bomb due to bad weather.
51/ 9 November 1918 – Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Reconnaissance – Height 14000 ft – Visibility good.
52/ 9 November 1918 – Pilot Lt D J C McGowan – Low level bombing S Englien aerodrome – 2000 ft - 2 112lb bombs - Visibility good.
53/ 10 November 1918 - Pilot Lt M S Lewin - Bombing – Returned with bomb due to thick cloud and mist.
11 November 1918 – Armistice signed.
53 Operations
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Bombing of Haubourdin France 17 Oct 1918
103 Squadron Ronchin Bomb Dump 112 lb bombs.
Item compiled by David Fell with photos from my archive
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