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Sopwith Triplanes (2)















The following are the private notes of F/S/Lt Soar:


Mont St Eloy 13th August 1917


Did my last patrol today with the Squadron (Naval 8). Returning to England instead of Booker, who objected to transfer.


On the 10th Booker up with Crundall, angry at being transferred home, and finding no enemy aircraft set about strafing Hun trenches. They both dived to ground level and machine-gunned anything they saw, until Crundall got a bullet in the ignition switch. The engine packed up and he piled up close to Oppy Wood, which was held by the Germans. After a long wait in a shell hole, with bullets continually hitting 'Doris' - No 5464 Sopwith Triplane - my erstwhile colleagues of the Royal Naval Division dug a shallow trench to him and they crawled back to the front line.


On the 10th, too, Thompson was lent to 'B' Flight and did an abortive patrol. I was now flying a rejuvenated 'High Jinks' - Sopwith Triplane 5421 - having taken 'Lily' my true love to depot, knackered.


Crundall nor Thompson flew on the 11th but Jenner-Parsons, McCrudden and I were led by Booker on an evening patrol beginning at 8:40 pm until about dark. We had difficulty in keeping together owing to large lumps of thunder clouds and lost Jenner somewhere the other side of Henin-Lietard-Mericourt district, who dived on an EA.

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1916-1939 Articles (5)

Sopwith Triplanes Page  1  2  3

Sopwith Triplanes 1 Sopwith Triplanes 3

No

Name

Flown By

Remarks

N5493

Blymp

F/S/Lt Little


N6290

Dixie

F/Lt Arnold


N6291




N6292

Lily

F/S/Lt Soar

Flown on an offensive patrol 5th May 1917. Later sent to No 1 Naval Squadron.

N6295


F/Lt Johnston

Later to No 10 Naval Squadron.

N6299


F/Lt Compston


N6301

Dusty

F/S/Lt McDonald