RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

The following crewmen are shown as lost returning in bad weather crashes on 10-5-1918 :- Gef Walter Gruneberg, Ff Lt. Wilhelm Landwehrmann, Flg Alois Langner, Flg Richard Oberlander, B Oblt. Fritz Pfeiffer (R 26?), Ff Lt. Wilhelm Pier (R 26?), Vfw Ernst Rungwerth, Uffz Heinrich Wasche, B Hpt Fritz Wieter all at Gent, Gef Alfred Broske, FF Lt Carl Freund both at Moortzeele, Uffz Josef Belz, Ff Lt Lothar Friedrich, Gef Paul Schnigge and Flg Julius Winand at Scheldewindeke. all crewmen believed loss in the crashes of R26 and R32 in attempted landings at Scheldewindeke. Are the locations for each crash known and which aircraft each of these Flyers were with,

Brian Bines

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

Brian,

This Belgian website about German aerodromes around Ghent puts both crashes at Scheldewindeke airfield.

Interesting story and pictures of the ruined R29 and R32, but it's in Dutch....: http://www.bunkergordel.be/14.030%20...an%20Gent.html

Regards,

Leendert

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

Brian,

Another website (I'm afraid also in Dutch...) with full story. It's so that both crashes occurred at Scheldewindeke indeed, but the casualty reports of several crew members mysteriously said they died at G(h)ent or Moorsele.
Perhaps so because 16 killed officers and NCOs were buried at Gent on 15 May 1918.

See http://www.bahavzw.be/database/conte...scheldewindeke

Regards,

Leendert

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

Leendert,

Thank you very much for this information which was very useful, the photos of the two crashed Giants I had not seen before. I used Google Translate and learned a lot more about these crashes from the articles on your posts,

Thanks Again Regards
Brian Bines

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

The Book "the German Giants" by Peter Grosz deals with the R planes has info on these aircraft and their loss.

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

And if you are interested by 'sister Sqn' Rfa 500 based in the Southern Belgium, I can help.

ClinA-78

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

While we're on this really interesting subject, does anyone know of a good source on the Great War bombing of Paris (or other non-UK targets)?

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

James, thanks for that I did extract a lot of info. from the book but in generally it only mentions Officer losses by name.

CinA, thanks for that, the one I cannot find crew details for is R.31 in my other Thread,

Nick, Cross and Cockade Vol.19/number 3 Autumn 1978 has a couple of articles from former officers of Bogohl 4 with mission lists , only one mention of Paris. Somewhere I had another edition with some POW interrogations including a bomber crewman, cannot place it at the moment,

Regards
Brian Bines

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

The book La D C A, by Jean Lucas gives some information about the aerial attacks on Paris in 1918. The book was published in France in the 1930-ies.

Re: RFA 501 on 10-5-1918
 

Lots of photos of damage in Paris here (some by bombs, others by shells): http://pages14-18.mesdiscussions.net...ujet_267_1.htm