55 Squadron in the First World War

 

 Stories and photos from the early days of the Squadron

                                                                                 

 

  End of a Gallant Fight

 

This encounter at Meulebeke, Belgium on 2.October 1917, is recounted in detail on the memorial website for  Lt William Bishop and Lt Douglas Mackintosh (55 Squadron RFC DH-4 crew) and describes the encounter which led to their shooting down near the village of Meulebeke, Flanders during the 3rd Ypres offensive. See link below. 

Briefly, after fighting an overwhelming  seven aircraft of Baron von Richthofen's circus, Bishop's aircraft was hit in the fuel tank (between the crewmembers) and the craft broke into two before the wreckage landed at two separate locations in the fields of Flanders.http://centenary19172017.weebly.com                                                                                                                                                                                      (By kind courtesy of Richard Bishop).                                                                                                                                          

1918 newspaper article and 2017 Belgian TV ceremony report below:

Above Lts Bishop and Mackintosh and the crash site of Lt. William Bishop - as reported in the Sunday Herald Feb 1918. (Expand picture to read text by clicking on it.)

 

Below with permission Focus WTV   22.October 2017 the two locations today - firstly at the above site and then the site where Lt Douglas Mackintosh was found. 

Here a short ceremony was held, involving the families of the airmen, local families and local dignitaries and veterans, as well as the local brass orchestra and the piper.

This report appeared on Belgian television and is in Flemish with some English interviews.

(Make report full screen by clicking on bottom right corner)

Original graves at Meulebeeke church. (Note Mackintosh served under the name of Mathew)
Original graves at Meulebeeke church. (Note Mackintosh served under the name of Mathew)
Carola and Paula Vanderougstraete - the ladies who tended the graves - and found the families after the war
Carola and Paula Vanderougstraete - the ladies who tended the graves - and found the families after the war

Article by M. Armstrong, originally printed in Cross and Cockade International Journal Vol.24 No.4 of 1993.  The raid on Stuttgart mentioned by Johns is the one on which the civilian damage was caused near the Daimler works (see picture in Historical Photos...)

A better version of the shot in W E Johns' article above
A better version of the shot in W E Johns' article above

Azelot Airfield was the scene of much hard fighting and heavy losses. You may find some of these faces in the September 1918 picture in the reproduced article above. The strain of war in an open cockpit is clearly visible in these faces.

Lt John Howarth Cunliffe

His life story by Friend of 55 Sqn Bruce Balfour, includes time flying on 55 Squadron at Azelot airfield