1917 - 1918 Draper 09

I do not pretend to know the whys and wherefores of what happened to bring about this change, but the very date would have been most appropriate had it not been for the serious position of the Allied Armies after the Germans commenced their Spring offensive in March, when we had our backs to the wall. Trenchard may have been called the Father of the R.A.F. and “boomed” his way over everything and

everybody, but nothing can convince me it was the right thing to do in the middle of a war we so nearly lost.


It is interesting to note here that it took the Admiralty 20 years, to July 1937, to once again obtain complete control of its own air service.


But to return to the critical Spring of 1918. We arrived at La Gorgue on April 2, behind a Front relatively denuded of troops, to provide reinforcements to contain the ominious bulge in the line further south. On our immediate front, a few miles ahead, were the Portuguese 2nd Division.


Five days later the blow fell. The Portuguese have been much maligned for their action in this retreat, but the fact that seven German divisions fell upon the four brigades comprising their 2nd Division is certainly something of an excuse for their retreat. Had they stood fast they would have been overwhelmed; as it was their line broke and as a fighting force they were swept out of existence. The British 40th Division was also overwhelmed, and a gap of 15,000 yards opened on our Front.


The countryside was blanketed in thick fog which added to the confusion. The Portuguese falling back through La Gorgue, in their grey uniforms caused many alarms and not a few unfortunate mistakes. Behind us the British 50th and 51st Division, which formed the reserve, were trying to institute a defence line along the Lys, but to the immediate front there appeared nothing but the remaining elements of a retreating army. I had a squadron of Camels, grounded by the fog. What could I do?


I burnt the ruddy lot!


This, of course, meant a report (which may be read at the following link):



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