British Military Aviation in 1918 - Part 2

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21 April
Baron Manfred Von Richthofen, the 'Red Baron', is shot down and killed. Manfred von Richthofen was the most successful fighter pilot of the First World War and at the time of his death, he had shot down 80 Allied aircraft in air combat.

Although Captain Roy Brown of No.209 Squadron is credited with the destruction of von Richthofen's Fokker Triplane, it has also been suggested that the Red Baron actually fell victim to ground fire whilst being pursued by Captain Brown.

1 May
No.1 to No.5 Air Force Areas are formed, but the words 'Air Force' are dropped from the titles of almost immediately.

8 May
The designations of the newly established Areas are revised to reflect their geographical locations within the United Kingdom:

• No.1 Area became South-Eastern Area - Major General F.C. Heath-Caldwell
• No.2 Area became South-Western Area - Major General M.E.F. Kerr
• No.3 Area became Midland Area - Major General J.F.A. Higgins
• No.4 Area became North-Eastern Area - Major General the Honorable Sir F. Gordon
• No.5 Area became North-Western Area - Major General G.C. Cayley

13 May
It is announced that an Independent Air Force (IAF), under the command of Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard, will be formed from 6 Jun 1918. This is the first time that an Air Force had been formed for the express purpose of conducting a war, without reference or subordination to Army or Navy Commands.

The IAF operates by day and night against industrial targets in Germany and enemy aerodromes. In five months, the nine squadrons of the IAF, equipped with de Havilland DH4, DH9, and DH9A, Handley Page 0/400 and Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b bombers, with one squadron of Sopwith Camels for escort work, drop a total of 550 tons of bombs, 390 tons by night.

June
The Royal Air Force Nursing Service is formed.

2 June
In the aftermath of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and Russia's exit from the First World War, the Allied Supreme War Council sanctions joint intervention to secure the existing Allied presence in Russia's northern ports. Allied intervention is undertaken in an effort to inhibit the transfer of German troops between the Eastern and Western Fronts, to deny Russian resources to the Germans and to prevent the German Navy from using the ports as bases from which submarines could threaten transatlantic shipping.

3 June
The Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross, Distinguished Flying Medal and Air Force Medal are instituted for acts of gallantry in the air.

6 June
The first operational sorties are mounted by the Independent Force of the Royal Air Force. Ten de Havilland DH4s attacked Coblenz and five de Havilland DH9s attack Thionville.

14 June
The German offensive on the Western Front ends.

15 June
Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard is appointed General Officer Commanding the Independent Force of the Royal Air Force.

17 June-22 July
The Victoria Cross is posthumously awarded to Major Edward 'Mick' Mannock of No.85 Squadron, Royal Air Force, one of the highest scoring British fighter pilots and greatest air leaders of the First World War. "An outstanding example of fearless courage, remarkable skill, devotion to duty, and self-sacrifice, which has never been surpassed."

22-23 June
A North Russian Expeditionary Force comprising British Army units and supported by a Royal Air Force flight equipped with de Havilland DH4 day bombers lands at Murmansk to join a Royal Marine detachment and French and United States marine units already present in the port.

July
Major A.S.C. MacLaren makes the first flight between England and Egypt, flying a Handley Page 0/400 between Cranwell and Cairo.

July
The seaplane carrier HMS Nairana, carrying Fairey Campania, Sopwith Baby floatplanes and a single Sopwith Camel fighter, provides additional air support to the North Russian Expeditionary Force.

4 July
Aircraft of No.9 Squadron drop 93 boxes of small arms ammunition to attacking Australian troops on the opening day of the Battle of Hamel. The drops are conducted from an altitude of 200 feet and two of the twelve aircraft involved are shot down by German ground fire.

9 July
Major James McCudden VC is killed in a flying accident at Auxi-le-Chateau in France.

19 July
The first ever carrier-borne air strike takes place. From a position off the Lyngvig Light, HMS Furious launches seven Sopwith Camels modified to carry 50 pound bombs on a dawn strike against German dirigible (steerable airship) sheds at Tondern at the mouth of the Elbe. The strike is successful, destroying Germany Navy Zeppelins L54 and L60 in their sheds.

24 July
The first 1,650 pound 'SN' bomb, the largest bomb to be used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during the First World War, is dropped on Middelkirke by a Handley Page 0/400 of No.214 Squadron.

26 July
Major Edward Mannock VC is shot down and killed by ground fire after shooting down a German LVG at very low altitude near the German front line at Lestrem. Although authors have quoted varying victory totals for this pilot, current research suggests that the LVG was Major Mannock's sixty-first kill.

27 July
A Communications Squadron is formed at Hendon to operate in the VIP transport role.

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