Sunday 7 July 1918 We Lost 405
The station and factories at Kaiserlautern are attacked.
Major Edward Corringham Mannock VC attacks and destroys a Fokker, which goes down vertically into the ground from a height of 1,500 feet near Doulieu. Shortly afterwards he ascends 1,000 feet and attacks another Fokker biplane, firing sixty rounds into it, which produces an immediate spin, resulting, it is believed, in a crash.
Today’s losses include:
- A Victoria Cross winner and 61-victory ace
- A 7-victory ace
- A man whose brother was killed last October
- A man whose father was killed in June 1916
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
- Lieutenant Merril Samuel Taylor (Royal Air Force) is killed in action at age 25 when his Camel is shot down over Hamel by German ace Franz Buchner. The seven victory Canadian ace attended Toronto University.
- Gunner Percy George Elsden (Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 25. His brother was killed in October 1917.
- Able Seaman James Drummond (Hawke Battalion Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) is killed at age 27. His father was killed in June 1916.