[Sailor Steve]

May 27, 1918


Operation "Blücher", the German offensive on the Aisne begisn.


Air War:

1006 American pilot Douglas Campbell, flying a Nieuport 28, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 4. This is probably Ltn Walter Fritzsche of Jasta 65, who is killed.

1030 German pilot Otto Fitzner, with Jasta 65, shoots down Nieuport 28 N6142 for victory number 4. 1st Lt W.D. Hill, of the 94th Aero Squadron, is seriousl wounded in the leg. Fitzner claims this as a SPAD.

1055 English RAF pilot John Aldridge, in Sopwith Dolphin C3833, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 2.

1115 German pilot OfStv Tiedje (no first name given), with Jasta 65, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 1,

1125 English ace pilot Wilfred Beaver and ace observer Ernest Deighton, in Bristol F.2b C889, shoot down a Fokker Dr.I Victory number 15 for Beaver; number 7 for Deighton.

1127 Wilfred Beaver and Ernest Deighton score their second kill of the day, shooting down another Fokker Dr.I. Number 16 for Beaver; number 8 for Deighton.

1128 Wilfred Beaver and Ernest Deighton shoot down a third Fokker Dr.I. Victories number 17 and 9 respectively.

1130 French ace Lucien Gasser, with Spa 87, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 7. This is probably Ltn Max Thässler and Obltn Karl Röchling of FlAbt 276, both killed.

1320 German pilot Heinrich Krüger, with Jasta 70, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 1.

1420 French pilot André Bosson, with Spa 62, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 3.

1425 Five RAF SE.5a pilots share a victory over a German two-seater:
Percy Clayson, England, C1114, victory number 10.
Ernest Tilton Sumpter Kelly, Canada, B130, victory number 1.
Duerson Knight, United States, C6479, victory number 1.
Harold Albert Kullberg, United States, D337, victory number 1.
Basil Henry Moody, South Africa, C1092, victory number 1.

1450 Five RAF SE.5a pilots share a victory over a German two-seater:
Percy Clayson, England, C1114, victory number 11.
Ernest Kelly, Canada, B130, victory number 2.
Duerson Knight, United States, C6479, victory number 2.
Harold Kullberg, United States, D337, victory number 2.
Basil Moody, South Africa, C1092, victory number 2.

1735 Four American pilots, in Nieuport 28s with the 95th Aero Squadron, share a victory over a German two-seater:
Edward Buford, victory number 2.
Edward Peck Curtis, victory number 1.
George F. Fisher 1.
Alexander H. McLanahan, victory number 1.
This is probably Ltns Hans Behringher and Wilhelm Wilhelm Ortegel of FlAbt 46, both killed.

1815 German ace Viktor von Pressentin gen von Rautter, in a Pfalz D.III, shoots down a Bréguet 14 for victory number 14. Sgts Louis des Salles and Jean Lingueglia are listed as Missing.

1915 Canadian RAF pilot William Gordon Claxton, in SE.5a B38, shoots down a Fokker Dr.I for victory number 1.

1920 Canadian RAF ace Charles Hickey, flying Sopwith Camel C74, shoots down an Albatros D.III for victory number 6.

1920 Canadian RAF William Stanley Jenkins, in Sopwith Camel D3403, shoots down an Albatros D.V for victory number 1.

1940 Percy Clayson scores his third kill of the day, shooting down an Albatros D.V for number 12.

2030 German ace Franz Ray, with Jasta 49, shoots down RE.8 B4100 for victory number 11. Lt A.H. Maltby and 2nd Lt J.B.P. Simms land safely on their own side of the lines.

Two French Spa 15 pilots, in SPAD XIIIs, share a victory over a DFW C.V:
Bernare Artigau, victory number 8.
Armond Berthelot, victory number 4.

Thre French pilots flying with Spa 82 share a victory over a German scout:
François de Boigne, victory number 5.
MdL Faure (no first name given), victory number 1.
Adj Rimbaud (no first name given, victory number 3.

German ace Theodor Cammann, with Jasta 74, shoots down a Dorand A.2 for victory number 6.

Greman pilot Sgt Dittberner (no first name given), in a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 1.

Cpl Gérard and Lt Charlet, in a Bréguet 14, shoot down an "Enemy Aircraft", a scout and a two-seater for victories 1, 2 and 3 each. The "Scout" is Hptm Rudolf Freiherr von Esebeck (1 victory), Commanding Officer of Jasta 17, who is killed.

French ace Henri Hay de Slade, with Spa 86, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 9.

German pilot Arthur Laumann, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 1.

French ace Georges Madon, with Spa 38, shoots down an "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 26. This is possibly Vfw Willy Glander and Ltn Kurt Haese of FlAbt 244, bot kiled.

Georges Madon scores his second kill of the day, another "Enemy Aircraft" for victory number 27. Possibly Uffz Wilhelm Weniger and Ltn Fritz Freit, FlAbt252, both killed.

American pilot John Mitchell, in a Nieuport 28, shoots down a German two-seater for victory number 1.

German pilot Alfons Nagler, with Jasta 81, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 1.

German pilot Willy Peters, flying a Fokker D.VII, shoots down a SPAD for victory number 1.

German naval pilot Ltn z.S. Schultze (no first name given), in an Albatros D.V with Marine Feld Jasta 1, shoots down a DH.4 for victory number 1.

German pilot Paul Turck, in a Fokker D.V, shoots down a SPAD and a Dorand AR. 2 for victories numbe 2 and 3.

German ace Rudolf Windisch, In Fokker D.VII (OAW) 2035/18, shoots down a SPAD two-seater for victory number 22. Windisch also comes down with a hole in his petrol tank. He is taken prisoner, giving rise to yet another controversy over the fate of a high-scoring ace. Windisch is reported as a prisoner several times, both by the Red Cross and by captured French pilots. On this basis he is awarded the Pour le Merite, the 'Blue Max'. After the war ends and it is time to be repatriated Windisch has disappeared. No trace of him is ever found. When, how, or even if he died is unknown.