[Sailor Steve]

August 18, 1918


Air War:

0745 In a mixed dogfight over the Italian Front four RAF Camel pilots are credited with the downing of three Albatros D.Vs and two Siemens-Schuckert D.IIIs.
John Preston, England, D6643, victories, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Douglas Davies, England, C1599, victories 8 and 9.
Lt H.N. Jennings, victories 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Lt H.A.E. Matthews, D6551, victories 1, 2 and 3.

1240 American RAF pilot Francis Gillet, in Sopwith Dolphin C3887, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 2.

1845 German ace Oskar Hennrich, with Jasta 46, destroys an Allied observation balloon for victory number 9.

1940 German pilot Georg Staudacher, with Jasta 1, shoots down an RE.8 for victory number 2.

German pilot Ernst Bormann, with Jasta Boelcke (2), shoots down a Dorand AR.2 for victory number 3. S/Lt Pierre Paquier of AR 268 is killed; Lt Marcel Tournair is wounded.

German ace Siegfried Büttner, flying with Jasta 61, destroys an Allied observation balloon for victory number 11.

German ace Alfred Lindenberger, with Jasta Boelcke, shoots down a Béguet 14 for victory number 6.
(per Jasta War Chronology. Above the Lines has this happening on June 18.)

South African 16-victory ace Christoffel Venter shot down and captured. After the war he will join the new South African Air Force, rising to Squadron and then Wing Commander. From 1940 to 1945 he will be Director-Gernaral of the SAAF, then Managing Director of South African Airways. Christoffel Johannes Venter will live until 1977.