[Sailor Steve]

July 31, 1918


Air War:

0915 South African RAF pilot Gerald Anderson, flying Bristol F.2b D8062 with an unnamed observer, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 2.

0930 English RAF pilot Rupert Gifford, in Sopwith Camel D1862, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 2.

0930 Englsih RAF ace Edward Johnstone, in a Sopwith Camel, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 15.

0930 South African RAF ace William Jordan, in Sopwith Camel D1845, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 36.

0930 Irish RAF ace George McElroy, in SE.5a E1310, shoots down a Hannover two-seater for victory number 47.

1050 Canadian RAF pilot John Gillanders and English observer Eric Walker, flying a DH.4, are credited with shooting down two Pfalz D.IIIs. Victories 3 and 4 for Gillander; 5 and six for Walker. This is also Eric Walker's last aerial victory. He will survive the war and live until 1983.

1110 Scottish RAF pilot Andrew MacGregor, in DH.4 D8398 with Lt J.F.D. Tanqueray as observer, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 1.

1115 Two RAF Camel aces share a victory over a Fokker D.VII:
Lawrence Coombes, India, D9673, victory number 14.
Ivan Sanderson, England, E1405, victory number 5.

1115 American RAF ace Kenneth Unger, in Sopwith Camel D9608, shoots down a Fokker D.VII for victory number 6.

1130 English RAF pilot Thomas Nash, in Sopwith Camel B7176, shoots down a Pfalz D.III for victory number 2.

Irish 47-victory RAF ace George Edward Henry McElroy, known as "McIrish" to his friends, does not return from his second patrol of the day and is reported as Missing. It turns out that, like Mick Mannock (and Manfred von Richthofen) before him, McElroy was killed by ground fire while flying too low.