orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

November 22, 2012 - LoNdoN
refers); he took on another Albatros Scout over Stojakovo,
3.1.1918, however the combat proved inconclusive; whilst
flying a S.E. 5b, 13.2.1918, ‘I observed an E.A. coming out
of the sun towards me and so turned my machine’s nose
towards the E.A. As the E.A. was about 1,000ft. above my
machine I again turned and followed it climbing in the
endeavour to a good target and reach the E.A.’s height which
I did and opened with a burst from the overhead Lewis gun.
The E.A.’s observer then fired at my machine so I then again
opened fire with both Lewis and Vickers guns. The shots
judging by the tracers appeared to be hitting the E.A. until all
the double drum was finished and the Vickers gun stopped as
a result of a cross-feed. As I was changing my drums and
rectifying the stoppage I observed the E.A. to go down in a
nose dive towards his lines’; on 27.2.1918, ‘Whilst escorting
a bomb raid on Platenwald with Capt. Bell also on an S.E. 5a
I observed Capt. Bell diving on a two-seater which appeared
to be driven down. A D3 scout then dived on me firing but
did not harm. I then joined up with Capt. Bell to attack the
E.A.’s Four D3’s had then climbed above our machines and
two of them attacked each of us with no affect. The E.A.’s
broke off the combat for a few minutes and so Capt. Bell and
I circled round to get an opportunity of engaging the E.A.
favourably. I then observed two of the E.A. scouts above us
and one D3 below me, so dived on the single D3 following
him down as he dived firing my two guns into his tail until he
spun and went down out of my sight. One of the E.A.’s that
was above then dived on my tail with Capt. Bell firing on his
tail and another of the D3’s diving on Capt. Bell’s tail. We
then broke off the combat as all the E.A.’s returned towards
their aerodrome and we had to escort our bombers over our
lines’; Travers did not always get it all his own way,
13.3.1918, ‘Whilst escorting a formation on the Cestovo
Flying Officer F.D. Travers, being presented with his Croix de Guerre
227
Bomb Raid observed 5 DIIIs above in the sun. When the
formation turned round for home the E.A’s attacked our
S.E.s from above with dives at our machines. Owing to
engine trouble was compelled to spin out of the E.A.’s fire.
One E.A. then singled out my machine and stuck on my tail
firing. Then did a series of sharp turns and spins to get away
from E.A. until Capt. Bell came to my assistance and drove
E.A. off a little. Then turned and faced E.A. firing my Vickers
until E.A. turned home and broke off combat.’
150 Squadron - Carry On With the Good Work
Travers was posted to the newly formed 150 (Fighter)
Squadron, Salonika, April 1918; he continued to fly similar
escort missions in the same areas, and in May 1918, he
encountered four enemy scouts with painted red cowlings, ‘I
observed 4 E.A. getting height over Hudova Aerodrome. As
the reconnaissance returned to our lines the E.A. followed at
a distance and did not engage. When the recco. machine was
across our lines I turned about to meet the E.A... When I got
within range they appeared to be D5 scouts. I fired a burst at
about 150yards at an E.A. which was slightly below my level
whereupon 2 of the E.A. above dived at me and I had to
break away turning S. E.A. then patrolled together up and
down just N. of the lines gradually getting over Lake Doiran
when I turned into a D5 just below firing several bursts and
as another D5 above me dived firing at my machine I was
forced to break off the combat. One E.A. left the formation
for its aerodrome. The E.A. and myself fired periodical bursts,
at each other at about 200 yards range just S. of Lake Doiran.
At 0745 E.A. turned N. and returned to aerodrome. As my
ammunition was getting short I returned to the aerodrome’;
Travers continued with his aggressive approach and it
continued to get results, 15.5.1918, ‘On returning from