O Flight History

Origins

The Royal Air Force recognised the need for longer range tactical reconnaissance missions to be flown. These would be best served by the Corps squadrons which were still flying RE8 aircraft as they had in 1917. For long range reconnaissance it was decided to equip five flights with Bristol Fighter aircraft and attach them to existing Corps squadrons. It had been expected the Corps squadrons would receive Sunbeam Arab engined Bristol Fighters to replace their RE8's. However problems with the Sunbeam Arab led to the delay. The long range flights received Rolls Royce engined Bristol Fighters. Harry Wrigley in "The Battle Below" explains how O Flight came into being with 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps;

It was during this period also that the organisation of a flight of Bristol Fighter aircraft, to be attached to No.3 Squadron for the purpose of carrying out long-distance work, was taken in hand. This was to be a self-contained unit composed of Royal Air Force personnel, with the exception of the pilots and observers, who were to be provided from No.3 Squadron. Captain E.J. Jones was transferred from the command of A Flight to the command of the new flight, the official designation of which was 'O' Flight, Royal Air Force.

The squadron was flying the two Bristols they received on special reconnaissances by October 23rd. Lieutenant Loftes and 2nd Lieutenant Cherry, Harry Wrigley writes of the special mission;

The route followed on this reconnaissance was along the western and northern sides of the Forest of Mormal and back along the River Sambre, and Lieutenant Loftes was instructed to pay particular attention to the important railway junction north of Leval. During the course of their flight, Lieutenant Loftes and Cherry reported several trains in the vicinity of Leval had also reported and called for artillery fire against an enemy balloon on the ground north of Maroilles, and against a six gun battery in a small clearing on the western edge of the Forest of Mormal south east of Jolimetz. In addition they reported that all the bridges over the River Sambre between Landrecies and Leval were intact, that numerous foot bridges had been constructed across that section of river that skirts the south eastern edge of the Forest of Mormal, and that the enemy aerodrome east of Aulnoye had been evacuated.

Another important special mission was carried out on October the 30th when Captain E.J. Jones and Lieutenant C.W.B. Loftes with 2nd Lieutenant A.D. Cherry and Lieutenant J.H.B.Lawson as observers searched for a special observation station in a local forest. Again Harry Wrigley provides the details;

For some time it had been suspected that the enemy had a special observation post somewhere in the Forest of Mormal, and the object of this reconnaissance was to discover it if possible. Captain Jones and Lieutenant Loftes flew in company, carefully searching the forest, and succeeded in locating a girder type tower of timber painted a dark grey and about four times the height of the trees in the forest. It was situated approximately one mile south-east of Locquignol, and was undoubtedly the observation post referred to.

The O Flight aircraft were capable of providing escort for themselves and each other. On one occasion when Lieutenant W. Palstra and Lieutenant E.A.D. Hamilton were taking photographs of the German lines facing west, this required the photographs to be taken with the Bristol deep in German airspace. The aircraft of Captain E.J. Jones flew in tandem with Palstra's providing escort cover. O Flight continued to work in strategic reconnaissance until the end of the war when the Australian Flying Corps aircrew serving with O Flight returned to 3 Squadron.