Reconnaissance No. 776                                                       21^st November. 1914.

Aeroplane: No. B.E. 487.                                                                      

Squadron No  4.                                                                                                       

Pilot:  Major Raleigh.

Observer:                                                                                           Ref Map:  1/200,000

Hour commenced: 1-50 p.m.

Hour concluded:    4-30 p.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

2.55 p.m.        WARNETON.                        About 50 vehicles in different parts of the

                                                                        town.

                        COMINES                             2 Sausage shaped balloons.  About 20

waggons.  40 vehicles Horse Transport moving on towards WERVICQ.   

3.15 a.m.        MENIN.                                  Rolling Stock for about 5 trains.  About 30

                                                                        vehicles in town.  20 large store tents S.E.

3.25                COURTRAI.                          Rolling stock for 25 trains – no activity.  1

Engine moving from ROULERS to ISEGHEM.

3.40                THIELT.                                  Rolling stock for two trains.  1 train leaving

GRAMMENE towards THIELT.  1 train coming on THIELT line from LICHTEVELDE.

                        ROULERS.                           1 engine with steam up.  Rolling stock for

                                                                        10 trains.                   

(Sd) : C.H. Raleigh.  Major.

            (Observer)

Reconnaissance No. 775                                                                  21^st November. 1914.

Aeroplane: No. M.A. 637.                                                                     

Squadron No  5.                                                                                                       

Pilot:  Lieut. Brock.

Observer: Lieut. F.G. Small                                                           Ref Map:  1/40,000

Hour commenced: 1.0 p.m.

Hour concluded:    2.15 p.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

1-30. a.m.      ARMENTIERES –                 Reconnaissance over area ARMENTIERES

                        LILLE.                                     – RADINGHEM – LANBESART –

VERLINGHEM – FRELINGHEM.  There was no movement of any troops or transport on roads in this area.

1-35. p.m.      FORT ENGLOS.                  In rear of batteries R.3.c.1 & R.4.c. reported

yesterday – wheel marks show behind gun pits & pits are empty.  Wheel marks seem to indicate movement towards CAPINGHEM.

1-45. p.m.      LOMME.                                 Cavalry bivouac about 1 brigade.            

(Sd) : F.G. Small. Lieut.

                        R.F.C.

            (Observer).

Reconnaissance No. 774                                                       21^st. November. 1914.

Aeroplane: No. B.E. 8 636.                                                                  

Squadron No.  6.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. Tennant.

Observer: Lieut. Marks.                                           Reference Map:  G.S.2743. YPRES.

Hour commenced: 12-15. p.m.

Hour concluded:    1-45. p.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

12-45. p.m.    OOSTAVERNE Q19D                     A line of transport about 20 wagons,

                                                                                    could not see if horse or M.T.

12-55. p.m.    HOLLBEKE. R6c                              Transport park in N.W. corner of

square R.6.c. could not count number of wagons.

1-10. p.m.      HOLLBEKE. R17a.                          Transport in N.W. corner of Square

                                                                                    R.17.a. about 30 wagons.

1-30. p.m.      COMINES. Y5a.                               Small sausage shaped observation

                                                                                    balloon.                                 

(Sd) : C.H. Marks. Lieut.

            (Observer).

Reconnaissance No. 772                                                                 21^st. November. 1914.

Aeroplane: No. B.E. 635.                                                                      

Squadron No.  4.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. Roche.

Observer:                                                                                           Ref Map.  1/100,000

Hour commenced: 10-40. a.m.

Hour concluded;    1-0. p.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

11-30. a.m.    LANGEMARK.                      Nothing seen.

11-40. a.m.    FORET D’HOUTHULST.    Many tracks and horse rings denoting

presence of many men and horses.  Villages immediately N of forest full of transport (number not estimated).  Small transport parks on E of forest  Tracks on the snow indicate that the area VYFWERGEN – STADEN – ZARREN – HOUTHULT is largely used for billeting troops.

11-50. a.m.    STADEN.                               (a). Rolling stock for 3 trains – 3 engines

with steam up.

(b).  12 Store Tents E of town.

(c).  40 Horse Transport Vehicles parked E of Town.

12.0. noon.    COURTEMARCK.                (a). Rolling stock for 7 trains – one engine

                                                                        steam up.

                                                                        (b). 9 Store tents S.10.N. & 2.E. of Town.

                                                                        (c). 80 Horse vehicles parked N of town

                                                                        (d). 40Horse Transport parked at

                                                                        LANGENHOCK                               

12-5. p.m.      LICHTERVELDE.                (a). Rolling stock for 5 trains.  The railway

line between LICHTERVELDE & and ROULERS clear of rolling stock except for ½ a train at GITS Sta. siding.  The railway line between LICHTERUELDE & THOUROUT clear.

(b). 80 Horse vehicles parked.

12-10. p.m.    THOUROUT.                         (a). Rolling stock for 6 trains.  One engine

with steam up, one engine departing towards OSREND.  The Railway line between THOUROUT & OSTEND clear except for (1) ½ train at siding of FERNEGHEM STATION and (2) 1 train alongside aeroplane camp at GHISTELLES.

(b). 14 store tents E of town.

(c) 40 Horse vehicles parked.

12-15. p.m.    GHISTELLES.                      (a) An 11^th shed in course of construction.

                                                                        A rly train drawn up alongside aeroplane

                                                                        camp.

                                                                        M.T. no longer halted on the main OSTEND

                                                                        – THOUROUT road.  No other change in

                                                                        aeroplane camp.

(b). 1 engine moving S.

12-25. p.m.    OSTEND.                             Half rolling stock gone from siding S.E. of

                                                                        town.  Rolling stock for about 8 trains in rly

                                                                        station.  Rolling stock for 1 ½ trains on

                                                                        Quay of Harbour.

                                                                        Boom replaced across harbour.

                                                                        3 vessels in harbour which were not there

                                                                        yesterday.  One seemed like a steam

                                                                        trawler, the others like steam barges.

12-30. p.m.    MIDDELKERKE.                  About 20 M.T. vehicles in streets.  One

motor arriving from OSTEND, two from WESTENDE. 

(sd) H. Roche.  Lieut.

            Observer.

Reconnaissance No. 771                                                                   21^st November, 1914.

Aeroplane: B.E. 2 No. 396.                                                                  

Squadron: No. 2.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. van der Spuy;

Observer: Flight-Serg’t. Kemper;                                       Reference Map:  1/20,000

Hour commenced: 10-5 a.m.

Hour concluded:    11-25 a.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

10-40 a.m.     NEUVE CHAPELLE            Village appeared empty; Wood S.E. of

village clear.  Houses E. of 2^nd E in CHAPELLE, full of troops & transport.

8 Gun pits facing S.W. ¼” to N. of SS in BUSSIE.

Trenches appear to have been joined together into line from cross roads N of NEUVE CHAPELLE up to N in MIN du PIETRE, and from there for about a mile on either side of ditch from MIN du PIETRE to ½” N. of last T in TRIVELET, there crossing the ditch and going E for about ½ mile, and from there in a N.E. direction.

11-0 a.m.       VER TOUQUET Fe             A cavalry regiment halted W. of road S. of

                                                                        House.  6 gun pits ¼“ S.E. of e in Fe.

11-10 a.m.     PONTDE PIERRE.              Large Gunpits (occupied) S. of O in PONT

                                                                        facing N.W.

11-15 a.m.     FOURNES.                           Large gunpits reported yesterday to be S. of

OCRON are actually ¼“ N. of Ist O in OCRON, facing almost due W.

About 30 Motor vehicles on road FOURNES – PAYS PERDU, leaving FOURNES.

 * All roads in area appear to have been used, but are now clear.

(Signed) : J. Kemper, Fl’t Serg’t.,

            Observer.

Reconnaissance No. 770                                                                   21^st November 1914.

Aeroplane:                                                                      

Squadron No.  5.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. Strange;

Observer: Capt. Arkwright;                         Reference Map:  1/40,000 – 36).

Hour commenced: 11-5 a.m.

Hour concluded:    .1-30 p.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

12-10 p.m.     QUESNOY.                           30 or 40 Motor Wagons moving into

QUESNOY from S.E. on QUESNOY – LILLE road.

About 30 or 40 parked at QUESNOY.

 12-25 p.m.    LILLE.                                     About ten hangats on Aerodrome; dropped

                                                                        6 bombs.

12-35 P.M.     LOMME.                                 Signs of large cavalry bivouacs; dropped 6

                                                                        bombs.

12-45 p.m.     FOURNES                            Signs of a number of bivouacs in and

                                                                        around FOURNES.

(Signed): F.J. Arkwright, Capt.

            Observer.

Reconnaissance No. 769                                                                   21^st November 1914.

Aeroplane:                                                                      

Squadron No.  2.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. H. de Havilland

Observer: Lieut. Bewes.                                         Reference Map:  Merville   )

Hour commenced:   10-10 a.m.,                                                       La Bassee) 1/40,000

Hour concluded:    12-0 a.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

11-0 a.m.       ESTASIRES –                      Trench ¼ mile South of of U in AVOUE.

                        LA BASSEE                          Communication trench leading from it to

another trench in rear.

Gun pits on each side of main road, ½ mile W.N.W. of R in RUE des TRANCHANT.  Those West of road occupied.

The pits on East side of road were unoccupied, except the four Easternmost ones.

Gun pits ¾ mile W.N.W. of L in LORGIES occupied.

 11-0 a.m.      LA QUINQUE RUE.             Enemy’s trenches immediately

North & South of L in LA QUINQUE RUE have been sapped within a few yards of our trenches.

11-0 a.m.       RUE d’OUVERT.                  Unoccupied trenches on East side of

village.

11-15              CHlle ST. ROCH.                 Unoccupied trenches between this village

and VIOLAINES.

Unoccupied Gun pits at E of BEAU PUITS.

Unoccupied Gun pits at T of LE TILLEUL.

Unoccupied trenches ½ mile South of G in LORGIES on South side of the road.

11-15 a.m.     LA BASSEE.                         Unoccupied trenches East of LORGIES.                        

11-40 a.m.     NEUVE CHAPPELLE.        The fields between the BOIS DU BIEZ and

HALPEGARBE road appeared to have been crossed by troops, as the snow has been trampled in.

The roads leading from LIGNY LE PETIT to the LA BASSEE – WICRES road were not white, and looked as if they had been used a good deal.

(Signed): R.C.H. Bewes, Lieut.

            Observer.

Reconnaissance No. 768                                                                   21^st November 1914.

Aeroplane: Avro – No. 637.                                                                              

Squadron No.  5.                                                                                                      

Pilot:  Lieut. Brock.

Observer: Lieut. Penn-Gaskell.                                         Reference Map:  1/40,000

Hour commenced:  9-10 a.m.,

Hour concluded:    10-30 a.m.

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Time                                       Place                          OBSERVATION

—————————————————————————————————————-

9-40 a.m.       WYTSCHAETE                    Indications that troops have been moving

about in the snow outside the village of OOSTTAVERNE.  No movements of troops now.  Emplacements & trenches on att. sketch.

                        HOLLEBEKE.                       Indications that a large number of horses

have been exercised from South side of town to North side of HOUTHEM.  No movement of troops now.  Emplacements for six guns, facing S.W. at Pt. 58 N.E. of wood ½ mile S.W. of H in HOLLEBEKE.  also two other groups of Emplacements for six guns each, facing same direction as above and about 200 yards & 400 yards distance respectively.  All Emplacements close to East side of wood.

                        WARNETON                         ) No movement of troops or signs that there

                        BAS-WARNETON               ) have been any movements in the snow.

                        DEULEMONT                       )

MESSINES                           Emplacements & trenches shown on att. sketch.

(Signed): L. Penn-Gaskell, Lieut., R.F.C.

Observer.

Sketch on separate sheet.

G.S.O.2.

            R.F.C.

            The following work carried out:-

1. Brock & Penn-Gaskell.  Gun & Tactical Rec. North, successful.

• Carmichael & Small.  Obs. Art. Fire, twice with Heavies partially successful – the snow made it difficult.  I went to battery with observer afterwards.

• Strange & Arkwright.  Gun Rec. South.  It is believed that some of the 6 bombs dropped on LILLE station took effect; successful.

• Brock & Small.  Special tactical Rec. ordered by H.Q. 111 A.C. successful.

• Glanville & Small.  Gun Rec. South – failed through strength of wind.

(Sd) A.C.W. Mac Lean.

Major.

No. 5 Squadron R.F.C.

21/11/14.

————————————-

23A

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENEMY. 21-11-14.

**************************

Enclosed in original.

(Sd) G.M.W. MACDONOGH.

Brigadier General,

General Staff.

I

21-11-14.

O.C.

            No. 3 Squadron.

The following reconnaissance (strategical) is required:

LILLE – SECLIN – DOUAI – LENS back.

(Sd) W. Salmond.

Major. G.S.

21/11/14.