Ross Smith, image courtesy State Library of South Australia B6101
Smith, Ross – November 1917
Nov. 1st.
The Beersheba troops pushed forward at once on the Turkish flank and attacked the Sharia-Hariera position from the South… I went out with Winter-Irving just before dark & did a recco. & landed back home in the dark.
Nov. 2nd.
Took photos of trenches at Hariera & Sharia. Each day during these operations we went out and took photos of the position that was being attacked. As soon as we got home the plates were developed & prints made and handed to a man from the Survey Dept… If the photos showed any new trench work or gun positions it was sketched in on the trench map & then another photo was taken of the amended trench map & these photos were sent out to the troops attacking. By this means the Staff knew exactly any alterations the enemy made in his defensive system…
Nov. 3rd. 4th. & 5th.
I was out each day taking photos of the Sharia defences …
Nov. 6th.
Austin & I started out to take the same old photos of the Sharia trenches in the afternoon. We found 3 Hun Scouts patrolling over Sharia at 9,000ft. We were on BEIZA’s and at once attacked but as usual we had no hope from the start. The Huns split up & while I was engaging two of them the third got right on my tail & I could not get him off. He shot up a longeron, a main span & skinned my leg with a bullet, so I had no option but to put my machine into a spin. I flattened out at 3,000 ft. Austin saw me spin & did the same & the Huns did not follow us down as they evidently thought they had got us. It was the first time we had ever failed to get our photos but it did not matter a bit as we captured Sharia a few hours later. In one way we did ourselves a good turn as from then onwards we were never sent across the lines without a Bristol Fighter escort. …
Nov. 7th.
Our Infantry were in Gaza early in the morning & at once consolidated the positions and pressed forward after the Turks… At 2 o’clock in the afternoon every available machine was collected & loaded up with bombs to harass the retreating enemy. It was a great sight. I led the formation on an old 2E and altogether there were 32 machines. We all met over Belah aerodrome & set off along the coast. … just N. of the Wadi Hesy we found the Turks in large numbers. It was good bombing & we were told afterwards that the raid killed about 700 Turks…
Nov. 8th.
It was a great day for the Flying Corps. Early in the morning we found the Huns very busy trying to remove a Squadron & its stores from an aerodrome at Arak el Menshiye. We made 2 raids on them with about 30 machines on each raid. I led both raids in my 12 A & it was the best show I’ve ever been on. The railway station was packed with rolling stock & there were about 14 hangars as well as numerous large tents. We bombed from 3 to 4000 ft. and did great damage. We found out later that they had to burn all their stores, 5 machines, all their hangars, tents & kits. It was a new Squadron which had just arrived & they were only erecting their machines when we attacked them…
We flew out over our own advancing troops & some of the L.H. told us afterwards that it bucked the troops up tremendously.
Nov. 9th.
We had orders that we were to break the Turks railway at el Tine if possible. Four of us set out … We bombed from 7,000 ft & I quite surprised myself–my first bomb landed just beside the line between the station buildings & the water tower & made a great mess. The second bomb appeared to land right on the track but only the detonator exploded so did no damage. We heard afterwards that my first bomb hit a gun which was going to be put on a train & also “splashed” several Turks over the surrounding landscape…
Nov. 12th.
I made 2 trips to Junction Station with 2–112lb. bombs each time. We were trying to damage the line & so capture the rolling stock in Junction Station. On the first raid one of my bombs burst just outside a large shed in the station & the other failed to explode. On the second raid I miss the line with both bombs
Nov. 13th.
I had a day off & went out with the Major & Sutherland in the touring car. We had a most interesting day & went up to where our advanced troops were in touch with the Turkish rear guard about Kustinch. It was interesting seeing the old trenches & gun positions at Gaza & the hundreds of old shells lying about. … All along the road were evidences of the Turks retreat, broken transport, ammunition & dead animals were very plentiful…
Nov. 15th
Started out on a reco in an R.E 8 but had to return with engine trouble. About this time we had a supply of inferior petrol and had a lot of trouble with it…
Nov. 17th.
Reco of Jerusalem, Nablus & Jaffa with Sutherland …. we dropped 4 bombs among some camels at Nablus.
Nov. 18th.-26th
Various recos…
Nov. 27th.
I went out on photos with Austin. We were taking the trenches East of Jerusalem and between us we mapped about 45 sq. miles of country. I exposed 72 plates…
Nov. 28th.
I took Major Ferguson up to Ramleh in the 2 E… A pilot of 14 Sqdn. had just landed there with his observer (Roxborough) dead. They had been shot up by a Hun scout…
Nov. 29th.
Eleven of our machines bombed Tul Keram station in the morning. I was leading in my old 12 A & just before we crossed the lines the engine began to give trouble. As I was leading I did not like to turn back & was sorry I did not soon afterwards. They archied us pretty heavily & after I had pulled off 4 bombs my engine cut right out. To add to my troubles 2 guns had just picked me out and were doing good shooting. After losing 2,000 ft. I finally managed to get the engine going again at about 4,000 ft. & made for home. I’ve never had such a “windy” trip & was very glad to be back on our side of the lines again. Late in the afternoon I tested my machine again. Everything went well until I got about 20 ft. off the ground then she cut right out. I was faced with a row of tents & just beyond them a railway with a telegraph line beside it. I managed to “zoom” the tents & then put my nose down intending to go through the wires & perhaps make some sort of a landing. Unfortunately I hit a big telegraph post, anchored on all 4 sides and carrying 17 wires. There was a fine crash & the machine a total wreck. I got off with a hole in my leg & a few bits of skin off. The Doc. stitched my leg up & put a splint on it. I was very sorry to lose my old machine (B.E.12A No. A6338) … I had done about 55 hours on it and used it all through the advance and until this day it had never let me down once…
Nov. 30th.-Dec 4th
I was unable to do any flying in on account of my leg…
