19 replies to this topic

[paul_adam]

Hi, probably going to be a quick answer to this, but what is/was an N.F. Patrol? I've got some papers on an airman I'm researching, and they include extracts from his Log Book, from his time in France. Quite a few references to being on N.F. Patrols. This was during September and October 1918. One reference is to having "sent one N.F. on a battery at the edge of Menin but it wasn't answered."

Also mention of C.A.P. which I would guess is another type of Patrol, perhaps Combat Air Patrol?

Further references in the diary are to being 'archied' which I think means hit by anti aircraft guns.

Any help most welcome!

Thanks, Paul

[MikeMeech]

Hi Paul
A N.F. call is where the aircraft sends a wireless message to the friendly artillery it is operating with to call down artillery fire onto enemy guns that are firing from a certain position.  In this case it appears they could not contact friendly artillery.
The C.A.P. means 'Counter Attack Patrol' which was an 'out growth' of the 'Contact Patrol'.  the Duties of the CAP aeroplane were:
1. To report on the enemy's dispositions and defences.
2. To locate the position of the enemy's front line and to watch for movements of reserves, massing of troops for counter attack, minenwerfer, machine-guns and strong points holding up our advance and targets of such nature.
3. To call for concentrated fire (LL call) or barrage fire (SOS call)when required by the situation.
(This information is from the Appendix 'B'- 'Co-operation between Aircraft and Infantry' dated April 1918, which was to be read as part of SS 135 - 'The Training and Employment of Divisions, 1918)
CAP aeroplane's would also on occasion use their own machine-guns and light bombs to disrupt the enemy.
'Archie' was the British term for anti-aircraft fire.
I hope that helps.

Mike

[paul_adam]

Many Thanks Mike, that is really helpful, there are so many abbreviations used it takes a while to get to grips with it.  I did manage 'engine conked' by myself though.

Paul

[Trevor Henshaw]

Paul and Mike,

These patrol acronyms can be tricky at times.  On Casualty reports I have seen NF Patrol spelt out as being a "Neutralising Fire Patrol".

Similarly, I have definitely seen CAP represent "Counter-Artillery Patrol".  Namely, CAP can be more than one thing, as I agree with Mike it was also used for "Counter Attack Patrol."

Context is important.  Sometimes unravelling exact meanings of patrol acronyms is very tricky!

Regards,

Trevor

[paul_adam]

Thanks Trevor,

the references to N.F's include.....

"Sent a call on a train near Quesnoy...train cleared off"

"Saw train running SW from Courtrai. Small explosions in Quesnoy. Saw two flashes South of Werviecq, but could not locate them and they did not fire again".

"Saw a tremendous lot of trains. Sent one NF on a battery at the edge of Menin but it wasnt answered."

"Fires all along the Lys from Comines to Menin. Dropped bombs at Roncq and fired Machine Gun at it. Pulled out at 150 mph. Griffiths sent some NF's"

to CAP'S includes....

"CAP with Griffiths at 7.45 am. Dropped bombs on Menin"...."Dropped our messages all in the right place for the first time"

also one extract from a letter in which he wrote "It would be very nice if only they would give us a flying machine instead of a three-ton lorry to take up"

Regards, Paul

[Trevor Henshaw]

Hi Paul,
Very interesting to see and read the original entries.  Regarding these particular CAP patrols these very much sound like what Mike was describing, don't they?

Regards,

Trevor

[centurion]

The NF entries chime with reports from British armoured cars which were penetrating German rear areas at about the same time and seeing large numbers of trains as the Germans attempted to withdraw ammunition, guns and vehicles in the hope of establishing a new defensive line, if only to buy time and provide some sort of bargaining position for the negotiation of a better armistice deal. It looks as if the RAF were flying patrols to hinder this by calling down fire on the trains and possibly doing some shooting up themselves.
Interestingly one can find accounts of the Tactical Air Force involved in doing much the same in 1945 except that Typhoons could do a lot more in the shooting up department.

[Trevor Henshaw]

The CAPs, ie Counter attack patrols, appear to really get going from April 1918.  There are half a dozen mentions of them in Cas Reps Aug-Sep-Oct 1917, but may well be "the other sort"!  Certainly from April '18 onwards, though, there are about three dozen aircraft reporting casualties in action on these patrols through to the Armistice.  Ground fire and combat seem the most cited cause.

So it would be interesting to know the dates of some of your quotes Paul.

Regards,

Trevor

[paul_adam]

Trevor Henshaw, on 13 June 2012 - 06:12 PM, said:

Hi Paul,
Very interesting to see and read the original entries.  Regarding these particular CAP patrols these very much sound like what Mike was describing, don't they?

Regards,

Trevor

They do Trevor, and it is very interesting to start to get a clear picture of exactly why he was doing what he was doing. Your point about acronyms is still valid. I've been through quite a few different records for army, air and navy and all have something that requires a bit of detective work. A godsend to have this forum with so many helpful and knowledgable people. I will see what else I can find in the papers that might be of interest on here. Regards, Paul

centurion, on 13 June 2012 - 06:46 PM, said:

The NF entries chime with reports from British armoured cars which were penetrating German rear areas at about the same time and seeing large numbers of trains as the Germans attempted to withdraw ammunition, guns and vehicles in the hope of establishing a new defensive line, if only to buy time and provide some sort of bargaining position for the negotiation of a better armistice deal. It looks as if the RAF were flying patrols to hinder this by calling down fire on the trains and possibly doing some shooting up themselves.
Interestingly one can find accounts of the Tactical Air Force involved in doing much the same in 1945 except that Typhoons could do a lot more in the shooting up department.

Thank you centurion, that makes interesting reading, and helps fit things into the bigger picture. I understand that even at that stage of the War (end September 1918), and with and end not certain, offensives were still being planned for 1919 by the Allies, although the Germans had started considering an Armistice. Regards, Paul

[paul_adam]

Trevor Henshaw, on 13 June 2012 - 08:23 PM, said:

The CAPs, ie Counter attack patrols, appear to really get going from April 1918.  There are half a dozen mentions of them in Cas Reps Aug-Sep-Oct 1917, but may well be "the other sort"!  Certainly from April '18 onwards, though, there are about three dozen aircraft reporting casualties in action on these patrols through to the Armistice.  Ground fire and combat seem the most cited cause.

So it would be interesting to know the dates of some of your quotes Paul.

Regards,

Trevor

Those are all dated end September / start October Trevor. The airman, George Whitehead, only arrived in France at that time (having spent prior time in the Artillery) and was killed when he was shot down mid-October. Regards, Paul

[MikeMeech]

Hi All
There is the problem of terminology when comparing the use of the 'Counter Attack Patrol' over time.  This appears to change even though the role is basically the same.  During 1916 the Instructions for 'Contact Patrols' include this task as part of the aeroplanes role on an 'ordinary' Contact Patrol.  During 1917 the CAP task is called in documents a 'Special Contact Patrol'.  This appears to indicate that a separate aeroplane, apart from the allocated Contact Patrol machines, are undertaking this task. It is only in 1918 (I think the April 1918 document is the first to lay down this title officially although the term may already have been in use) that the term 'Counter Attack Patrol' is used, therefore any losses would only appear under this title then.  In 1917 the losses due to undertaking this task would probably be down as Contact Patrols.  Of course in later 1918 the Counter Attack Patrol task would probably be almost continuous over the battlefield as the Germans retreated (as would the Contact Patrol keeping the HQs informed of where friendly troops were).  Also the aircraft engaged would probably have more opportunity to use their own weapons against the enemy as warfare became more 'open'.

Mike

[centurion]

paul_adam, on 13 June 2012 - 08:25 PM, said:

. I understand that even at that stage of the War (end September 1918), and with and end not certain, offensives were still being planned for 1919 by the Allies, although the Germans had started considering an Armistice. Regards, Paul

Both sides had a 'Plan 1919' The Allied plan included round the clock strategic bombing (Americans by day in Vimys escorted by  a long range version of the Snipe; RAF by night with HP V/1500s). Massive tank attacks with the Mk VIII as the breakthrough tank with Renault FTs, Medium Cs (and Ds) and American 6 ton tanks exploiting this. The German plan also involved massive tank attacks but as the Germans simply did not have the resources to build huge numbers of tanks this was pure fantasy as were ideas like Zeppelin raids on New York. Ludendorff's hope was if the German army could achieve a stable defensive position and face the Allies with the prospect of the war going on to 1919 he could secure a favourable armistice and give German diplomats the possibility of getting something out of the peace treaty negotiations. The 'allies' were keeping the Germans on the run so this would not happen and Whitehead was playing a part in this.

[Trevor Henshaw]

MikeMeech, on 13 June 2012 - 09:07 PM, said:

Hi All
There is the problem of terminology when comparing the use of the 'Counter Attack Patrol' over time.  This appears to change even though the role is basically the same.  During 1916 the Instructions for 'Contact Patrols' include this task as part of the aeroplanes role on an 'ordinary' Contact Patrol.  During 1917 the CAP task is called in documents a 'Special Contact Patrol'.  This appears to indicate that a separate aeroplane, apart from the allocated Contact Patrol machines, are undertaking this task. It is only in 1918 (I think the April 1918 document is the first to lay down this title officially although the term may already have been in use) that the term 'Counter Attack Patrol' is used, therefore any losses would only appear under this title then.  In 1917 the losses due to undertaking this task would probably be down as Contact Patrols.  Of course in later 1918 the Counter Attack Patrol task would probably be almost continuous over the battlefield as the Germans retreated (as would the Contact Patrol keeping the HQs informed of where friendly troops were).  Also the aircraft engaged would probably have more opportunity to use their own weapons against the enemy as warfare became more 'open'.

Mike

Hi Mike,

From your informed comments I am suspecting the 1917 "CAPs" may well have been the "counter-artillery" type, as from what you describe the term as relating to Counter attack patrols wasn't then in use.   They were happening on days when other machines from the units were doing direct co-operation work with artillery.  So I suspect they weren't Contact Patrols - these seem to get very commonly called up as such.

Really good to get the benefit of your knowledge on this as I had not got the "counter-attack patrol" role completely clear in my head before.

Regards,

Trevor

[MikeMeech]

Hi Trevor

Well the problem we all have is to remember that changes were occurring all the time during WW1 as the system evolved.  Even minor things like the meaning of C.A.P. have to be looked at in the context of the time it is used, it has a different meaning in today's aviation world of course.
I have attached an extract of an 'after-action' report on the Second Army Offensive during 1917 relating to 'Special Contact Patrols' (AIR1/918/204/5/879)  I will follow this with part of a 1918 report on the 'Counter Attack Patrol'.

Mike

[MikeMeech]

Hi
That attachment appears not to have worked.  Try again.

 cpgrd 393.jpg   87.07K   0 downloads

[MikeMeech]

Hi Trevor

Now the extract from 'Notes on Corps Squadron work during the Somme Offensive August 1918' relating to the 'Counter Attack Patrol'.  See you in York Trevor.

Mike

 cpgrd 396.jpg   86.69K   0 downloads

[MikeMeech]

Hi

Here is another example of Counter Attack Patrol work stating that it was combined with Artillery Patrol work, dated 14.9.18.  The document is 'Notes on Corps Squadrons work on the First and Third Army Fronts during recent operations' (AIR1/725/97/2).  It does indicate problems that we have when defining what these missions consisted of as it appears they were very flexible.

Mike

 cpgrd 397.jpg   54.53K   0 downloads

[nils d]

Trevor Henshaw, on 13 June 2012 - 11:53 AM, said:

Paul and Mike,

These patrol acronyms can be tricky at times.  

Context is important.  Sometimes unravelling exact meanings of patrol acronyms is very tricky!

Regards,

Trevor

lts "neutralisation fire " just to answer the question properly.
as Trevor says it has to be read in context , some folk might think this pilot is shooting at some Northumberland Fusilers !

[MikeMeech]

Hi nils d

Strictly speaking sending 'NFs' as related to in this thread does not mean 'Neutralizing Fire' although it will tend to have this effect when shells land near the enemy battery.  These are wireless 'Calls';  'NF' call means the target is - "Guns Firing in position at...", an 'NT' call means the target is - "Guns not firing at...".  A 'WPNF' call means the target is - "Many batteries in square-active (followed by location of square).  All these calls had precise meanings which had to be adhered to so as to avoid any confusion.  All laid down in SS.131 'Co-operation of Aircraft with Artillery', which I think has been discussed on the forum in the past.
That said the effect of all these 'calls' would more probably be to 'Neutralize' rather than 'Destroy' the enemy battery, which at the very least would have to move.  At this stage of the war it is unlikely they would be in gun pits as they would be moving quite a lot.

I hope that is of use.

Mike

[centurion]

German guns were finding it increasingly difficult to move due a shortage of traction both animal and mechanical.