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the air, and our machines, in many instances, either drove the enemy from his hiding place, or so disorganised him with the aid of bombs and machine gun fire, that the opposition encountered by our advancing troops was considerably weaker that it would otherwise have been. The information provided in these 'aerial Bulletins" placed those directing our operations in a position to develop their plans, and at the same time successfully guard against the terrible traps into which our men might easily have fallen in country of this nature under other circumstances.
Our troops, despite the stubborn resistance encountered rapidly dislodged the enemy and drove him down the JUDEAN slopes into the JORDON VALLEY. JERICHO was entered by our forces on the morning of the 21st, and the Turk driven to the bank of the JORDON.
PHOTOGRAPHY: One of the most noteworthy features in the work of this period, was the amount of photography done by the Squadron, notably in January, when a record of the front was created. When our Observers commenced to reconnoitre the country to the North of JAFFA, LUDD and JERUSALEM, it soon became apparent to them that the maps we held of this territory were in many respects inaccurate. The position of important roads, villages, etc. was wrongly shown, while other points of military significance located by our observers did not appear at all. As an outcome of this disclosure, it was decided to obtain an overlapping series of photographers with the object of re-mapping the whole of this locality. It represented the area of 624 square miles, extending to a distance of 32 miles behind the enemy's lines. The task was allocated to the 1st Squadron and was entered upon on January 15th. Five machines (Martinaydes and B.E. 12. A's - were detailed for the work, the Pilots being Lieutenants A.R. Brown, H.L. Fraser, E.P. Kenny, L.W. Taplin, L.W. Rogers. They were escorted by three Bristol Fighters flown by Capt. S.W. Addison with Lieut H. Fysh (Observer) Capt. R.M. Smith M.C. and Lieut. E.A. Mustard (Observer) and Capt. Hicks and Lieut. Hartley (Observer). The last named Pilot and Observer were from No. 111 Squadron R.F.C. The photographic machines flew in line 1000 yards apart, at a height of 12,000 feet, thereby ensuring an overlap between each set of exposures.
The work was completed within 14 days despite very unfavorable weather conditions. In one instance the machines went off in a high gale, the velocity of which, at 5,000 feet, was estimated at 65 m.p.h. On occasions certain portions of the area were found to be obscured by clouds. These spots were re-visited by the same pilots later during the day, and the photographs required to fill in the 'gaps' were obtained.
At one stage of this work the camer[a] of Lieut. Taplin's machine (B.E. 12A) jambed. Being unable to remedy the trouble by immediate action, he proceeded to take it to pieces, meantime flying his machine with the control stick between his knees. While thus engaged he was attacked by two Albatross Scouts. He engaged the enemy forcing one down, the second being driven off by the escort. He then rectified the defect in his camera, re-assembled it and restored it to its place on the outside of his fuselage, and competed the photography of his allotted 'strip' of territory. For this he was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
On the same occasion - January 16th – when our photographic machines were in the vicinity of JENIN Aerodrome, Lieut. H.L. Fraser, who was flying a Martinayde, was attacked by an Albatross Scout. He engaged the enemy machine which was ultimately driven down on the JENIN Aerdrom[e] by the escort. During this engagement Lieut. Fraser's machine received several bullets, one of which passed through the fuselage, entering two inches behind the pilot's seat. A second bullet hit one of the instruments in the cockpit.
By completing this task in the time stated the Squadron created a record for the whole front. Some idea of the amount of labor it entailed may be gathered from the fact that 39 photographic reconnaissances were carried out, 1616 plates exposed from which 7783 prints were produced. From these prints the Survey Section were able to produce a new series of maps of the whole of this territory, accurate to the smallest detail.