Ian Dermid Campbell was born 12 October 1898 to John Stuart Campbell, South African Merchant, and Mary Ann Campbell. Ian’s birth certificate states that he was born at 13 Lonsdale Terrace, Edinburgh, but his birth was registered in the parish of Dunning, the family home being, Innerdunning House. Ian was educated at Dollar Academy, boarding with a Dr. Butchart from 1909 to 1913. In the supplement to the London Gazette, 29 May 1917, under the General List for the Royal Flying Corp, Cadet Ian Dermid Campbell was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (on probation).
On the morning of 30 November 1917, 24 Squadron Royal Flying Corps had nineteen Airco D.H.5 aircraft on charge. Second Lieutenant Ian Dermid Campbell of 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corp, took off at 12.15pm in an Airco DH.5, A9509. Having moved down from the coast, Royal Flying Corp 24 Squadron had just commenced patrols over the Cambrai salient.
Captain Bernard Paul Gascoigne Beanlands 24 Squadron’s Counter Offensive Patrol was attacked by Jagdstaffel 11 east of Bourlon. Second Lieutenant Ian Dermid Campbell was shot down by Leutnant Hans-Georg von der Osten of Jagdstaffel 11 at 12.45pm, who claimed this as his fourth victory. Captain Beanland was seen engaged with an enemy aircraft over Bourlon Wood at 13.00pm. Captain Beanland was killed in a flying accident on 8 May 1919 at Northolt.
Second Lieutenant Ian Dermid Campbell is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial in the Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery and at Dollar Academy. Ian’s father and mother are buried in St. Serf’s Church graveyard, Dunning (F 358) Inscription: “In loving memory of JOHN STUART CAMPBELL who died 10th Dec. 1909 aged 52 years and his wife MARY ANNE BREWSTER who died 9th Oct. 1912 aged 54 years. Also, their son 2nd Lt. IAN D. CAMPBELL, R.F.C., missing 30th Nov. 1917 aged 19 – Erected by the family”.
Ian Dermid was killed during the Battle of Cambrai (20 November 1917 – 7 December 1917). This was the first large-scale, effective use of tanks in warfare. The Tank Corps deployed its entire strength of 476 machines, of which more than 350 were armed fighting tanks. One day after the battle began, church bells in England were ringing for the great breakthrough at Cambrai. Initially it was very successful with large gains of ground being made, but with no fewer than 179 tanks being destroyed, disabled, or broken down. By the afternoon, the attack had already lost its early impetus and German reserves eventually brought the advance to a halt. Ten days later (30 November 1917), a counter-attack by the Germans regained much of the ground. British forces during the period of the Battle of Cambrai suffered 75,681 casualties, 10,042 killed or died of wounds, 48,702 wounded and 16,987 missing or prisoners of war. The stalemate of trench warfare was to continue.
Statement issued by General Headquarters, 1st December 1917:
“On November 30th, clouds were at a height of 2,000 ft. all day, but our aeroplanes were out continuously co-operating with the other arms in the counter-attacks against the enemy south-west of Cambrai. Our artillery machines, in addition to registering our guns, located, and reported over 200 hostile batteries. The bombing machines concentrated their efforts on troops and transport collected in the villages in rear of the battle, dropping over 200 bombs. The enemy’s troops and transport moving on roads behind the fighting also offered good targets to our scout pilots, who fired over 15,000 rounds at them from their machine guns. The fighting in the air was very severe and resulted greatly in our favour. Fifteen hostile machines were brought down, and three others were driven down out of control. Seven of our machines are missing.”
Royal Flying Corp Communiqué number 116:
“Very hard fighting took on the ground all day. Machines of the 3rd Brigade co-operated with our troops by carrying out reconnaissance’s, contact patrols, bombing and firing at ground targets all day, although clouds were very low.
Machines of the 3rd Brigade carried out 19 contact patrols and the 2nd Brigade one counter-attack patrol.”
In all, 20,000 rounds were fired from the air, 4,000 being by Corps machines of the 3rd Brigade and over 11,000 by Scout Squadrons, which dropped 88 25-lb bombs, while Corps machines dropped 23 25-lb bombs.
With aeroplane observation, seven hostile batteries were successfully engaged for destruction and four were neutralised, three-gun pits were destroyed, two damaged, six explosions and a fire caused. 276 active hostile batteries were reported by zone call, 203 of these being by the 3rd Brigade.
Twenty targets were registered by balloons, 18 being by the 2nd Brigade, while balloons of the 14th Wing located three active hostile batteries and reported ten trains opposite their front.
In addition to the bombs dropped by the 3rd Brigade, No 2 Squadron dropped four 25-lb bombs on billets; the 2nd Brigade dropped 39 25-lb bombs on various targets; No 48 Squadron dropped four 25-lb bombs on various targets and No 25 Squadron attacked Oisy-le-Verger on which 10 112-lb bombs were dropped from 2,000 feet, while one pilot went down to 500 feet before releasing his bombs. No 27 Squadron dropped seven 112-lb bombs on Marquion from about 6,000 feet. The raids by Nos 25 and 27 Squadrons were carried out by machines flying singly or in pairs through clouds.
NOTES: Second Lieutenant Ian Dermid Campbell’s aircraft, Airco DH.5 was a presentation aircraft. During WW1 individuals and groups around the Commonwealth were invited to contribute a nominal sum towards the war effort in return for which an aircraft would be inscribed with a name of their choice. Ian’s DH.5 was donated by North China residents and marked on the fuselage, North China Aeroplane.
The Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 11 or Jasta 11 became the most successful fighter squadron of the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force). Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, the Red Baron became the commanding officer of Jasta 11 on 16 January 1917. One 26 July 1917 Jasta 11 became part of Jagdgeschwader 1 (“The Flying Circus” (German: Der Fliegende Zirkus)), a collection of four Jasta’s into one administrative and highly mobile tactical force. Leutnant Hans-Georg August von der Osten took Acting Command of Jagdstaffel 11 from 19 January 1918 to 16 February 1918. He was given command of Jagdstaffel 4 on 26 March 1918. Osten was shot down and wounded on 28 March 1918 and finished the war as an ace credited with five victories. During World War II he commanded all the Luftwaffe bases in Germany. Jagdstaffel 11 were based at Avesnes-le-Sec, Cambrai from 22 November 1917 to 19 March 1918. The pilots of Jasta 11 included Manfred’s brothers, Lothar and Wolfram, Kurt Wolff, Ernst Udet and Hermann Göring. Leutnant Hans-Georg August von der Osten passed away on 27 March 1987.
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, the Red Baron in an Albatross D.V (4963/17) shot down near Mœuvres at 14.30pm on 30 November 1917, Lieutenant Donald Argyle Douglas Ian MacGregor from Leith, RFC 41 Squadron who was on an unknown ‘special mission’ flying a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a (B644). This was Richthofen’s 63rd victory. The shooting down on this day of Captain R T Townsend in a S.E. 5a by Richthofen on this day is incorrect. He was shot down by Leutnant Josef Mai at 15.48pm near Le Pave (possibly Le Pavé Gourmand about 40Km north of Cambrai).
Lieutenant Cornell in Airco DH5 (A9532), of RFC 68 squadron left the aerodrome at Baizieux at 8:40am on a ‘special mission’ over Bourlon Wood. His machine was shot down by enemy aircraft and was unsalvable. His aircraft was reported missing for a day until he turned up at the aerodrome, after spending an exciting 24 hours in a heavily shelled position.
Royal Flying Corp 24 Squadron was formed on 1 September 1915 at Hounslow Heath, they moved to France in February 1916. They were the first squadron to operate the Airco DH.2 fighter. The ‘pusher’ design of the DH.2 meant that its fixed forward firing machine gun was unobstructed by a propeller, and it therefore played a large part in defeating the ‘Fokker Scourge’. Airco DH.5s arrived in May 1917 and the following December these were replaced by the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a, which they operated until the end of the war.
The Airco DH.5 was a single-seat biplane fighter aircraft. It was designed and manufactured at British aviation company Airco. Development was led by aircraft designer Geoffrey de Havilland. The DH.5 was one of the first British fighters designed with the improved Constantinesco gun synchronizer, which allowed a forward-firing machine gun to fire through the propeller faster and more reliably than the older mechanical systems.
Earlier that day Captain James Thomas Byford McCudden, VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, of 56 Squadron, a flying ace of the First World War and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history, was also flying above Bourlon Wood in a Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5. On 30 November 1917, McCudden with other pilots drove away enemy machines from over Bourlon and then attacked two German two-seater aircraft: “At 11.15 saw 2 enemy aircraft two-seaters coming West over Fontaine (Fontaine-Notre-Dame). I secured a good position behind front enemy aircraft and fired a good burst from both guns. Enemy aircraft’s engine stopped, and water streamed from radiator. As enemy aircraft glided West, I let him land O.K. and then landed myself, as enemy aircraft gunner had hit my engine with explosive bullet. Enemy aircraft landed Southeast of Havrincourt intact with exception of bullet holes. The pilot badly wounded. Placed guard on enemy aircraft.”
British Flying Ace Major Lanoe George Hawker VC, DSO (30 December 1890 – 23 November 1916) was in command of RFC 24 Squadron from early 1916 until his death when he was shot down by Leutnant Manfred von Richthofen of Jasta 2.
Sopwith Camel pilot Lieutenant John Watson McCash from Perth, 3 Squadron RFC was killed on 20 November 1917 also over Bourlon Wood during the Battle of Cambrai.
