Lives of the First World War

8th April 1917

Logan’s De Havilland DH4 bomber was shot down on 8th April 1917 and his Observer was badly wounded. Disastrously 55 Squadron suffered three aircraft losses on this day, which were the first losses to be suffered by the unit in combat. Four aircraft had originally taken off to bomb the HQ of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria at Mons but sadly two aircraft were shot down when returning from the action, while the third was hit by AA fire. The combat casualties were claimed by Lt Karl Schaefer of JASTA 11 (Jagdstaffel 11 – No 11 Fighter Squadron), otherwise known as the famous ‘Flying Circus’ of Baron Manfred Von Richthofen, ‘The Red Baron’, who also took part in the dogfight. Schaefer was trained to a high standard in aerial combat techniques by Richthofen, becoming close friends. By the time of Schaefer’s own death he had amassed his own score of 30 allied aircraft destroyed.

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