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SE 5 A8918 of Capt Edric W Broadberry, Estrée Blanche, France, July 1917

This distinctively marked SE 5 was flown by Capt Broadberry, who was at its controls when he was shot down on 14 July 1917. Such marking were rarely seen on SE 5/5as in France, A8918 being one of a number of N° 56 Sqn scouts decorated on 10 July when the unit was grounded due to bad weather. The pilots decided to pass the time by painting their SE 5s in a variety of colour schemes in emulation of the German pilots that they has been meeting over the front. Broadberry's engine mechanic, Len Baker, painted a fearsome dragon (or was it a crocodile !?) on the nose and fuselage of his SE 5, while another machine carried a painting of a Spanish dancer and the name Conchita. A third SE 5 was 'striped red and white, and looked like a zebra'. Maxwell's scout had a bright red nose. However, the 9th Wing soon learnt of this 'frivolity' and ordered the schemes to be immediatly removed.

The second patrol of the day, performed by A Flight, suffered two casualties. At 14000 ft over Menin, it was jumped by 15 Albatros from various Jasta. Edric Broadberry, John Turnbull and Ernest Messervy were all shot down in the first attack. Broadberry, flying at the rear of the formation, was the first hit.

'The instrument panel was hit, there was a sharp burning pain in the calf of my right leg and the engine began to splutter, then it petered right out'.

Broadberry put the SE 5 into a spin and pulled out at 2000 ft.

'I realised that I was about ten or twelve miles over the enemy side of the lines and I did not have enough height to glide to our side. I quickly switched over to the gravity fuel tank, which was housed in the centre section of the top plane, and switched on the ignition again. To my great relief the engine picked up and I was able to cross the lines to our side and land at Bailleul aerodrome'.

Broadberry went into the Mess, where his leg 'started to hurt'. Taking off his flying boot, he found it 'full of blood'. The pilot was taken to a casualty clearing station...

... Broadberry was a great loss to the squadron. With the sole exception of Hoidge, he was scoring quicker and more often than other member of the unit. Len Baker recalled the events of the day;

'Then came a bad, sad day. He (Broadberry) was shot down and I went after him. A thorough gentleman. To see "Mr B" coming in to land, or rather just before, was something one never saw on another SE. A steep dive, engine on full bore and only just skimming the ground before pulling out. I spoke to him about it. "Oh", he said. "She'll come out all right. I'm not going to get killed in this war". But he felt rather sad when he shot another down. He was very tenderhearted.I was sotty to lose him'.

Brodberry was the16th victim of Oblt Eduard Dostler, the Staffelführer of Jasta 6.