1st Nov.–11th Nov.
26 British Divs. defeated 32 German Divs.
THE BATTLE OF MAUBEUGE, which struck at and broke the enemy’s last important lateral communications, turned his positions on the Scheldt and forced him to retreat rapidly from Courtrai. This victory completed the great strategical aim of the whole series of battles by dividing, in effect, the enemy’s forces into two parts, one on each side of the great natural barrier of the Ardennes. The pursuit of the beaten enemy all along the Allied line was only stopped by the Armistice.
Most of the officers and men are new, but such veterans as are available will be drafted back when circumstances allow, and there is no old member of the squadron who is not confident that the new formation will add to that high reputation which 60 has enjoyed from the day of its birth, and which we, who served in it, have helped to build, or, at all events, have tried our hardest not to damage.
Though the records, owing to a fire in the squadron office in November 1916, may perhaps be not quite complete, yet the destruction of 274 enemy aircraft can be traced.
The honours gained by officers or men, whilst serving in the squadron, are:
- 1 V.C.
- 5 D.S.O.s.
- 1 Bar to D.S.O.
- 37 Military Crosses.
- 5 Distinguished Flying Crosses.
The map which will be found at the end of this chapter is published by permission of Field-Marshal Earl Haig, and shows very clearly the ground gained and the prisoners taken by the victorious British armies during the last three months of the war.