Historically significant RFC Logbook Group to South African Pilot, Lieutenant John Arnold Spilhaus (KIA), 70 Squadron

A completely priceless and historically significant RFC/RAF Logbook set to Lieutenant (Pilot) John Arnold 'Jack' Spilhaus, who was killed in action on the 4th September 1918 in an air battle above Écaillon. He was one of only 2,000 South African's to serve with the RFC and is credited with one kill, just moments before his death. It is a truly incredible set. 

The set includes:

·         Jack’s RFC/RAF log book- from 26/5/17 (the start of his training) to 2/9/18 (two days before his death). It includes. With fabulous personal details from getting air sick, the troubles of being understood with his thick South African accent, nearly opening fire on some Belgians, getting shot through the fuselage of his Camel, as well as countless details of operational flying, typically two operations a day during his time at 70 Squadron. A very special log book, please see the few extracts I have picked out for some representative samples.

·        12 lengthy letters back home, dating mostly from the last two months of his life, including a particularly moving one in which he details what to do in the event of his capture or death, for which he appears to have but together a meticulous plan, including sending POW packages, escape equipment, and details of his code: “Dear Mr Brodie. You will receive this letter should anything happen to me. It is just to tell you where my various belongings are and what to do with them. 1^st you have a packet of papers in your safe. They are my various examination certificates etc and should be sent to my father. 2^nd at the Langham Hotel are two portmanteaus, stored in my name. The one marked J SPILHAUS contains some military clothing and my most treasured trifles. The key of that trunk is attached to this letter…I would like all these articles to be sent untouched to my father. In the event of being captured: Should I be taken prisoner and you receive a letter from me in captivity, it will contain a message in code. The code and specimen letter is explained on the next sheet of paper. The code I shall use is known as the ‘753’ code. I shall start as follows: (HERE FOLLOWS A VERY DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HIS PERSONAL CODE). 

·         Jack’s RFC Officer’s Record of Service Book, RFC Training Brigade Transfer Card and Gunnery Card, all of which are complete, and written in. 

·         A small collection of original and reprinted private photos belonging to Spilhaus, including a portrait picture, crashed planes and group photos

·         A General Index Map Book of the Western Front, containing several maps of the frontlines

·         Three WW1 period maps of the area Jack crashed in including one French map with annotations in German added to it marking the crash locations, supposedly done by a German AA gunner who claimed to have shot Spilhaus down. Spilhaus's parents tracked him down after the war when they were searching for him and made him mark out on the map the various crash positions. 

·         A large collection of modern research including: combat reports from surviving pilots of the day Spilhaus crashed, detailed accounts of his service history, various correspondence from his cousin detailing the search to find out what happened to Jack, a Newspaper cutting from the Times posted by Jack’s father in an attempt to find him after his death, a picture of Jack’s grave, transcripts of Jack’s log book (which are incredibly helpful in deciphering small handwriting!), RAF Museum and 70 Squadron correspondence and other related items

 

Lieutenant (Pilot) John Arnold ‘Jack’ Spilhaus (KIA)

Camel D9416, 70 Squadron RFC/RAF

Jack was born on the 3^rd September 1898 in Montrose, Wynberg, Cape Province, South Africa, to  Carl Frederick and Josephine Martha Spilhaus. He was an engineering student at Cape Town University when he enlisted in 1917 as a pilot to the RFC, one of only 2000 South Africans to serve in such a role during the war. He first attended No.2 School of Military Aeronautics, Oxford (Christchurch College) from 13/4/17 to 25/5/17 and upon successfully passing his course was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant on 23/5/17. He was then posted for training, first with the 8^th Reserve Squadron at Netheravon, Wiltshire on 02/6/1917, then the 7^th Reserve Squadron, also at Netheravon on the 15/6/1917, then 84 Squadron, in Lilbourne on the 22/6/1917, 10 Training Squadron at Tern Hill on the 26/6/1917 and finally 34 Training Squadron, also at Tern Hill on 29/6/1917, where he was made a Flying Officer. He was then transferred on the 11/7/1917 to the infamous School of Special Flying, Gosport, designed for pilots of unusually high skill, where he successfully completed his course, being promoted to Lieutenant on 1/4/18. It is likely he then stayed on as an instructor at the school before being transferred to his first field posting on the 20/7/18 to 70 Squadron RAF. By the time Spilhuas joined 70 Squadron they were operating at of Esquerdes Aerodrome, 5 miles south west of St Omer.  

Jack’s log book contains some fabulous details of life on the front line for a South African RFC/RAF pilot, some highlights include: 

26/5/17: Round Aerodrome. Joy Ride.

22/7/18: Spent peaceful morning and after lunch strapped RE8 with camera gun. After tea went over the line with McPhee. Got Archied (shot) to hell. Went up and down from Dieppe Forest over Bailleul and up along canal part Ypres. Puked in the air- damn rotten sensation!

 23/7/18: Dud- Went to report to Wing headquarters. Passed through Saint Omer. Great Difficuty in getting understood, learnt that Breeches = Pantaloons!! Colonel Van Ryneveld damn good sort. Paid 35 francs for a pair of army shorts. Hell and Thomas! This is a great life here- England and Training Squadrons are like a distant nightmare of hot air and punctiousness.

31/7/18: Got up at 10:30. Heard disquieting news of a shift. Wallace and I flew over to inspect the new aerodrome at Esquerdes. Damn small and under canvas. All are fed up. Just getting comfortable here now. Squadron returning from evening OP very jubilant, got 3 huns, 2 by Carlow and 1 by Liveredge. Whalley shot to hell and had to control chase back, Hutchinson missing, probably prisoner.

2/8/18: On OP at 4 o clock. Bombed Warneton dump. Saw a beautiful fat yellow two seater who escaped. Afterwards shot down by Liveredge. Damn good archie.

8/8/18: Early show again, but washed out on leaving ground. Old Cole came up for lunch. Did D.O.P in afternoon, firing first shots at Hun. Set upon by 7 Albatross’s.

9/8/18: Early show- wireless interruption. Saw five Huns about 2000’ above us in Hunland. Evening show bombed Warneton dump, low formation, flying back alone

12/8/18: Did show at 8 o clock, SE’s below we got set on by 6 Fokkers who dived East on seeing us. A great show. 29 Squadron claimed 5 of them, we saw them so. Had bath at Boulogne.

13/8/18: Did early OP, blinging sun S.E.A followed us round. We then attacked about 20 of the, driving them all down east. One set on us back to the lines. Un eventful evening show.

18/8/18: Morning was dud, but got special urgent notice of “Push at 11 o clock”- were over the battle at 11:15, back at 12:15. Went for topping bathe at Humbres and then bed.

19/8/18: Did show in very strong wind at 9 o clock. 9 Hun biplanes above us, no dropped bombs and turned back. Hit by bullet through plane and fuselage. In the early afternoon kicked a rugger ball about- later played Badminton- Topping game. There was a late show about 30 Huns about, Carlow and Wilson each got one. Cinema

27/8/18: Did show in morning- degenerated into live patrol. Rather dull, nearly fired on two Belgians. Second show in the afternoon, live patrol again.

31/8/18: Huns retreating all along line from Ypres to La Barse. Ground strafing- great sun. Got good deal of machine gun and archie but was ok.

1/9/ 18: Ground strafing again. Turned back with dud engine taking up Heron’s bus. Peaceful day.

2/9/18: A great morning, celebrated Hedas’s birthday by bombing the hell out of German Aerodrome beyond Lille. Dropped 240-25lb bombs. Fired thousands of Buckingham, set 3 hangars alight.

On the 4^th September, 70 squadron were sent on an offensive patrol near Écaillon, 5 miles east of Douai, at 7:20am, probably targeting air bases belonging to Jasta 26. This was a somewhat foolhardy mission, likely caused by 70 Squadron’s temporary attachment to  RAF II Brigade for work over the front of the First Army, with which they were not given much time to acclimatise. They ended up completely outgunned and outnumbered, with the 18 Sopwith Camels of 70 Squadron facing around 40 Fokker fighters of Jasta 26. 70 Squadron downed at least 2 Fokkers, Spilhaus claiming one for himself, according to the combat report “Lt Spilhaus engaged another, firing 350 rounds into him from close range, saw it go down vertically out of control. Confirmed out of control by Captain Morgan.”. Sadly however, Jack was killed in action moments after, being shot down piloting Camel D9416 and crashing in flames.  Though his body was never formally identified, what are believed to be his remains are buried in Douai British Cemetery, Cuincy, France, plot F5. In total during the engagement, 8 out of 18 planes of 70 squadron were shot down, with Spilhaus (D9416), Gilbertson (E1472) and Wallace (D9458) all being killed and Leveson-Gower (B9269), Forman (C8239), Herriot (D3406), McPhee (D1930) and Rochford (D9418) being captured. The eight losses translated to 11 victory claims by Jasta 26, so it’s unclear exactly who go who. The pilots claiming were Leutnant Ehlers, Vitzfeldwebel Erich Buder (2), Oberleutnant Theodor Dahlmann (2), Leutnant Otto Fruhner (4), Fritz Classen, and Oberleutnant Bruno Loerzer. At first Spilhaus was reported missing, with his father posting a surely very expensive advert in the Times looking for his whereabouts on 25^th November 1918. He was eventually pronounced KIA, although his parents seemingly still didn’t believe this, travelling to France from South Africa to search for him.