Captured Fokker E.III 210/16 at Upavon, Wiltshire, 1916.
Image in public domain.
- German fighter pilot, Oswald Boelcke, makes the first operational flight of the new fighter plane, the Fokker Eindecker. Developed by Dutch designer Anthony Fokker for the Germans, the aircraft is equipped with a machine gun timed to fire between revolving propeller blades, thereby eliminating the risk of pilots shooting themselves as bullets bounce back off the propeller. The invention makes air combat more deadly and leads to dogfights.
- The Leader publishes a letter from Dr Neville Howse, written from the trenches of Gallipoli. Dr Howse ponders the possibility of the war lasting longer than originally anticipated, and claims that life in the trenches is not so bad: With the AAMC at Gallipoli
We have not had any news from Europe and have no idea what is going on, but hear occasionally that we are not doing well. We must begin to do a little in Europe soon, or this war will last over next winter…I often go into the trenches with the men. It is warmer, and a nice change after the office work. We are fed very well, and enjoy our food, and nobody gets indigestion, as we work very hard.
