100 Years ago: Lt John Douglas Lightbody did not return from patrol.
On November 4th 1918, Lieutenant John Douglas Lightbody flew with Sopwith Camel F 6257 from the base in Heule.
Together with 15 other pilots he took part in a patrol flight over Zottegem and they dropped 60 bombs on the station and railway lines. Due to hostile actions it was impossible to check the impacts. Immediately afterwards, above Melle, they went into battle with 24 Fokker bi-planes.
According to the log book the air fight started around 8.40 am. At an altitude of about 12.000 feet it became one of the toughest fights. The 204th squadron claims 7 victories in this “dog fight”.
Unfortunately the airplane of John Douglas Lightbody was hit by a German pilot, Flugmeister Gerhard Hubrich, and then crashed onto the Turkenhoek in Scheldewindeke.
None of his friends had seen anything; the logbook mentions: “Lieutenant John Douglas Lightbody did not return from patrol”.
A young girl Germaine De Groote, was stood at her house on the Turkenhoek, viewing the spectacle. She would never forget how Lightbody fell out of the cockpit, way up in the sky, and smashed to the ground with a ghastly fall, not so far away from his totally destroyed plane.
John Douglas Lightbody was given a provisional grave near a farm. In 1920 he was reburied in the graveyard of Scheldewindeke.
John Douglas rest in peace. Thank you for your courage and sacrifice for our freedom.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember you.