Herculean Tasks

摘要

Formed at Farnborough, Hants, on April 22, 1916, 70 Squadron was equipped with the newly-arrived Sopwith 1(1/2) Strutter. Due to a shortage of capable fighters on the Western Front at the time, the unit was soon sent to Fienvillers in France under the command of Major A W Tedder (later Marshal of the RAF), moving one Flight at a time on a monthly basis, beginning in May, to take up fighter patrols. The 'Strutter' earned its place in British aviation history by becoming the first RFC and RNAS fighter to be equipped with a synchronized machine-gun as standard equipment. No.70 was one of only three RFC units to operate the type in France. As Imperial Germany improved its tactics with more efficient fighters, losses on 70 Squadron rose rapidly.