18 replies to this topic

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Whilst researching my local war memorial, I came across this handsome devil who lived within half a mile of my house. Thanks to Cnock, I now know he was shot was shot down by none other than Hermann Goring in 1917. Is it still possible to gain the mans service history, as Ancestry have very little details on him, other than the usual census and Aviators certificate? Many thanks, Sean

Attached Files

•  GreatBritainRoyalAeroClubAviatorsCertificates191_131158207 - Copy (201x280).jpg   57.67K   2 downloads

[GJH]

You may be lucky, send a request to the RAF museum at London, because  when     aircrew were reported missing their effects were collected together and     held in a central depository. Whilst in most cases their property was     later handed over to next of kin, unclaimed logbooks were retained by     the Air Ministry. however in 1959. It was decided that representative samples would be     preserved in the Public Record Office and the remainder destroyed.

Wish you luck

Graham

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thanks for the reply Graham, will look into it. The farm house that he lived in may still belong to his family, not sure, but will pursue it in time. Regards Sean

[David Underdown]

As an officer he should have a record in WO 339 or WO 374, would need to refer to WO 338 to work out which (these can be downloaded freely)

This http://www.nationala...Edoc_Id=8693841 may well be his rag record, but as he died before that service was formed, it will very much be an outline

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thanks David, will look into it but the NA and I dont seem to get along too well, baffles me every time sean

[David Underdown]

The easiest way to search the two series containing officers' records is via http://www.nationala...myafter1913.htm (which also gives some tips on how to proceed).   If you put in curtis you'll see their are quite a few listed as just Curtis R (the series are slowly being recatalogued with full names and unit).  You can download the relevant part of the index via http://www.nationala...Edoc_Id=7960612 (it's free, but about 20mb, so it takes a while)   Browse through that until you find the Curtises, they should be divided up into blocks by initial of first forename. After the name you'll see an identifier for the unit, probably RFC for your man, they can be a bit cryptic as infantry regiments are listed by their pre1881 number - sticking nth Regiment of Foot into Wikipedia is the quickest way to translate these). Following that is a reference number (sometimes a series of numbers, with the earlier ones crossed out). In all cases you are looking to compare this with the Former Reference (Department) field in the catalogue description. If it's a plain number, the record will be in WO 339, if it's CU/nnnn it's in WO 374. If it starts P/, you can rule it out for your purposes, as this implies the man continued serving after 1922. The list is sometimes annotated that a man died, but not always

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thanks David, thats as clear as mud I will have a go later, kind regards Sean

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Sean,
Here is another photograph of your man Ralph Luxmore Curtis, I have seen two listings for his place of birth, Rainham and Braintree, Essex.

Ralph Luxmore Curtis and his observer, Desmond Uniacke, scored 13 victories flying their Bristol F.2b. After being shot down on 21st September, 1917 over Roulers by Hermann Göring, commander of Jasta 27, Uniacke was captured and Curtis died from his wounds.

Their Victories:

Date            Time Unit Aircraft       Opponent             Location
1 03 Jul 1917    0910 48  Bristol F.2b (A7149) 1 Two-seater   (OOC) Quéant
2 05 Jul 1917    2020 48  Bristol F.2b (A7153) 1 Albatros D.V (OOC) Bapaume
3 07 Jul 1917    0550 48  Bristol F.2b (A7107) 1 Albatros D.V (DES) Vitry
4 28 Jul 1917    0815 48  Bristol F.2b (A7121) 1 Albatros D.III (OOC) Ghistelles
5 16 Aug 1917    1955 48  Bristol F.2b (A7151) 1 Albatros D.V (DESF) St. Pierre-Capelle
6 16 Aug 1917    1955 48  Bristol F.2b (A7151) 1 Albatros D.V (OOC) St. Pierre-Capelle
7 20 Aug 1917    2005 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Albatros D.V (OOC) Ghistelles
8 22 Aug 1917    0907 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Albatros D.V (DES) Ostende
9 22 Aug 1917    0907 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Albatros D.V (OOC) Ostende
10 02 Sep 1917   0930 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Albatros D.V (OOC) 2 E of Dixmude
11 05 Sep 1917   0840 48  Bristol F.2b (A7170) 1 DFW C (OOC) Middlekerke
12 14 Sep 1917   1640 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Albatros D.V (DES) Ghistelles
13 17 Sep 1917   0915 48  Bristol F.2b (A7224) 1 Two-seater (OOC) 3 Leke

Attached Files

•  curtis2.jpg   6.15K   0 downloads

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2nd Lieutenant, Desmond Percival Fitzgerald Uniacke previously served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917, as a Observer with 48 Squadron, flying in a Bristol F.2b.  
Along with his Pilot, Ralph Curtis, he scored 13 victories before both were shot down over Roulers on 21 September 1917. Curtis died from his wounds and Uniacke was taken prisoner.

Attached Files

•  uniacke.jpg   7.63K   1 downloads

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Oberleutnant Herman Goring

Units: FEA 3, FFA 25, Jasta 5, 7, 26, 27 KEK Metz, Stenay JG I

Victories
       Date         Time   Unit        Opponent             Location
u/c 03 Jun 1915            FA 25                            EA Stenay
1 16 Nov 1915       1430   FA 25       Farman               Tahure
2 14 Mar 1916       1200   FA 25       Caudron              SE of Haumont Wood
3 30 Jul 1916       1030   FA 25       Caudron              Mamey
4 23 Apr 1917       1720   KEK Metz    F.E.2b (A823)
5 28 Apr 1917       1830   Jasta 26    Sopwith              St. Quentin
6 29 Apr 1917       1945   Jasta 26    Nieuport 17 (N3192)
7 10 May 1917       1505   Jasta 26    D.H.4?               Le Pave
8 08 Jun 1917       0730   Jasta 26    Nieuport 17 (B1656)
9 16 Jul 1917       2010   Jasta 27    S.E.5 (A8931)
10 24 Jul 1917      2045   Jasta 27    Martinsyde G.100     Passchendaele
11 05 Aug 1917      2015   Jasta 27    Sopwith Camel (B3792)
12 25 Aug 1917      2040   Jasta 27    Sopwith Camel (B3918)
13 03 Sep 1917      0900   Jasta 27    D.H.4?               N of Lampernisse
14 21 Sep 1917      0905   Jasta 27    Bristol F.2b (A7224) - * Ralph Luxmore Curtis and his observer,
                                                                Desmond Uniacke
15 21 Oct 1917      1545   Jasta 27    S.E.5a (B547)
16 07 Nov 1917      0915   Jasta 27    D.H.5                NW of Poelcapelle
17 21 Feb 1918      1000   Jasta 27    S.E.5a (C5325)
18 07 Apr 1918      1250   Jasta 27    R.E.8 (B876)
19 05 Jun 1918      1000   Jasta 27    AR2                  Vivières
20 09 Jun 1918      0845   Jasta 27    SPAD 1
21 17 Jun 1918      0830   Jasta 27    SPAD 1
22 18 Jul 1918      0815   JG I        SPAD 1

Attached Files

•  goring.jpg   9.31K   0 downloads

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thorough as always LF, many thanks, although I have seen all the above its good for others on the forum to see his details as I struggle copying/pasting lists on here. By the way LF, where did you find the Braintree connection? Kind Regards Sean

[Lancashire Fusilier]

spconnolly007, on 27 February 2012 - 08:42 AM, said:

Thorough as always LF, many thanks, although I have seen all the above its good for others on the forum to see his details as I struggle copying/pasting lists on here. By the way LF, where did you find the Braintree connection? Kind Regards Sean

Sean,
Most references say he was born in Rainham, this website says Braintree.
webspace.webring.com/people/tm/mattzippyking/Airmen.htm
Leo

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Lancashire Fusilier, on 27 February 2012 - 12:52 PM, said:

Sean,
Most references say he was born in Rainham, this website says Braintree.
webspace.webring.com/people/tm/mattzippyking/Airmen.htm
Leo

Thanks Leo, although the website is incorrect, I have a copy of his birth registry for 1898 in Romford which would tie in with his address on the 1901 census as Berwick Ponds Farm, Rainham. You had me worried there! Kind regards Sean

[Lancashire Fusilier]

spconnolly007, on 27 February 2012 - 01:25 PM, said:

Thanks Leo, although the website is incorrect, I have a copy of his birth registry for 1898 in Romford which would tie in with his address on the 1901 census as Berwick Ponds Farm, Rainham. You had me worried there! Kind regards Sean

Pleased it was o.k.
Ah! Romford, I know it well.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Sean,
Here is a nice photograph of the type of aircraft he flew - the Bristol F2b.
Leo

Attached Files

•  Bristol F2b.jpg   43.38K   0 downloads

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thanks Leo, that is a nice photo. Is that a game of cricket going on in the background? Regards Sean

[Lancashire Fusilier]

spconnolly007, on 27 February 2012 - 10:47 PM, said:

Thanks Leo, that is a nice photo. Is that a game of cricket going on in the background? Regards Sean

Looks like it, it could almost have been taken in 1917!
What is amazing, is that these brave young airmen were often in their late teens or twenties.
If Ralph Luxmore Curtis was born in 1898, that would have made him 19/20 when he was shot down and killed.
Regards,
Leo

[Trelawney]

Sean

Interesting post for one of 48 Squadron's ablest pilots!  You are in error concerning Ralph Luxmore Curtis's birthplace, regrettably.  Romford was the
location of the registry office where his birth was registered officially in April, 1918.  Curtis was born at Rainham, Essex, 19 March 1898, the son of
William & Amy Augusta (May) Curtis. The family was residing at Rainham for the 1901 Census and they were living there postwar in the CWGC
entry.  The Rainham birthplace is confirmed by the 1901 Census and his Royal Aero Club certificate.  It was mentioned in the thread how young
the airmen were, and an intriguing discrepancy came to light: his RAeC certificate lists his birthdate as19.3.1896 rather than 1898.  So Curtis
stretched his age to qualify for service, for the BMD, Census, and CWGC all confirm that the correct birthdate was 1898 and that Curtis was 19 years
old when he died.  

Regards,

Trelawney

[THE SHINY SEVENTH]

Thanks Trelawney, I did mean born Rainham/registered Romford, as I have copies of the census etc. Interesting point about his age though, I was looking at his documnents only this monrning concerning my research for our local war memorial, and re-read the aviation certificate, but still missed the discrepancy on his birth date. Well spotted and thankyou, regards Sean