33 replies to this topic

[Errol Martyn]

"officers did not have numbers"

True of those in the RNAS and RFC, but they were alloted (PI - Personal Index) numbers when seniority lists were merged in advance of the formation of the RAF in April 1918.

Errol

[RFC/QWR grand-daughter]

Thank you all, chaps. It's going to be a very hot day, so I'm proffering some virtual refreshment as a token of my appreciation.
CAKES AND ALE!

[Trevor Henshaw]

There is a superb example of an all-black FE2b night bomber at the RAF Museum, Hendon, London.  It was completed and installed there only a couple of years back, and if you can possibly get there to stand beside it you'll be richly rewarded!

There is also a Cross and Cockade International Monograph on the FE2b, with a long chapter on its night bombing role, which I'd recommend as well:

http://www.crossandc....asp?Display=18

Regards,

Trevor

[RFC/QWR grand-daughter]

Thanks for that, my brother-in-law lives close by so a visit will be in order.

...and referring back to an earlier post, I've bought The Annals of 100 Squadron from abebooks via this forum's link. Really looking forward to its arrival.

[Flyvulcan]

My Great Uncle, Alexander Wald (pilot) was at 100SQN at the same time as your Grandfather.  I have 2 original copies of The Annals of 100SQN and it makes interesting reading.

To put a few faces to names that you may read about in Annals and who worked with your Grandfather, I have attached a photo that my GU took of 3 observers and an admin person by the looks of him who are checking out a bomb crater in the airfield in December 1917.  The names of the airmen in the photo are (from L to R) McNaughton, Allen, Hilton (my GU flew with him a bit) and Edwardes.

I have other photos but cannot discern your Grandfather in any of them.

Enjoy the research, it's fascinating when it is so personal.

 Aerodrome Dec1917.jpg   83.07K   2 downloads

[Flyvulcan]

I've decided to add a short extract from my GU's diary to give you an idea about what they used to get up to.  Remember, this was done at night with very few instruments available to them.  From February 1918:

8^thMonday Bombed Treves from 4-500 feet, afterwards flew over river through Treves at 1-200 feet, Duncan firing at transport on roads etc.  (Duncan was a regular observer for my GU)

Now my GU did pick up the reputation for being a low flier (and according to a 1933 newspaper article about 100SQN picked up the nickname "chimneystacks") and his diary and Annals both list his low flying bombing technique, but this practise was probably common amongst the aircrew.

You have to respect them!

[RFC/QWR grand-daughter]

Thanks for that info. It's astonishing really to think what they were doing at the beginning of aviation....and still teenagers, most of them.

[RFC/QWR grand-daughter]

IPT, on 24 July 2012 - 11:14 PM, said:

Swart is sporting the swollen face he described in "Annals of 100 Squadron" as "like a pudding". Apparently, he was attempting to strangle a German without realising another German was behind him. The second German punched him repeatedly in the face,

My copy of 'Annals of 100 Squadron' arrived from abebooks just before I went a way for a long weekend. A mine of information, but I haven't had a chance to really give it the attention it deserves. I did notice that Swart is referred to as Stewart in one flight log, which is confusing.

[sketcher]

Dear Granddaughter. Your grandfather and I were great friends when we taught together from 1966 until his death in the mid 1970s. I was a mere 29 in 66 and am now 75, but I have many happy memories of AFC as he was known. He was a lovely man with a great sense of humour. I have something of his which I think you should have - a book which was sent to him while he was in the POW camp at Holzminden, and which has a paper inside which he had to sign on receipt. It came from the Prisoners Of War Book Scheme in London.