7 replies to this topic

[ARMAGH]

I came across this letter in the Armagh Gazette 25 Sept 1915 address to A Mr Londan Armagh.
The writer is a J.LLoyd Williams 10th Squadron 1st Wing RFC BEF

Any member any details on the officer?





Many thanks
Joe

[IPT]

Could it be this man? There is an Irish connection.

http://www.leeds.ac....719Williams.pdf

[IPT]

By the way, I think it's R R LOUDAN, an Armagh undertaker.

[ARMAGH]

Many thanks IPT

That is very good,RR Loudon was an undertaker in Armagh,his son was in the Royal Irish fusiliers during the Great War,I do not have much informationon him, but I was scanning the papers again today and came across this letter,it all helps, but the Harry Ferguson bit is the icing on the cake.
Once again many thanks
Joe

[Wg Cdr I C Macmillan]

Just spotted this, and Lt Williams was the pilot in a remarkable encounter on 26 October 1915.  His observer had been injured by an attacking Fokker and was unable to use his gun.  Williams was then hit, blacked out and the aircraft began to spin.  On realising what was happening, Lt Hallam, the observer, climbed back between the wing struts, shut off the fuel supply and managed to get enough control to put the aircraft on the ground behind French lines.  The machine overturned and Williams was thrown out, badly injured and having lost a lot of blood, and both men were passed on to French Red Cross.  As the Leeds University paper says, it's all in one of the early RFC communiques .... where the story goes on a little.  An observer from 2 Squadron was on a visit to a nearby artillery battery, saw what had happened and, under fire, went to the aircraft and salvaged its Lewis gun and instruments.  On hearing that the engine was still serviceable, 10 Squadron sent a party out two nights later to recover that, again under fire!

[munster]

I wonder if the H Ferguson refered to is Harry Ferguson the tractor designer.john

[ARMAGH]

munster, on 05 September 2012 - 07:08 PM, said:

I wonder if the H Ferguson refered to is Harry Ferguson the tractor designer.john

The same man John,have a look at part 2 of this article.
Joe

[ARMAGH]

Wg Cdr I C Macmillan, on 05 September 2012 - 06:48 PM, said:

Just spotted this, and Lt Williams was the pilot in a remarkable encounter on 26 October 1915.  His observer had been injured by an attacking Fokker and was unable to use his gun.  Williams was then hit, blacked out and the aircraft began to spin.  On realising what was happening, Lt Hallam, the observer, climbed back between the wing struts, shut off the fuel supply and managed to get enough control to put the aircraft on the ground behind French lines.  The machine overturned and Williams was thrown out, badly injured and having lost a lot of blood, and both men were passed on to French Red Cross.  As the Leeds University paper says, it's all in one of the early RFC communiques .... where the story goes on a little.  An observer from 2 Squadron was on a visit to a nearby artillery battery, saw what had happened and, under fire, went to the aircraft and salvaged its Lewis gun and instruments.  On hearing that the engine was still serviceable, 10 Squadron sent a party out two nights later to recover that, again under fire!

Thanks  Wg Cdr I C Macmillan
Very interesting
Joe