15 replies to this topic

[John S]

Hi
If it helps any one I am happy to do 'look ups' in Sky Their Battlefield - described as a 'complete list of allied air casualties from enemy action in 1st War.
Regards
John

[John S]

Hi

I'm searching for more details about three soldiers who are burried in our churchyard (Wielsbeke).  I can't find any information about the sqdns in which they served.  Their names are :

1/ Corbishley RH, 57th sqdn RFC., second lieutenant
2/ Rickards HWB, 51st sqdn RFC, lieutenant
3/ Skeffington HNS, 57th sqdn RFC, second lieutenant

All three died the same day 28/07/1917.

First remark : is it possible that these sqdns are incorrect ?
Second remark : three men died in the same crash, when I look at the airplane types used in those days I'm very sure that it must have been a larger bomber (Handley Page).  Was it very uncommon that three men (instead of for) flew this plane ?

Kind regards

Guy SEYNS

Guy
Please see my reply to your first post in the Introductions Section of this Forum.
(Sorry I do not know how to post a direct link from this posting.)
Any problems then let me know
John

[Dolphin]

Guy/John

Just a few points to add to John's post on the related thread in the Introductions area:

Lt Skeffington's first names were Herbert Neville Southwell.

A7448 had some history: it was delivered to No 57 Sqn on 24 May 1917 and marked as A2; the crew flying it (Lt C S Morice and Lt A C M Pym) were credited with sending down an enemy aircraft out of control on 21 June 1917; Lt Pym was wounded when the aeroplane was attacked by seven Nieuports with Belgian markings on 13 July - Lt W B Hutcheson was the pilot on this occasion.

A7538 was delivered to No 57 Sqn on 23 July, only five days before it failed to return.

The victories credited to Oblt Eduard, Ritter von Dostler, of Jasta 6 for this action were the 19th and 20th of his eventual 26 before his death in action on 20 September 1917.

A victory was credited to Ltn d R Johann Czermak of Jasta 6; it was the first of his two.

Another Jasta 6 pilot to be credited with a victory was Ltn d R Robert Tüxen; it was the second of his two.

I hope that this is interesting.

Regards

Gareth

[John S]

Doing some research on my great uncle who was killed 14th july 1918 and buried at Croisilles British cemetery, Pas de Calais.

Would your source be able to throw any light on the manner of his death ?

Tom

Tom
From Sky
Leslie Nansen Franklin was with 56 Sqn based at Valheureux (about 5 miles SW of Doullens).
He was flying an SE5A number D6064 on offensive patrol taking off at 0410. He was in combat with enemy aircraft at Hendecourt and shot down in flames 0600.
(Auto Route shows 2 Hendecourts, one to the east (3 miles) and one to the west (6 miles) of Croisilles. He was buried south of Croisilles.
RAF Communiques reports the weather as fine early; overcast later. Enemy aircraft fairly active early morning otherwise quiet.
Hope this helps
Regards
John

[Dolphin]

Tom

To add a little to John's post, when flying SE5a C5303, Lt L N Franklin was credited with a victory over an Albatros D type sent down out of control over Inchy on 6 March 1918.  A photograph of him in C5303 is below.

On 9 July 1918, flying in D6064, he was credited with a Hannover C type which crashed south east of Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines.

I hope this is useful.

Gareth

Attached Files

•  c5303.jpg   0bytes   0 downloads

[Spielspieler]

John S, on 16 November 2004 - 04:21 PM, said:

Hi
If it helps any one I am happy to do 'look ups' in Sky Their Battlefield - described as a 'complete list of allied air casualties from enemy action in 1st War.
Regards
John

Hi John,
I saw this old posting and was hoping you would be willing to do a lookup for me.
I am trying to find information about a relative who was shot down in Belgium:

Flt. Lt. Frederick F. Holmes Reilly
Born 19-Apr-1898
Flew DH9 ser.#B7674 with 98 Sqdn RFC, along with observer  Lt. McKay-Russell Hall of Woodstock Ontario
Shot down at Stalhille, Belgium, 28-May-1918
Buried in Stalhille cemetery.

I would really appreciate anything you can tell me.

Kind regards,
Jim

[auchonvillerssomme]

Hi Jim. Just in case John isn't araound.

On bombing operation to Bruges, in combat with 2 enemy aircraft (+?) shot down in flames over Zeebruge. MIA Lt FFH Reilly KIA Lt R McK Hall left 4am.

[Spielspieler]

auchonvillerssomme, on 16 February 2012 - 05:00 PM, said:

Hi Jim. Just in case John isn't araound.

On bombing operation to Bruges, in combat with 2 enemy aircraft (+?) shot down in flames over Zeebruge. MIA Lt FFH Reilly KIA Lt R McK Hall left 4am.

Thanks very much,
Jim

[John S]

Hi
I am still around but didn't get on line til late.
Thanks for answering the query.
Regards
John

[auchonvillerssomme]

No problem I had the book open for another query.

Mick

[alex revell]

Hell all,
Can anyone tell me how to open attachments/photos with the small 'x' up in the corner of the attachment. Nothing seems to work. I've found this on other sites.
Regards and thanks
Alex

[auchonvillerssomme]

Alex I don't think you can, I would guess it was deleted to free up space. It might be worth contacting one of the moderators.

Mick

[Michael Molkentin]

I'll add that Herbert Skeffington had served in the AIF at Gallipoli before he joined the RFC. He was born in London but was in Australia working as a photographer when the war started. After Gallipoli he transferred to the RFC in October- I'd say almost certainly as part of the special draft of 200 AIF volunteers the Australian government allowed discharges from the AIF to take a commission in the RFC 'Special Reserve'.

Skeffinton's observer survived being shot down.


Michael

[alex revell]

Mick, Thanks. I expect you're right because I've just noticed that the photo was posted in 2004. Although I have also this problem with very recently posted illustrations from diverse site, some just commercial one.
Alex

[munster]

alex revell, on 18 February 2012 - 10:42 AM, said:

Mick, Thanks. I expect you're right because I've just noticed that the photo was posted in 2004. Although I have also this problem with very recently posted illustrations from diverse site, some just commercial one.
Alex

Hi Alex this happens to me when download speed is low if you let page open then refresh it will often open then.Where old posts are concerned the images have been removed to free space and you will not be able to open them.john