7 replies to this topic

[Starlight]

A friend of mine found the attached photo in the belongings of his great uncle, 2nd Lt Graham Price (No 6 squadron) who died 09/03/16. The inscription reads:

In Memorial
Sergt Barnard
No 8 Squadron RFC
Killed August 15 1915

In looking at "The Sky Their Battlefield" no information is provided other than his death and he is listed as "Untraced Casualty".

Can anyone provide me with any more details as to how he died or what hhe did - was he a pilot or an observer killed in combat or was he killed by a bomb? At the time of his death Number 8 squadron was flying BE2c and had just moved to Baizieux to take part in the Battle of Loos

Can anyone identify what type of aircraft the propeller came from or how I could find his descendents so that I could give them the photograph?

Steve

Attached Files

•  Grave_001.jpg   36.02K   7 downloads

[birchp]

A friend of mine found the attached photo in the belongings of his great uncle, 2nd Lt Graham Price (No 6 squadron) who died 09/03/16. The inscription reads:

In Memorial
Sergt Barnard
No 8 Squadron RFC
Killed August 15 1915

In looking at "The Sky Their Battlefield" no information is provided other than his death and he is listed as "Untraced Casualty".

Can anyone provide me with any more details as to how he died or what hhe did - was he a pilot or an observer killed in combat or was he killed by a bomb? At the time of his death Number 8 squadron was flying BE2c and had just moved to Baizieux to take part in the Battle of Loos

Can anyone identify what type of aircraft the propeller came from or how I could find his descendents so that I could give them the photograph?

Steve

Steve

Name: BARNARD, BENJAMIN FREDERICK
Initials: B F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps
Unit Text: 8th Sqdn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 15/08/1915
Service No: 1483
Additional information: Son of Benjamin and Janet Barnard.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row C. Grave 1.
Cemetery: LOUVENCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY

Log onto:-

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=117708

Paul

[Angular]

Steve

Name: BARNARD, BENJAMIN FREDERICK
Initials: B F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps
Unit Text: 8th Sqdn.
Age: 26
Date of Death: 15/08/1915
Service No: 1483
Additional information: Son of Benjamin and Janet Barnard.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row C. Grave 1.
Cemetery: LOUVENCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY

Log onto:-

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=117708

Paul

I know that going backwards wasn't what you asked for, but at least it gives you somewhere to start looking...

1891 census info from ancestry.com:

He was born Q3 1889

Name: Benjamin F Barnard
Age: 1  
Relation: Son  
Father's Name: Benjamin
Mother's Name: Janet
Gender: Male
Where born: Shoreditch, London, England
  
Father was a wool sorter, mother was a boxmaker.  They lived at 79 Nicholas Street in Shoreditch.

Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin Barnard 23  
Benjamin F Barnard 1  
Janet Barnard 23  
Janet E Barnard 3/1

By 1901 they were in 3, Hols Place in Shoreditch, with a lot more children.

I don't know the history of Shoreditch at all.  With a name like Benjamin in the family, they may have been Jewish, which may help your search for descendants.  Brother Bertie (b. c. 1903) may have served, too, which might give you a later angle to go at.  

Other than that, going forward in time is pretty difficult.  You might start a family tree with these people in genes reunited, and see if anyone else has these names in their tree.

Best of luck.

[Desdichado]

The four-bladed prop depicted may have come from a De Havilland BE-2. They were in service on the date he was killed.

[Starlight]

Thanks for the information guys.  Though Number 8 squuadron was flying BE2c aircraft at the time, the shape of the propeller in the photo is wrong (I have the tip of one that my grandfather left me and it's a lot more rounded).  Then it occurred to me that it could have been damaged in a crash, as those propellers were made up of several strips bonded together.

Anyone else out there who knows about propellers?

Steve

[Desdichado]

Thanks for the information guys.  Though Number 8 squuadron was flying BE2c aircraft at the time, the shape of the propeller in the photo is wrong (I have the tip of one that my grandfather left me and it's a lot more rounded).  Then it occurred to me that it could have been damaged in a crash, as those propellers were made up of several strips bonded together.

Anyone else out there who knows about propellers?

Steve

Steve,

The website below has a photo of a BE2. Its' propeller is the same shape as the one used as a grave marker.

http://www.apw.airwar1.org.uk/no2sqn.htm

[DBarnard]

I am the eldest Great Grandson of Sgt Benjamin Frederick Barnard RFC.
According to family members, including his wife who I spoke to on many occasions about family history and the research I was undertaking in the early 1980's, this is the information you seek.

He was an engineer and as the RFC needed experienced engineers, he joined the RFC at S Farnboro (Farnborough, Hampshire?) 13.08.1914 as a "Fitter & Rigger".

According to his "Statement of Service".....
Regt or Depot: no 1
Promotions: promoted
Rank: Corpl
Date: 24.9.14

Regt or Depot: 2Ras
Promotions: promoted
Rank: Sergt
Date: 1.1.15

Regt or Depot: No8 Sqdn
Casualties: Killed in Action
Rank: Sergt
Date: 15.8.15

He is believed to have been turning the propeller in preparation to start the engine, when it started prematurely and he was decapitated by the propeller. He was killed instantly.

His wife and family discovered the news of his death when the picture appeared in a newspaper (not sure which one) and a neighbour called at their home to inform them of the sad news.
I have a cropped copy of this picture, given to me by my Great Grandmother (his widow), which she kept with a black edge.
N.B. This is the first time that I have seen what appears to be the full picture, as mine only shows one little girl to the left of the propeller.

I have visited his grave site in Louvencourt Military Cemetery on many occasions, most recently in May 2012 when I had a picnic at his graveside to celebrate his life and left a poppy and cross.

Attached Files

•  IMG-20120524-00014a.jpg   52.81K   0 downloads

[Starlight]

Hi David, Thanks for providing the personal side of Sgt Barnards story. I'm glad you came across the post. Many men were killed or maimed by spinning propellers. My grandfather was a lucky one as he was hit on the back of the head by a propeller of an RE8 in 1917 (fortunately it was not spinning as the aircraft was landing 'deadstick') and lived to tell the tale. Having researched a fair amount on propellers since the date I started this post, I would concur that the propeller marking your great grandfather's first grave is most likely that of a BE2 (with a strip torn off it). Perhaps it was the one that was the cause of his death. I will PM you a copy of the graveside photo.
Regards
Steve