Description
Object description
British driver served with Transport Section of 3 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and Western Front, 1913-1915; mechanic served with 9 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1916; instructor served with Officers School, Royal Flying Corps at Reading, GB, 1916-1917; NCO trained as pilot with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1917-1918; officer served as pilot with 92 Sqdn, RAF on Western Front, 1918
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of recruitment and training with Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station, Farnborough, GB, 5/1913-8/1913: reasons for enlistment; funeral of Colonel Samuel Cody in Aldershot Military Cemetery, 8/1913. Aspects of period as driver to Motor Transport Section, 3 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon, GB, 8/1913-8/1914: posting to station; station layout and equipment establishment; restrictions on sergeant pilots flying even when they qualified as pilots privately; opinion of Sapper James McCudden and his exceptional eyesight; role as driver. Recollections of period as driver with Transport Section, 3 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 8/1914-11/1915: difficulties and reception from French civilians during journey to Mauberge, 8/1914; German air activity, 8/1914; holding aircraft down during storm, 9/1914; improving airstrip at Henges, near Amiens; premature bomb explosion whilst loading Captain Reginald Cholmondley's aircraft at Merville airfield, 12/3/1915; character of Gordon Bell.
REEL 2 Continues: story of accidental collision involving Captain Robert Egerton flying a Bristol Scout with 9 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 12/3/1916. Aspects of period as instructor at Officers School, Royal Flying Corps at Reading, GB, 10/1916-11/1917. Recollections of training as pilot with Royal Flying Corps in GB, 11/1917-7/1918: ground training at Reading; first solo and cross-country flight at Royal Flying Corps Station Thetford; nature of flying; advanced flying training at Royal Flying Corps Station Lilbourne; keenness to learn aerial manoeuvres including Immelmann Turn, loop, roll and spin; use of rudder to confuse German anti-aircraft fire in action; use of flattened bracing wires to create whistling noise during ground attack operations; flying Avro 504 and enthusiasm for practising stunting to gain experience; flying Sopwith Pup; armament of Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 92 Sqdn, RAF on Western Front, 7/1918-11/1918: initial period in pilot pool at St Omer, 7/1918; reception; opinion of Major Arthur Coningham; story of getting lost due to faulty compass and forced landing; relations with pilots of different nationalities; purpose of patrols; method of communicating between aircraft; methods of breaking off from combat with overwhelming numbers of German aircraft; nature of dogfighting; squadron and wing formations; German pilots' advantage in fighting over their own lines; story of gliding back from behind German lines; ground strafing German transport and use of 20lb Cooper Bombs; incident of harassing German officer on horseback.
REEL 4 Continues: receiving slight head wound from machine gun post in church tower whilst ground strafing German transport in village; opinion of Captain James Robb and Major Arthur Coningham; story of deliberate destruction of sub-standard Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a; relations with ground crew, officers and NCOs; sings 'The Young Aviator Lay Dying' and Tipperary parody: 'Its a Log Way to 5,000'.