Description
Object description
British air mechanic and NCO served as rigger with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and France, 9/1913-1/1915; NCO served with 4 (Reserve) Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1/1915-6/1915; served with 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and Egypt, 6/1915-11/1916; served with 57 (Reserve) Sqdn in Egypt, 12/1916-10/1917; served with 113 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force in Egypt and Palestine, Ottoman Empire, 10/1917-11/1918
Content description
REEL 1 Background to enlistment as rigger with Royal Flying Corps, 9/1913: previous employment as wheelwright; reasons for enlistment; prior recollection of attending air show at Hendon Aerodrome, 1911; recruitment at Kingston Barracks. Recollections of training with Royal Flying Corps at North Camp Barracks, Aldershot, GB, 1913-1914: reception; stick drill; polishing shoes; reading of King's Regulations; regimental bugle calls.
REEL 2 Continues: rations; education classes; physical training and boxing; viewing film of casualties of Turkish/Bulgarian War; swimming baths; revolver training; visits to Royal Flying Corps Station Farnborough including nature of fatigues and work levelling airfield; basic training in air frames and rotary engines.
REEL 3 Continues: relations with army units and story illustrating status of Royal Flying Corps; question of superior standards required to join Royal Flying Corps; discipline based on instructors from Brigade of Guards; passing out and posting to newly formed 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps; daily routine as rigger. Aspects of attending course as rigger at Central Flying School, Upavon, 1913-1914: different uniforms; question of Royal Naval Air Service presence and influence; workshop training; acting as Colonel Hugh Trenchard's orderly including his instructions, story illustrating his strict approach to pilots and flying with him in Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn.
REEL 4 Continues: splicing cable; covering and doping aircraft; practice in handling aircraft; method of priming and swinging propeller to start engine for take off including prescribed vocabulary, effects of weather conditions and necessity for care; use of yellow propeller band for increased visibility. Aspects of period as rigger with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Gosport, GB, 1914: training of pilots; accommodation at Fort Grange; summer camp under active service conditions at Royal Flying Corps Station Netheravon.
REEL 5 Continues: characteristics of Gnome Rotary Engine; story of accidentally switching off engine during flight with Lieutenant Hugh Glanville; rifle training prior to mobilisation, 7/1914. Recollections of operations as NCO with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 8/1914-1/1915: mobility of Royal Flying Corps using lorries; difficulty in disembarking lorries at Boulogne; movement in tandem with aircraft; concentration at Mauberge; French sentries; evacuation of Mauberge on approach of Imperial German Army; difficulties on crowded roads during retreat; sight of French Army Cavalry cuirassiers.
REEL 6 Continues: development of roundels to identify Allied aircraft; relationship with infantry; necessity of protecting Henry Farmans and Avro 504s from high winds and wet conditions; opinion of Major Jack Higgins and his attempts to fit fixed rifle to Martinsyde Scout 1; opinion of Sergeant-Major William Parker; rations; use of petrol bomb; adaptions to lengthen tail of hand grenades used as bombs; reaction of civilians on return to GB, 1/1915-6/1915.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of period as NCO with 4 (Reserve) Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Shoreham-by-Sea, GB, 1/1915-6/1915: squadron's training role as reserve squadron; teaching methods as instructor; splicing cabled wires; nature of airfield; detachment with recruit squad of riggers to A V Roe Aircraft Factory in Manchester including subsequent posting of squad to squadron equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c and responsibility for inspecting allotted civilian billets. Aspects of period as NCO with 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Gosport, GB, 6/1915-11/1915: method of forming new squadron.
REEL 8 Continues: role as sergeant. Aspects of voyage aboard SS Anchises from GB to Alexandria, Egypt, 11/1915: role of ship's sergeant major; look out duty; conditions; anti-aircraft guns. Recollections of period as NCO with 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Heliopolis, Egypt, 11/1915-12/1915: accidental dropping of bombs during landing of equipment and stores; establishing airfield in desert; use of Egyptian Labour Corps; effects of climate; assembling aircraft; drinking habits; pith helmets and uniform worn; working hours; visits to Cairo.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with B Flight, 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Mersa Matruh, Sidi Barrani and Sollum, Egypt, 12/1915-11/1916: conditions during voyage aboard SS Missir to Mersa Matruh; landing from lighters; situation; voyage aboard SS Borulus to Sidi Barrani; problem with hornets; dung beetles; clearing airfield; duties; condition of aircraft; discovery of mummified corpses whilst clearing airfield at Sollum; situation.
REEL 10 Continues: sandstorms; water supply shipped in from Alexandria; relations with infantry units; dispute over report that troops' polished equipment made them more visible to air reconnaissance; temporary return to Cairo, 5/1915; return to Sollum on reports of Senussi activities. Aspects of period as NCO with 57th (Reserve) Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Royal Flying Corps Station Ismailia, Egypt, 12/1916-10/1917: squadron's role in training pilots and technical personnel; role as regimental sergeant major; opinion of Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorns and story of one crash landing and consequent fire. Recollections of period as NCO with 113 Sqdn Royal Flying Corps/RAF in Egypt and Palestine, Ottoman Empire, 10/1917-11/1918: familiarisation with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s.
REEL 11 Continues: impact of General Edmund Allenby's arrival to take command in Palestine campaign including his regular visits to units and improvements in rations; bombing role; preparations for bombing raids; opinion of Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 and Bristol F.2 Fighter; story of officer who deliberately crash landed inadequate Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8; problems caused by wet weather; cause of split propellers; story of lorries getting bogged down in mud during return to Egypt, 11/1918.