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Description: | British NCO served as rigger with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and on Western Front, 1913-1915; served with 4 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1915; served with 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and Egypt, 1916-1917; served with 113 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in Egypt and Palestine, 1917-1918
REEL 1 Background to recruitment as rigger with Royal Flying Corps, 9/1913: previous work as wheelwright; reasons; attending air show at Hendon Airfield, 1911; recruitment at Kingston Barracks. Recollections of period of basic training and conditions of service at North Camp, Aldershot Barracks, 1913-1914: reception; stick drill; polishing shoes; reading of King's Regulations; regimental bugle calls.
REEL 2 Continues: food rations; education classes; physical training and boxing; viewing film of casualties of Turkish/Bulgarian War; swimming baths; revolver training; increasing visits to Farnborough including nature of fatigues and work levelling airfield; basic training in air frames and rotary engines.
REEL 3 Continues: relationship with army units and story illustrating status of Royal Flying Corps; question of superior standards required to join Royal Flying Corps; discipline based on guards instructors; 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 presence and influence; workshop training; acting as Trenchard's orderly including his instructions, story illustrating his strict approach to pilots and flying with him in Maurice Farman.
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; yellow propeller band for increased visibility. Aspects of period as rigger with 5 Sqdn based at Grange Field, Gosport, 1914: training of pilots; accommodation at Fort Grange; summer camp under active service conditions at Netheravon.
REEL 5 Continues: summer camp under active service conditions at Netheravon; characteristics of Gnome rotary engine; story of accidentally switching off engine during flight with Lieutenant Glanville; rifle training prior to mobilisation, 7/1914. Journey to Mauberge, France, 8/1914: mobility of Royal Flying Corps using lorries; difficulty in disembarking lorries at Boulogne; moving in tandem with aircraft. Recollections of operations with 5 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 8/1914-1/1915: concentration at Mauberge; French sentries; evacuation of Mauberge on approach of German units; difficulties on crowded roads during retreat; view of French 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 Josh Higgins and his attempts to fit fixed rifle to Martinsyde Scout; opinion of Sergeant Major Parker; food rations; use of petrol bomb; adaptions to lengthen tail of hand grenades used as bombs; reaction of civilians on return to GB, ca 1/1915-6/1915.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of period as NCO instructor with 4 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Shoreham, 1/1915-6/1915: unit's training role as reserve squadron; teaching methods; splicing cabled wires; nature of airfield; detachment with recruit squad of riggers to A V Roe aircraft factory at Manchester including subsequent posting of squad to BE2 C unit and responsibility for inspecting allotted civilian billets. Aspects of period as flight sergeant with 14 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Fort Grange, Gosport, 6/1915-11/1915: method of forming new squadron.
REEL 8 Continues: role of flight sergeant. Voyage aboard Anchises to Alexandria, Egypt, 11/1915: role of ship's sergeant major; look out duty; conditions; anti-aircraft guns. Recollections of period with rigger based at 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; working hours; visits to Cairo.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of reconnaissance role during period on detached duty with B Flight at Mersa Matruh, Sidi Barrani and Sollum, 12/1915-5/1916: conditions during voyage aboard Missir to Mersa Matruh; landing from lighters; situation; voyage aboard 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 from Alexandria; relationship 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 posting to 57 Sqdn based at Ismailia, 12/1916-10/1917: unit's role in training pilots and technical personnel; role as Regimental Sergeant Major; opinion of Maurice Farman Shorthorns and story of one crash landing and consequent fire. Recollections of period with 113 Sqdn during operations in Palestine, 10/1917-11/1918: familiarisation with RE8s.
REEL 11 Continues: impact of Allenby's arrival to take command in Palestine campaign including his regular visits to units and improvements to food rations; bombing role; preparations for bombing raids; opinion of RE8s and Bristol Fighters; story of officer who deliberately crash landed inadequate RE8; problems caused by wet weather; cause of split propellers; story of lorries getting bogged down in mud during return to Egypt, 11/1918. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Lance, David G | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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