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Description: | British driver served with 2 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and Western Front, 1913-1916; NCO served as pilot with 6 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1917; served as instructor with No 1 School of Aerial Gunnery, Dymchurch, GB, 1917-1918
REEL 1 Aspects of recruitment as driver with Royal Flying Corps at Warley Barracks, Great Warley, Essex 11/1913: reasons; ruse to overcome slight deafness during medical. Aspects of period of basic training with Royal Flying Corps at Aldershot Barracks, 11/1913-2/1914: conditions of service; squads; military routine and drill; question of status of Royal Flying Corps; relationship with NCOs and officers. Recollections of period as driver with 2 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and France, 2/1914-9/1914: duties at Montrose
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Major Burke; packing up equipment into commandeered lorries for move to France, 8/1914; reception from civilians in Glasgow; voyage to Boulogne; joining transport from other squadrons; receptions from French civilians; drive to Maubeuge, 8/1914.
REEL 3 Continues: reception from French civilians during drive to Maubeuge; puttees; retreat from Maubeuge, 8/1914-9/1914. Period as driver with 2 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Merville, 9/1914-12/1916: duties as driver to commanding officer; stories of Major Dawes.
REEL 4 Continues: background to posting for flying training. Aspects of period at Flying Training School, Northolt, 2/1917-3/1917: dual and solo flying; various flying tests including night flight; status as NCO pilot. Period flying RE8s at South Carlton, 4/1917. Recollections of period as sergeant pilot flying RE8s with 6th Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Abeele, Belgium, 4/1917-11/1917. Flying hours prior to arrival.
REEL 5 Continues: nature of photographic and visual reconnaissance flights; artillery air observation flights using wireless and clock code; unreliability of Constanescue Vickers machine gun interrupter gear; status as NCO pilot including relationship with officer observers and other NCOs; story of being shot down by Albatross during artillery observation flight over Gheluveldt, 5/11/1917.
REEL 6 Continues: story of being shot down by Albatross and crash landing at Sanctury Wood, 5/11/1917; effect on personal morale and return to GB. Period as instructor training air gunners and observers at No 1 School of Aerial Gunnery, Dymchurch, 12/1917-12/1918. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Eddington, George Worth | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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