Rob B Posted 18 August , 2005 Share Posted 18 August , 2005 Can any one help, for years I have wanted to track down the citation for my Grandfathers DFC which he was awarded in the London Gazette of 1 Jan 1919. Fl Lt Robert Geddes Spence RNAS/RAF flew as a pilot on DC9's serving with 221 Squadron and was shot down in late 1918 getting back to allied lines a few days later. Although we have the medals in the family it would be wonderful to eventually know what he actually got it for. Like many of the gallant 1st war combatants he was reluctant to tell us the full story. Any help in this quest would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_59 Posted 22 August , 2005 Share Posted 22 August , 2005 you may have forund this already... He is mentioned here but there is no citation http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType= did he win the DFC for his actions in 1918? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 22 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 August , 2005 you may have forund this already... He is mentioned here but there is no citation http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType= did he win the DFC for his actions in 1918? Dave <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 22 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 August , 2005 Dave, Thanks for getting back, I always thought he got in in 1918 as the RNAS/RAF merger was in April 1918 and prior to that he would have been awarded the DSC as a Naval award. There was a Macedonia supplement in March 1919 but he was not mentioned in this so it could be he got the medal and no citation ever came back from the final Island in the Aegean he was flying from at that time. He was shot down in Sept of 1918, 4 shots in the gravity tank of his DE9 and a crash landing on a flee infested island, that is fact from family letters and his subsequent escape to Allied lines (All good boys own stuff!) Thanks Dave your help is greatly appreciated. Cheers, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Dennis Posted 22 August , 2005 Share Posted 22 August , 2005 ... the final Island in the Aegean he was flying from at that time. He was shot down in Sept of 1918, 4 shots in the gravity tank of his DE9 and a crash landing on a flee infested island... Do you happen to know which islands these were? Regards, Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 22 August , 2005 Share Posted 22 August , 2005 Rob In case you don't have this information, No 221 Sqn RAF was formed from D Sqn, No 2 Wing RNAS at Stavros on 1 April 1918. Two flights were equipped with the Airco (de Havilland) DH 4 and one with the DH 9. However, the No 221 Sqn title wasn't used until September 1918 - I suppose they kept calling themselves D Squadron. No 221 was absorbed into No 222 Sqn (DH 4, DH 9 and Sopwith Camel) at Mudros on 15 October 1918. No 221 Sqn was re-formed with DH 9s at Lemnos in December 1918 prior to moving to South Russia to operate in support of anti-Bolshevik forces there. I've looked for mention of your Grandfather in two of the standard references: The DH 4/DH 9 File by Sturtivant and Page (lists every aeroplane of the two types, and what happened to them) and Hobson's The Sky Their Battlefield (lists Empire air casualties from enemy action) but without success. Best wishes Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 23 August , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 August , 2005 Gareth, Thanks for that it's much appreciated, the forum produces real gems and they all go towards filling those frustrating gaps. Thanks, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted 23 August , 2005 Share Posted 23 August , 2005 Hi Rob, Have you tried over at the aerodrome forum? www.theaerodrome.com/forum/ Neville Hayes over there is particularly good at this sort of thing. Good luck with the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 November , 2017 Share Posted 18 November , 2017 Hi Rob I am researching RFC/RNAS pilots from the North East of England and came across you Grandfathers name on the Ashbrook Cricket club role of honour and wondered what his connection with Sunderland was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted 2 March , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 March , 2019 On 18/11/2017 at 10:38, sappercook said: Hi Rob I am researching RFC/RNAS pilots from the North East of England and came across you Grandfathers name on the Ashbrook Cricket club role of honour and wondered what his connection with Sunderland was? So sorry I have just found this post. My Grandfather was a Durham School boy and his father WG Spence was a Director of George Clarke of Sunderland one of the shipyards. They lived in South Shields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josquin Posted 4 March , 2019 Share Posted 4 March , 2019 Rob, Gallantry medals announced on New Year's Day included a list of award recipients but no award citations. As your grandfather's D.F.C. was announced in the London Gazette on 1 January 1919, his name was listed but no award citation was published. There was no official malfeasance; merely longstanding custom. Josquin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now