47 TDS

[Adrian Roberts]

Remembering Today: Lt John Moriarty TIDMARCH 47 TDS, Royal Air Force, who died on 03.09.18. Limerick (St Lawrences) Catholic Cemetery, Ireland

What does TDS mean in this context?

And was Lt Tidmarch killed near Limerick, eg while training, or was his body taken to his home from his place of death (the latter was rare, I believe)?

Adrian

[Dolphin]

Adrian

I put a post about Lt Tidmarch under 'Soldiers'. He died in England, and his body must have been returned to Ireland for burial.

Best wishes

Gareth

[Terry Denham]

And was Lt Tidmarch killed near Limerick, eg while training, or was his body taken to his home from his place of death (the latter was rare, I believe)?

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This was not at all rare when the casualty died within the UK. The relatives had the right to select the burial place but had to pay for transporting the body. Some could afford this and some couldn't.

Ireland was, of course, part of the UK at the time.

[MikeW]

Adrian,

TDS = Training Depot Station

47 TDS was based at Doncaster.

Mike

[Max]

47 TDS was based at Doncaster.

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Mike

Do you know if the unit was based on the old airstrip that used to be just next to the racecourse?

Andy

[MikeW]

Mike

Do you know if the unit was based on the old airstrip that used to be just next to the racecourse?

Andy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, havn't a clue!

[Dolphin]

Do you know if the unit was based on the old airstrip that used to be just next to the racecourse?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Andy

My list of 1914-1919 aerodromes in the UK shows only one in Doncaster, the home of No 47 TDS, so there must be a fair chance that if there was an aerodrome near the racecourse, then that's where the TDS was. Unless, of course, the racecourse aerodrome was a post-War facility.

Regards

Gareth

[Terry Denham]

"Action Stations Vol. 4 - Military Airfields of Yorkshire" states that Doncaster racecourse was used as a landing ground during WW1.

It was the site of the first British aviation meeting in 1909.

[Frank_East]

More on RFC Doncaster, the airfield which vanished under bricks.

The Great War airfield at Doncaster, later the home of the No 47 Training Depot Station started operational service as a Home Defence Squadron base. From June 1916,half a Flight of No 47 Squadron was based there to defend the area against Zeppelins.None were ever intercepted from here.

The airfield was constructed on the north side of Doncaster Common,now named Doncaster Racecourse and would be best described as being on the left hand side of the present main road at the back of the racestands.The airfield was well equipped with hangers and what would have formed the basis of a future RAF permanent station.Being close to the town,this was not to be so and after the Great War,the hangers were dismantled and the former open space was developed into what is now the huge built up area Intake suburb of Doncaster.

The site was much larger than Doncaster Common and had 24 SE 5As and 24 Avro 504 on its charge as No 47 TDS.Later on the 7 January 1917,No 82 Squadron was formed here equipped with Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8s who after conversion left for St Omer on 17 November 1917 via periods at Beverley and Waddington.

RAF Doncaster was a different matter opening in 1939 from being a small civilian airfield adjacent to Doncaster Rovers football ground on the south side but across the then A1 from the Racecourse. The airfield was not paved and was a little tight on space.Surprisingly, lumbering aircraft of No 271(General Communication Duty) Squadron such as Harrows,Sparrows, Bombays operated out of here throughout the war as well as Dakotos in the later stages.

The airfield was closed to military flying in 1945 and in the last 10 years has seen extensive development as a business park,retail park and leisure centre known as the Dome.View the site now and it is difficult the imagine the site as an airfield although there is an Air Museum on the site.

Regards

Frank East