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Remembered Today:

Rhys Davids 56 Sqdn crash site


Regulus 1

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As we are now very close to finding the actual crash site of Werner Voss I started to think about the fact that some people mentioned that Rhys Davids who got credit for the Voss victory, and who was a superb ace himself, crashed within 5 miles from Voss on the 27th October 1917.

Other sources say :

last seen 5 miles SW of Roeselare (Roulers)

Crashed at :

Polterrjeberg (which does not exist) There is a Pottelberg near Kortrijk (Courtrai)

Polterrjebrug (does not exist either)

We have of course : Polderhoek, Zonnebeke (Geluveld) en Poezelhoek (same area) but that is very close. Not 5 miles...

Where should we really look ?

And how come most people are convinced about the five miles from the Voss crash site if nobody knows where he actually crashed ?

Plus, did anyone ever take a look at these documents :

letters from the War Office about Arthur's effects, 1918, with a list of items returned by the Germans, 1920;

which are in a university library ?

Just a few simple questions... :D

Best from Johan

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Hello,

RHYS DAVIDS crashed at POTTERIEBRUG - Becelare.

This place really exists, I had it maped but cannot find it actually.

Regards,

Cnock

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Potteriebrug (right of pic)

I was at the spot.

Cnock

post-7723-1220035973.jpg

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Mystery solved, thank you very much Cnock ! B)

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You are welcome,

fits with the distance of 5 miles approx. from Voss crash site

Cnock

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Extract from Brief Glory. The Life of Arthur Rhys Davids. Published 1984 by William Kimber.

Postcript. (in part) Gallwitz, at that time acting staffelfuhrer of Jasta Boelcke, claimed a 'Martinsyde' - a type the German fighter pilots often confused with the SE5 at this stage of the war - at Polterrjebrug, just over a mile north-west from Dadizele at 12.08 German time (11.08 British time) This claim of Gallwitz fits for both time and location the loss of Rhys Davids on the morning of 27 October 1917. ......Arthur Rhys Davids and Werner Voss both lie in complete obscurity, a little under five miles apart. End quote.

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  • 2 years later...

Hi,

I'm looking for a high resolution photo from the Rhys-Davids crash, can anyone help me on the matter ? It will be worth it !

Thanks and best from Johan

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Hi,

I'm looking for a high resolution photo from the Rhys-Davids crash, can anyone help me on the matter ? It will be worth it !

Thanks and best from Johan

Or you could buy the 56 sqn book and make Alex happy

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.

I did. "High in the Empty Blue" is worth every penny I paid for it many times over. Alex even sent me a signed card I could paste to the inside frontis piece. What a fine Gent he is.

:thumbsup:

Cheers!

Lou

.

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Johan,

As you no doubt know by now, I can no longer post or watch the Aerodrome forum. On my last post to you on that site I asked exactly what you were looking for - the site of the crash or the photograph of the crash. I explained to you that it is not 100% cerain that it is RD's crash, although I am pretty sure it is. Can you tell me exacly why you want the photo..

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Alex,

Don't know what the hell happened there, but I just did read it !

This is what I posted on the drome :

I know where he crashed, and I'm pretty certain of the location, only thing is that I need to compare the background, so if you don't want to give away the whole photo, I completely understand it, I would already be happy with the background only !

Which is not much as I understand it, the background, but it might help a lot.

Sincere thanks,

Best from Johan

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Johan,

Sorry, but I'm afraid that there is no background in the photo, only a very narrow strip above the crashed aeroplane which is just grass or earth. No trees, buildings etc.,nothing that would give any information, or even a clue, as to the location.

What happened on the Aerodrome was that I attempted to help a member who I, and others, considered had been very unfairly banned for life. The thread/appeal/suggestion I posted was very innocuous, merely asking if a more democratic way could be found - perhaps by forumites voting on the issue. For my pains I also earned a ban for life. I'm afraid that there is a certain clique which run the site and one disagrees with them or crosses them at one's peril. They vet and censor posts and will ban any they dislike without any right of appeal.

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Johan,

Sorry, but I'm afraid that there is no background in the photo, only a very narrow strip above the crashed aeroplane which is just grass or earth. No trees, buildings etc.,nothing that would give any information, or even a clue, as to the location.

What happened on the Aerodrome was that I attempted to help a member who I, and others, considered had been very unfairly banned for life. The thread/appeal/suggestion I posted was very innocuous, merely asking if a more democratic way could be found - perhaps by forumites voting on the issue. For my pains I also earned a ban for life. I'm afraid that there is a certain clique which run the site and one disagrees with them or crosses them at one's peril. They vet and censor posts and will ban any they dislike without any right of appeal.

G'day Johan,

I seem to recall watching a documentary that pin pointed both Voss and RD's crash sites. I am afraid its title eludes me at the moment.

Sorry I am going a tad off topic.

Sorry to hear you were banned Alex, especially as it seems you received your ban for sticking up for a mate. I've been a member of the Aerodrome since 1998 and rarely post there anymore.

The up side is that your input here will be very much appreciated.

As a post script I emailed Scott Hamilton and told him I wouldn't participate on the Aerodrome until your ban was reversed Alex. His response, he closed my account!!

Regards,

Andrew

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.

Andrew, I walked out about 30 minutes after you did Sir. My account has not been closed yet, but then the day is still young. Ah well, there are other places to go and other people to meet.

C'est la vie, mon ami!

.

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.

Andrew, I walked out about 30 minutes after you did Sir. My account has not been closed yet, but then the day is still young. Ah well, there are other places to go and other people to meet.

C'est la vie, mon ami!

.

Thanks for your support of Alex and my walk out. I saw your reply, but couldn't respond to your post for obvious reasons. I have known a number of authors who have stopped visiting the Aerodrome for various reasons but I cannot recall one ever being banned for life for sticking up for a chum. Poor form.

Andrew

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Andrew and Alex,

After a run-in with the moderators over the right to reply to a well known American author, I walked out several years ago so haven't had the pleasure of being banned for life! I'll lodge my protest this evening and join you guys.

Mike

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Andrew,

Although very much appreciated, I do wish you hadn't stuck your neck out for me with the result that you are now also banned.

Lou, I can only repeat. Please do not try anything similar. I don't want to be the cause of anyone's ban. It's not worth it.

In my case, and Dave's, it's obvious that people have been looking for an excuse for sometime. How else can one explain the severity of a lifetime ban for such two innocuous posts, plus others.

Thank goodness this excellent site has no such bias and is seemingly run by grown up people. However, I don't want it to be come dominated by my problems - although for me they are hardly that. So here, let's call it a day on the subject.

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Andrew,

Although very much appreciated, I do wish you hadn't stuck your neck out for me with the result that you are now also banned.

Lou, I can only repeat. Please do not try anything similar. I don't want to be the cause of anyone's ban. It's not worth it.

In my case, and Dave's, it's obvious that people have been looking for an excuse for sometime. How else can one explain the severity of a lifetime ban for such two innocuous posts, plus others.

Thank goodness this excellent site has no such bias and is seemingly run by grown up people. However, I don't want it to be come dominated by my problems - although for me they are hardly that. So here, let's call it a day on the subject.

Alex it is of no great loss, I haven't been a regular there for years. I found the place a bit too German Air Force orientated for my liking, not a lot of balance. I promise that my final word on the subject is that your departure from the aerodrome is their loss and the Great War Forum's gain.

Regards,

Andrew.

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.

Hear, Hear! I heartily agree Andrew.

We loop in the purple twilight,

We spin in the silvery dawn,

With a trail of smoke behind us,

To show where our comrades have gone.

So, stand to your glasses steady,

This world is a world full of lies.

Here's a toast to the dead already,

Hoorah for the next man to die!

drinks.gif

.

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Hi everyone, and glad to be here,

I am indeed the 'bristol scout' (Dave) who brought about, one could say, the mass bannings at Areodrome--Myself, for a post (139 on a thread about whether vR spoke any 'last words'---a most innocuous post I should add), frighteningly quickly followed by Kevin (modelguy) and Alex---for having the temerity to simply ask if this was the only way to go forward with reportee's, and their victims (the report button is often a weapon of malicious intent over there! Now Andrew--and RAF Louvert perhaps...

I feel like a sort of Judas goat------but then that disrespects the great men I have just mentioned.... I have lost a great number of good friends over there, as have we all, and that is the bitterest pill of all. Nevertheless, I hope to make others soon.

I have come here with the very best of intent, but am using exactly the same name that I used at Arodrome, as I am very proud of my input on that site under this name.

My real name is Dave Lee

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Andrew, you mean this ?

http://wn.com/James_McCudden

Alex, Dave, Andrew and Mike,

Sad news about the drome, never expected this to happen...

Alex, no possible trace of a ditch or something ?

Best from Johan

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Andrew, you mean this ?

http://wn.com/James_McCudden

Alex, Dave, Andrew and Mike,

Sad news about the drome, never expected this to happen...

Alex, no possible trace of a ditch or something ?

Best from Johan

G'day Johan,

That's the one I saw......my memory is not what it used to be :blush:

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Johan, I must apologise. When you first asked about what could be seen in the background of the photo of the crash, I was lazy and only checked the photo in HITEB which was cropped. My aplogies for that. However, I dug out the original print this morning to check and there's nothing further to be seen, only just an expanse of ground with no distinguishing marks at all. Sorry I can't be of more help.

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Alex,

You might be more of a help than you think with that. When I return to the crash site I'll check it out, but I'm pretty certain I know the spot for certain now. And apologies ? What for ? For helping me ? :thumbsup:

Sincere thanks and best from Johan

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Alex,

Regarding the photograph published in HITEB, you stated that you believe it is most likely to be RD. You also mentioned on a previous post elsewhere that you originally received it from a Mr Ed Ferko.

Could you please expand on the provenance of the image and explain why you think it may be RD? - is it because of the ‘B’ flight quartered wheel covers or do you have other reasons too? Thanks.

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