Second Lieutenant Hillebrandt, RFC

[Neil Clark]

A very interesting case here -

Whilst writing a history on Wye Airfield near Ashford, I came across a George Cross action there -

Lieutenant Oliver Campbell BRYSON, GC, MC, DFC & Bar, RAF

Born: 18 August 1896.

Educated: Bromsgrove School

Date of George Cross Action: 15 March 1917

Place of GC Action: Wye Aeorodrome, Kent

Age on GC Action: 21 years

Died: 27 March 1977

London Gazette: 11 January 1918

Citation –

"The KING was pleased, at Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday, the 9th instant, to present to Captain Oliver Campbell Bryson, Flight Commander, Royal Flying Corps, the Albert Medal, which was awarded by His Majesty in recognition of his gallantry in endeavouring to save life in March last. The circumstances are as follows: —

On the 15th March, 1917, Captain (then Lieutenant, Bryson, with Second Lieutenant Hillebrandt as passenger, was piloting an aeroplane at Wye Aerodrome when, owing to a sideslip, the machine crashed to the ground and burst into flames. On disentangling himself from the burning wreckage Captain Bryson at once went back into the flames, dragged Lieutenant Hillebrandt from the machine, and notwithstanding his own injuries, which were undoubtedly aggravated by his gallant efforts to rescue his brother officer from the fire, endeavoured to extinguish the fire on Lieutenant Hillebrandt's clothing. Lieutenant Hillebrandt succumbed to his injuries a few; days later."

I can't locate this Second Lieutenant Hillebrandt on the CWGC database, can anyone please have a go and prove me wrong...

I think that these pilots were flying in the 42nd Training Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC) which was formed at Wye in 1916. The airfield was used heavily by the Americans as a training base when they finally came in on our side.

I will not be surprised if this casualty isn't recorded as I have always thought that many wartime aircraft accidents went unrecorded.

Thanking you all in anticipation...

Neil

[Messina1915]

Here he is - there's no D in the surname in his CWGC record!

Name: HILLEBRANT, FREDERICK EDMUND

Initials: F E

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 5th Wing

Secondary Regiment: General List

Secondary Unit Text: and

Date of Death: 22/03/1917

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 2055.

Cemetery: ILFORD CEMETERY

Here's the entry for his birth in FreeBMD:

Births Jun 1893 (>99%)

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Hillebrandt Frederick Edmund Islington 1b 433

And the FreeBMD details of his death:

Deaths Mar 1917 (>99%)

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Hillebrandt Frederick E 23 W.Ashford 2a 1537

Cheers,

Carole.

[Neil Clark]

Thanks Carole

I will now add his name to my write up on Wye Airfield...

I think I will approach the BDM in Ashford to ask if I can trawl thorough the registers from 1914 to 1921. Who knows how many more links to Ashford will be found like this one. I understand these registers are closed to the General Public though? I wonder if it's possible to get some kind of dispensation in the circumstances?

Terry,

It looks like a straightforward spelling error on the casualty index. Can the correction be made now or will they want further proof. I'm already satisfied that it should include a D.

Neil