Photo of my gt grandfather Arthur Jex - Pilot?!

[Dolphin]

The newspaper article is a fantastic find and proves he was in a dog fight too

Kenners

I wouldn't get too excited about about the 'dogfight' claim as newspapers then, like now, are sometimes prone to exaggerate or twist stories to appeal to the readers' preferences. There's no German fighter claim that matches his loss, which suggests that he ended up east of the lines due to either ground fire or engine/airframe failure. SE 5as weren't often used in the ground attack role due to the vulnerability of their inline engine radiators.

Cheers

Gareth

[Stebie9173]

I don't know my own town!

Here is South Street - not far from St Mary's Church (quite logical really...). The modern church is in the area below the Boongate roundabout between New Road and St John's Street.

The Cathedral is bottom left corner for reference.

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I wouldn't worry too much about whether he was shot down in a dog-fight or not. He evidently had plenty of dogfights prior to that!!

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By the way, I suspect the "model" for the painting was a modern day man wearing a facsimile of the uniform as it was worn by one of the aforementioned McCudden brothers.

Steve.

[Kenners]

Kenners

I wouldn't get too excited about about the 'dogfight' claim as newspapers then, like now, are sometimes prone to exaggerate or twist stories to appeal to the readers' preferences. There's no German fighter claim that matches his loss, which suggests that he ended up east of the lines due to either ground fire or engine/airframe failure. SE 5as weren't often used in the ground attack role due to the vulnerability of their inline engine radiators.

Cheers

Gareth

Hi Gareth

Thanks for the info - I guess we'll never know for certain as you say.

Steve - cheers for the map. I may take a trip up there on my way to Lincolnshire for our annual caravan hols.

Thanks all again

Kenners

[Stebie9173]

This adds nothing to the pot, but here is Arthur's entry on the 1918 Absent Voters List for Peterborough:

Steve.

[Kenners]

Thanks for this Steve - every little helps build up the facts.

Cheers

Kenners

[Stebie9173]

Small update:

The Peterborough Citizen of 5th November 1918 records:

"Sergt. Pilot A. Jex R.A.F., Mayor's Walk, Peterborough is a prisoner of war at Rastaff, Baden, Germany."

The POW camp will actually be Rastatt, Baden, not Rastaff. Rastatt is not far south of Karlsruhe/Carlsuhe.

I suppose this leaves three options for Arthur Jex's incarceration:

1) He was first taken to Karlsruhe, photographed, and then moved to Rastatt.

2) He was first taken to Rastatt, then moved to Karlsruhe.

3) He was in the POW camp at Rastatt, and the photographer came out from Karlsruhe to photograph some of the POWs.

(The photo in Post #1 actually seems to say "F. Albrecht, Phot., Karlsruhe 18, 1918" suggesting that Karlsruhe was the location of the photography studio rather than necessarily his place of being held)

From Mrs Pope-Hennessey's book on POW camps:

RASTATT. — A town in Baden (pop. 14,000). The large palace there is conspicuous for its high tower crowned by a gilt figure of Jupiter. There is a civilian prisoners' camp here, where French women and children are interned. During 1918 it has been used as a military transit camp for numbers of British prisoners, both officers and men. Some of the prisoners are housed in the casemates of the old fortress. American prisoners here. 14th Army Corps.

CARLSRUHE. — The capital (pop. 100,000) of the Grand Duchy of Baden. The streets spread out fan-wise from the Schloss. This town has become industrialised since 1870 and makes engines, railway carriages, furniture, plated goods, etc. There is an officers' camp to which the great number of newly captured British officers are sent. It consists of wooden hutments erected in the grounds of the Schloss. 14th Army Corps.

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It is possible that the International Committee of the Red Cross could have more information on his imprisonment, though the relatively short period of incarceration may reduce that chance.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

Locations and rough dates for 45 Squadron and 84 Squadron taken from "Fighter Squadrons of the RAF":

45 Squadron

Formed at Gosport on 1st March 1916, it worked up for overseas and received its operational equipment, Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutters, in September 1916. A month later it went to France and within a week lost three aircraft on patrol; the 1-1/2-Strutters were outclassed. It soldiered on, however, during the Somme offensive and in December moved north to fly photographic reconnaissances and patrols over the Ypres Salient. Casualties were heavy and the Sopwiths were supplemented in April with some Nieuport two-seaters to keep the squadron in business. The first Sopwith Camels arrived in July and by September 1917 the squadron was fully equipped. At last it was able to function as a scout squadron building on a score of 23 enemy aircraft destroyed while with two-seaters. In October it was transferred to the Italian front becoming operational in December 1917.

Bases, etc.

Arthur Jex did not necessarily serve with the same Squadron as an observer that he did as an Air Mechanic* and indeed the date of entry of 19-11-1915 on what we presume is his medal card as Air Mechanic Class II would preclude 45 Squadron that did not reach France until October 1916. Thus, I believe that his Air Mechanic service would have been in a third, as yet unknown, Squadron, or indeed a Base depot, etc.

* Incidentally his pre-war profession would have presumably been useful on the wooden airframes of the planes...

Since he was passed as a pilot (presumably training in the UK) in March 1918, he would have had a while training as a pilot. I don't know exactly how long that took and whether his previous experience as an observer would have shortened the training time, but I suspect that he may have left 45 Squadron around the time that it finally converted to single-seater Sopwith Camels (i.e. planes with no observers!) in September 1917. I suspect that all Arthur's service as an observer with 45 Squadron would have been from St Marie Cappell aerodrome.

84 Squadron

No. 84 Squadron was formed at Beaulieu In January 1917, and was later to become a scout squadron. As such it went to France in September 1917, equipped with the SE5a. Operations began on the Ypres sector with bomber escorts and operational patrols; by the time of the Battle of Cambrai No. 84 was thrown into this battle providing top cover for the many aircraft flying low-level sorties against the enemy troops and spotting for the guns.

In January 1918, as part of the 5th Brigade the Squadron began to fly special missions comprising flights to interrupt German wireless communications. It also began ground-attack work that month and incorporated such attacks as part of any patrol that would otherwise have been uneventful. This experience No. 84 found useful when the German offensive began in March for it was almost exclusively used on ground-attack sorties at that time. Thereafter the squadron was busily in action until the end of the war. It made a speciality of shooting down enemy kite balloons and its efforts in this field were almost exclusively on the Australian front at the beginning of the August offensive. Between August and October the squadron was hard at work, and one of its officers, Captain W A Beauchamp-Proctor, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his work over this period.

At the time of the Armistice the squadron score stood at 129 enemy aircraft destroyed and 50 kite balloons.

Bases, etc.

Steve.

[Kenners]

Steve

This is a fantastic amount of information! Thank you too for locating the POW camp, and your interpretation of the circumstances of his movements - I'd never have considered any of those.

I've just ordered his Service Records from Kew, hopefully they will find something on him, and maybe we can track his various locations, and perhaps the other squadron he served with.

Will keep you posted.

Thanks again .

Kenners

[Stebie9173]

With the arrival of Arthur Jex's service record we can add a bit more detail. Here is my interpretation:

Arthur Jex

• Born on 3rd December 1889 at King’s Lynn

• Previously served in Northamptonshire Regiment Volunteers & Northamptonshire Battery R.F.A.

• Living at No. 20 South Street, Peterborough in 1912 and at 23 Mayor’s Walk, Peterborough from 1914-1918.

• Married to Susannah May Sheffield by Rev Ernest Eugene Law at St Mary’s Church, Peterborough on 26-12-1910

• Son, Stanley Edward Jex born on 16-8-1912 at 20 South Street, Peterborough

• An apprentice with J Thompson & Co Ltd, Peterborough for 5 years until 3-12-1910. A joiner prior to enlisting.

• Enlisted at Peterborough into Royal Garrison Artillery, No. 47710, age 24 years & 10 months, 28-10-1914

• Served 16 days at No. 4 Depot R.G.A, Great Yarmouth.

• Discharged under KR 392 iii © - not liable to make an efficient soldier, due to weak right ankle, 12-11-1914.

Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force

(Air Mechanic, 1915-1916 - Corporal, 1916-1917 - Sergeant, 1917-1918 - Pilot-Sergeant, 1918)

• Enlisted, 3-11-1915 and posted to Royal Flying Corps, No. 12698

Groundcrew

(Probably served as a aircraft repairer at base depots from 18th November 1915 to 7th July 1917)

• Embarked to France as a 2nd Class Air Mechanic, No. 12968 on 18-11-1915 (very soon after enlistment – either he had had prior army training or didn’t need any…)

• Posted to 1 Aircraft Depot, St Omer (i.e. not posted to a specific Squadron but at the base depot behind the lines repairing aircraft, presumably utilising his joinery skills)

• Posted to 2 Aircraft Park at ????????? (Probably in December 1915 when aircraft repair moved from St Omer (No 1 Aircraft Depot) and Candas (No 2 Aircraft Depot) to three newly created Aircraft Parks)

• Promoted to 1st Class Air Mechanic, 1-4-1916

• Appointed as acting Corporal, 26-9-1916

• Promoted to Corporal, 1-12-1916

Observer and Aerial Gunner

(Observer in Sopwith 1½-Strutters with 45 Squadron, R.F.C., at least 7-7-1917 to 9-10-1917)

• Posted to 45 Squadron at St Marie Capell, 7-7-1917 (A transfer within France, and apparently went straight onto action with 45 Squadron, at least he was be the 12tth July 1917….)

• Observer Victory 1: Albatros with pilot Lt. J D Musgrave in Sopwith 1½ Strutter, 12-7-1917

Per R.F.C. Communiques, Page 80, Communique No. 96, July 12th 1917

No. 45 Squadron took part in a number of engagements. One patrol observed a very large yellow two-seater Albatros protected by two Albatros scouts. Captain A T Harris and 2nd Lt P F Webb dived at the two-seater and its Observer was seen to collapse in his cockpit. Capt Harris did not cease firing into the EA {Enemy Aircraft} until he was forced to "zoom" in order to avoid flying into the EA which fell completely out of control. One Albatros scout was shot down by Lt J D Musgrave & Cpl A Jex and was seen to crash and burst into flames. In other combats by 45 Squadron EA were sent down out of control by Lt G H Walker & 2nd Lt Mullen, and Lt O L Making & Lt M Copeland.

• Observer Victory 2: Albatros with pilot Lt. J D Musgrave in Sopwith 1½ Strutter, 20-7-1917

Per R.F.C. Communiques, Page 85, Communique No. 97, July 20 1917

Lt J D Musgrave & Cpl A Jex, 45 Squadron, and Lts A E Charlwood & Selby of the same squadron each drove down an EA out of control.

• Qualified as an aerial gunner, 1-8-1917

• Observer Victory 3: Albatros D.III (OOC) with pilot Lt. Oscar Lennox McMakings in Sopwith 1½ Strutter near Zandvoorde, 10-8-1917

The Communique for 10th August 1917 doesn't specifically mention McMaking's and Jex's victory:

Per R.F.C. Communiques 1917-1918, Pages 98-99, Communique No. 100, August 10th 1917

A formation of Albatros scouts was engaged by 45 Squadron and one was shot down by Capt M Findlay & 2nd Lt Mullen. The same patrol next engaged seven more EA scouts and 2nd Lt M B Frew & Lt G A Brooke drove one down out of control.

• Observer Victory 4: Albatros D.III (DESF) with pilot Lt. Oscar Lennox McMakings in Sopwith 1½ Strutter near Deulemont, 11-8-1917

Per R.F.C. Communiques 1917-1918, Page 100, Communique No. 101, August 11th 1917

The following narrative of fights by machines of 45 Squadron has been sent by the Officer Commanding that squadron and is of considerable interest:

"While on north line patrol Lt O L McMaking and Capt I Mc A M Pender crossed the lines at 6.35pm (on the 11th instant) under the clouds at 4500 feet over Deulemont. While passing a gap in the cloud two Albatros scouts dived at them from the clouds, firing continuously. Cpl A Jex (Lt McMaking's Observer) got in a full drum at the enemy scout from very close quarters. The EA crashed in flames on the canal immediately to the left of Deulemont. The second EA attacked Capt Pender's machine from the side and one bullet passed through both the main petrol tanks and wounded Capt Pender seriously in the back. Pioneer W T Smith (Capt Pender's Observer) got in a full double drum at the EA from close quarters and it crashed four fields to the left of the first machine. Captain Pender then fainted and his machine got into a spin. As Pioneer Smith could not make him hear, he climbed over the side and forward along the plane to the pilot's cockpit and found the stick wedged between Capt Pender's legs. He pulled Capt Pender back and pushed the stick forward. The machine came out of the spin and Capt Pender almost immediately recovered. Capt Pender then brought the machine and landed his Observer safely near Poperinghe. Members of the 16th Divisional Ammunition Column, where Capt Pender came down, saw Pioneer Smith standing on the side of the machine and heard him encouraging Capt Pender, saying 'Pull her up, sir' as they were about to crash into some hop poles. Capt Pender did pull her up and landed on the other side with very little damage."

• Promoted to Sergeant, 30-8-1917

• To England, 9-10-1917

Sergeant-Pilot

• Passed Royal Flying Club Certificate, 10-3-1918

• Transferred to Royal Air Force as a Sergeant, 1-4-1918

• Transferred from No. 2 School of Aerial Gunnery at ????? to No. 3 Training Squadron at ?????, 3-4-1918

• To France, 4-4-1918

• To No 2 Aircraft Supply Depot at ?????????, 4-4-1918

• Transferred from No 2 Aircraft Supply Depot to 84 Squadron, 16-4-1918

• Pilot-Sergeant in SE 5a aircraft with 84 Squadron R.A.F

• Crashed in SE 5a C5335 after it stalled and side-slipped into the ground after stalling on take-off, 17-4-1918

• Crashed in SE 5a B637 after turning near the ground and stalling, 22-4-1918

• Posted to Reserve Depot at Farnborough, 2-5-1918

• To England, 2-5-1918 (Arthur may have been injured in this crash, or perhaps it was felt that he needed further training to control SE5a planes after two crashes…)

• To No. 41 Training Squadron, Doncaster, 20-6-1918

• Doncaster Station (?) Pool, 20-6-1918

• Posted back to No 41 Training Squadron, RAF Doncaster, 24-6-1918

• No 41 Training Squadron converted to No 47 Training Depot Station, RAF Doncaster, 15-7-1918

• Posted to No 1 Flying School at ???????? (UK), 23-8-1918

• “Posted to Air Ministry” (UK), 5-9-1918

• To France and posted back to 84 Squadron, France/Belgium, 9-9-1918

• Flying SE 5a C6480 on an Aerial Sentry Patrol from Liettres aerodrome on 27 September 1918 when he failed to return after last being seen over Peronne at 08:15, after which he was captured.

• Prisoner of War at either Rastatt POW Camp, Baden, or at Karlsruhe, September – December 1918

• Returned to England, 23-12-1918

• Reserve Depot, Halton Camp, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, 23-12-1918

• Probably granted the usual two months released POW leave

• Medical Board hearing finds him unfit for General Service, but fit for home service with ground duties, 27-2-1919

• Transferred to RAF Reserve, 24-3-1919

• Medical Board declares him “A” fit for home service and ground duties only, 29-3-1919

• Discharged from RAF Reserve, 30-4-1920

We would appreciate any addition information, particularly as regards to the locations of the various units (red) or confirmations that I have interpreted the entries correctly (purple)

Steve.

[Kenners]

Steve

I'm absolutely lost for words for your help in diciphering his Service Record. I can't thank you enough for this summary and I'd definitely buy you a beer or 3 if I wasn't so far south of you in deepest East Sussex!

Fantastic efforts by everyone also who has helped me build up my great granddad's service - I could write a book with the amount of info you've all chipped in with! This is without doubt one of the best if not the best forums currently on the net.

I'm going to have a good read now!

Cheers

Kenners

[David W]

Further to the posting by Stebie with regards to units and their locations:

No 2 School of Aerial Gunnery - Eastburn

No 3 Training Squadron - Netheravon

41 Training Squadron - RAF Doncaster

No 1 Flying School - Netheravon

[Stebie9173]

Thanks David.

That makes things clearer.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

I've just come across a reference of Arthur Jex enlisting at Peterborough Recruiting Office (on Long Causeway - next to where Boots/Dolland & Aitcheson opticians is these days) on 22nd December 1914. The list of men recuited that day shows him being enlisted into the Royal Engineers. Assuming he was fit enough (bearing in mind his dodgy ankle), he may have spent the time between December 1914 and his joining the Royal Flying Corps in November 1915 serving with the R.E. in the UK.

Steve.

[Martin Bennitt]

He didn't give up easily, did he? Barely a month after being discharged from the artillery because of his dodgy ankle he'd signed up with the engineers. A year later the RFC had taken him.

Which raises the question, did the various branches of the army have different criteria for admitting people (I assume the RE must have known about his not making it in the RGA, and the need for ankles that

would stand up must have been equally necessary, if not as ground crew or aircrew)? Or would they have just looked the other way?

cheers Martin B

[Kenners]

Steve and Martin B

Many thanks for the latest piece of my gt grandfather Arthur's service records - I just picked this up.

Would he have had a separate service record under the REs - another new line to investigate!

Cheers

Kenners

[David_Blanchard]

I have just found this thread. I am sure the large tower at Rastatt features in a number of photographs I have seen. I thought this was Karlsruhe Camp- I know its close to Rastatt- but the large tower seems to feature in the background and most photographs appear to be by the same photographer.

David

[alex revell]

Arthur Jex. Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 5757 dated 10/3/1918