Ali Hollington Posted 8 April , 2004 Share Posted 8 April , 2004 Hi In Before Endeavours fade Alber Ball's crash site and grave are identified, but the story is "too well known to be reprinted here" or words to that effect (don't have my copy with me). So what is the story of his crash? Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 8 April , 2004 Share Posted 8 April , 2004 Ali Below is an extract from "The Sky Their Battlefield' by Trevor Henshaw that gives a very good summary of Capt Ball's end. There has been speculation that he passed out during the flight, either from vertigo or through being struck on the head by an ammunition drum while re-loading his Lewis gun. We shall never know. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 8 April , 2004 Share Posted 8 April , 2004 This is from ‘World War I – An illustrated history’ by Lloyd Clark of the RMAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 8 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 8 April , 2004 Thanks for the info. Now I know, well as much as we can. Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertb Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Ali, There is a book published on Albert Ball that I have. Here are the details: Title: "Albert Ball, VC" Author: Chaz Bowyer Publication date: 1994 Publishers: Bridge Books, Wrexham ISBN: 1-872424-39-2 This is a nice hardback book (approx. 200 pages), with huge amounts of information, containing Ball's combat record for 1916 and 1917, including Squadron, Aircraft, Date of flight, hostile aircraft type, and outcome. Contains some good photographs. Regards, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Picture of Albert Ball VC gave I took a few years back Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Thank you all for your information and help. Keith your photo now leaads me to further questions, is the grave in a German cmtry and his memorial doesn't look "standard" is there a story behind it? Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 With regards to the grave, not having my BEF to hand (still), did he come down on the German side? Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Ali Below is the first of two pages describing Albert Ball's end from Norman Franks' 'Who Downed the Aces in WWI?'. This might help to answer your question. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Ali Here's the second page. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Hi Ali He is buried in a German cemetery. The name of the cemetery is ANNOEULLIN. There is a story about his grave but can not find it at this time. Try this link to a VC site on Ball. http://www.victoriacross.net/award.asp?vc=47 Cheers Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Cheers Keith, Thanks for taking the time to answer my query. Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham-McAdam Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 If you live anywhere near it, you can see the memorial to AB at his old school in Long Eaton, Nottingham - Trent College. It incorporates the propellor of the plane that crashed, lovingly preserved. Worth a visit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Bagshaw Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Hi Ali, All of his medals and a few pieces off of his aircraft are on display in The Sherwood Foresters Museum housed in Nottingham Castle. It really is a great display and well worth a visit!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Seeing the photo of Ball's grave has made me wonder why he hasn't got a standard CWGC headstone................Anyone know the reason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 16 April , 2004 Share Posted 16 April , 2004 I cant tell you the answer but I can give you some general info. Albert Ball is the only burial in an otherwise German military cemetery (village cemetery extension to be exact). I believe the CWGC considered exhuming the coffin and moving it to a British cemetery after the war but Albert Ball's father wanted his son's body to remain where it was originally buried with honour by the Germans. Albert Ball Snr also arranged a trust to pay the CWGC to look after the grave. He went on to buy the field where his son's plane crashed and erected a memorial at the exact spot. Possibly Terry Denham can explain why the body/grave does not belong to the CWGC as with all (?) other WW1 war deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Seymour Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 Everything I've read about Ball here, on the RAF 56 Sqn webpage, and elsewhere led me to believe that he served and died with 56. Apart, that is, from the CWGC website from which I cite: " 58th Sqdn", presumably a typing error, or could there be another reason for the confusion? Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 19 May , 2004 Share Posted 19 May , 2004 David Albert Ball served in a number of RFC squadrons, but not No 58. He was posted to No 13 Sqn in February 1916, and then to No 11 Sqn in May, followed by a period at No 8 Sqn before returning to No 11. Part of No 11 Sqn was sent to No 60 Sqn, and absorbed by that unit, during the Battle of the Somme. In October, Lt Ball was sent back to the United Kingdom as an instructor, and from there he became a flight commander in the newly formed No 56 Sqn, where he served until his death in action. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Seymour Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Dolphin, Well, yes it does! Now, how do we get the CWGC to make the change? Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Dolphin, Well, yes it does! Now, how do we get the CWGC to make the change? Regards, David David I would suggest contacting Terry Denham either by email or PM. He should be able to advise you what steps you need to take to get a change facilitated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel999 Posted 20 May , 2004 Share Posted 20 May , 2004 Concerning Albert Ball's grave memorial..I'm sure I recall reading that Albert Ball senior paid for the private memorial...I've seen others..notably one at Lyness , of a Chinese orderly ....The inscription tells of the orderly saving the life of a Young Aussie sailor , who went on to be a important political figure in Australia...Wish I had made notes at the time as I cannot recall the names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biplane pilot Posted 21 May , 2004 Share Posted 21 May , 2004 Last night The History Channel had a half-hour segment on Ball in the "Vanishings" series. I saw most of it, and admit that they did a better job than normal. (There was a previous installment about Frank Luke that left a great deal to be desired.) I don't know if it will repeat. Anyway, the original cross from Ball's grave in the German cemetery has been in the chapel of Trent College for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olosangus Posted 24 May , 2004 Share Posted 24 May , 2004 One other point in the recent programme shown on the history channel in the US, a German officer who was one of the first on the scene at the crash site, claimed that Albert Ball died from injuries suffered in the crash, not from any air combat injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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