RFC Photos

[johnnie]

A girl I know from uni brought a few photos in last week as she knows I am interested in the Great War. The seem to relate to her great uncle (or some distant relation) called Reg Bownass (or Bownas) who served with the RFC.

I know very little about them, but thought some of the forum members might. They seems to show Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8's, one with the serial B5847 and one with the serial C3702, along I do not know which Squadron they are.

Another seems to show the result of a bomb blast (I did wonder if it might be a hanger that has been bombed), while another group are aerial photos including some taken during bombing.

Any help or suggestions would be great,

Jonathan

[johnnie]

Here is the second aircraft/group photo.

[johnnie]

Along with the bomb damage image.

Most photos don't have any information, however one aerial photo has the following in the top corner:

82.B.289

29.Q.32.W.2

4.11.18. (16.00)

F=8 1/4

Which I assume is the grid reference, along with the date (4th November 1918). On the rear it is marked near Amiens.

The other seems to show a power station and has the following in the top corner:

82.A.A.1862

27.10.17

while a railway line that crosses near the power station is marked:

B15 3.6

Any comments would be great.

Jonathan

[RobL]

Superb photos, yes definitely FK8's, also known as the 'Big Ack'

[mickdavis]

B5847 was with 82 Sqn at Waddington during its working up period, prior to joining the BEF on 17 November. It was delivered from 9 (Newcastle) AAP on 9 November 1917. I have no details of it going to France.

C3702 ended up in storage at Marske during early 1919, so is unlikely to have been abraod.

The photo coding gives squadron number & wing, followed by plate number, then map reference, date & time and camera details. The squadron number was given as such but the wings nos were by letter; A=1 Wing, B=2 Wing etc. 82 Sqn was in 1 Wing November/December 1917, 15 Wing January-August 1918, 2 Wing August-November 1918 and 12 Wing from January-February 1919.

[johnnie]

Many thanks for the reply. So can we assume that the man in question would seem to have been linked to 82 Squadron as both of the APs seem to relate to the unit, and at least on the the aircraft shots (that of B5847) shows an aircraft that served with 82 Squadron?

Out of interest the girl has come back to me and told me she thinks the man in question was called Reginald William Bownas. I have found hi as being born in 1895 at Skipton in Yorkshire, and he seems to have married a Minnie Sagar in 1919 at Cleckheaton, Yorkshire.

I have had a look through the MICs and cannot find a MIC for that name, however would RFC/RAF cards be help somewhere else? Also would a service file servive for him (I am not sure how Great War RFC/RAF documents work as I have only ever researched RAF aircrew from the Second World War).

Any help would be great,

Jonathan