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Remembered Today:

218 Sqn, RAF (DH9's); the early days


headgardener

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One of the men I'm researching (I'm writing up a war memorial) was 218 Sqn's first casualty (a flying accident on 14th May 1918).

Does anyone know whether there are any sources regarding squadron activity at this time?

I'd be most interested in info on any biogs of squadron members, or of men from any other DH9 squadrons, just to get a flavour of what it was like to fly those machines, and what were the likely problems that pilots faced (for example, I found a reference somewhere saying that DH9 pilots would often wear 5 pairs of socks due to the cold, though I'm not sure that a DH9 was any worse in this respect than any other early planes). Any general info on flying at Dunkirk at that time would also be of interest. I understand that 218 were formed as a daylight bombing sqn on 24 April 1918, and went to Petit Synthe, nr Dunkirk, which is where my man was killed.

I know that the Squadron Commander was Major Bert Wemp DFC, and I have some info on him which says that the squadron had a "distinctive Canadian feel to it throughout its early life", whatever that means. Any thoughts? Apparently all his men were hand picked and had no operational experience apart from the flight commanders.

My man's name was Roderick John Chisholm, by the way. He was killed together with his co-pilot, Ambrose Lane, on 14th May 1918. I have their CWGC, and casualty cards from the RAF museum, plus his Air 76 and army officers service papers. I also have a lot of personal info on him, plus a photo from the family. I also found Lane's photo in the Royal Aero Club membership records. Chisholm got his wings "in record time" at 52 (Training) squadron. The local paper describes Chisholm as "engaged on long-distance machines as pilot to the flight commander". The 2 flight commanders were Capt. John Foster Chisholm (no relation as far as I can see), and Capt. William Fulton Cleghorn.

Any thoughts?

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Wemp was formerly in the RNAS. Have you contacted the Fleet Air Arm to see if they have any useful information about him, flying at Dunkirk or Petit Synthe?

ADM 273/7 Page 60: Bert Sterling Wemp. RNAS Officers Service

ADM 273/30 Page 215: Bert Sterling Wemp. RNAS Officers Service

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Headgardener,

Here is some information about 218 Squadron's first few months on the Western Front.

No. 218 Squadron, R.A.F., was formed at Dover on 24th April, 1918, under Maj DS Wemp DSO, and less than a month later it proceeded overseas to Petite Synthe, south of Dunkerque, arriving on 23rd May. It served as a day bomber squadron, equipped with DH9s, and at this time joined 61st (Naval) Wing in No.5 Group, working under the Dover-Dunkerque Naval command, and tasked with bombing naval targets and enemy communications in Belgium. Its first operation was carried out against Ostend on June 10th. The harbour, basins and railway station of this town, the lock-gates and mole at Zeebrugge and rail centres and aerodromes were typical targets, which the unit repeatedly bombed.

It achieved its first victory in the air on June 26th, but the same day also suffered it first losses at the hands of the enemy. Details of these are as follows:

DH9 D5683 - combat with Fokker DVII[+shot down ooc] over ZEEBRUGGE 10-20am OK(Capt MG Baskerville/2Lt AJ Cunningham)

DH9 D5687 during a bombing raid the crew dived on a Fokker DVII but then their aircraft folded up over BLANKENBERGHE and broke up 4m out to sea MIA(Lt C Briggs KIA/2Lt WH Warner KIA). The Fokker DVII was then shot down by Camel C65 of 213Sqn [possible linked German combat claim: BLANKENBERGHE VzfM A Zenses MFJaII]

On July 7th 1918 the squadron moved to Fréthun ,near Calais, to participate in the Belgium Coastal Offensive. It joined 82nd Wing at this time still in 5 Group. From here they commenced a period supporting the French and Belgium Armies.

There is a fair amount in the National Archives on 5 Group, and the files which specifically mention 218 Squadron are AIR1/ 86, 184, 458, 1228, 2004 - the latter being the best.

Hope this helps.

In your researches have you been able to identify the DH9 involved in your man's crash?

Regards, Trevor

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Thanks Per Ardua and Terry for your very helpful comments.

Per Ardua; No, I hadn't thought of the FAA museum, so thanks for that. I'll send them an e-mail, see what they come up with.

Terry; Hello again, we have met once before, many years ago in the reading room of the PRO, you were engaged in the research for The Sky Their Battlefield, which I did buy and have quoted from liberally on this very forum. Thanks very much for the AIR 1 references, that'll save me a lot of looking. No, I haven't got a number for the machine that they were killed in, and I'm not sure where else to look. The casualty cards from the RAF museum didn't list it, and the only other official doc that I found relating to 218 Sqn was a very slim file (it's probably one of the 5 references that you posted) which listed some flying times for various pilots, but no mention of the aircraft involved.

It's interesting what you say about the squadron's targets on the Belgian coast because Roderick Chisholm's family were under the impression that he had been killed on ops flying over Zeebrugge. Clearly the Sqn wasn't operational at the time of his death, but perhaps this family lore was based on some contact with, or communication from, other members of the Sqn some time after his death, perhaps they spoke to the family about the Sqn's activities.

I'm still interested in any further thoughts on this man or the Squadron at that time. Any biogs, or details of what it was like to fly DH9's?

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Hello Headgardener

My Grandfather, Lt.William Purvis flew DH 9's with 218 squadron from Petit Synthe. He was shot down on a bombing raid over Zeebrugge on June 29,1918 and interned in Holland along with his gunlayer AM Leslie Harold Locke. Here's a little snippet of his story that fateful day...his fourteenth combat mission

...Bill Purvis and his gun layer, Leslie Locke, look over the machine

The Dh9 is being armed. The Dehavilland Nine is a large, sleek machine designed from the now antiquated DH4 but with a new design twist. An internal bomb bay in the nose of the aircraft conceals its deadly payload... eight 25 pound coopers. Two hundred and twenty five pounds of high explosives packed in casings and hung by the nose in two groups of four, one above the other. Once near the target the Pilot uses a telescopic bomb sight to aim. Aligning the target in the crosshairs, he tugs a cable and the bombs tumble from the craft. Behind him a Gun layer with twin Lewis guns mounted on a revolving scarf ring watches his back.

DeHavilland also rectified the problem of the crews inability to communicate with each other in the DH4 by placing the two closer together

Precision high explosives dropped on targets from a high altitude. 218 had been training in Dover to do precisely that… Strategic bombing.

DH9 raids had been targeting industrial factories near Mannheim and Metz in the heart of Germany with various degrees of success.

Now, the bombers from Petit Synthe had begun raiding German held coastal ports

This afternoon British High Command has ordered Two One Eight to bomb the submarine Pens at the Zeebrugge mole.

The Belgians had opened Zeebrugge's huge artificial harbor in 1908, along with an eight mile long canal connecting Bruges with the North Sea, and another smaller canal running to Oostende.

The German U-boat base sits on the canal inside the lock gates that maintains the canal's water level. The canal entrance is protected from North Sea storms by a harbor wall or Mole that snakes out one and half miles into the sea.

U boats had been wreaking havoc on supply ships crossing the channel some carrying mostly human cargo, young Troops on their way to the battlefields

An earlier British commando raid in April targeting warships docked in the heavily defended mole had tried to seal the U-boats in the base by blocking the harbor entrance

The results of the attack lay sunken in the mouth of the mole. The raid was considered a success as it limited access to the harbor, now it is time to finish the job

The idea is to bomb the Lock gates and trap the U boats from leaving the nest

Crews are carefully lifting the bombs into the rigs under the nose of the fuselage. The weapons are wired into place and readied to rain down onto the enemy.

Armorers load the Lewis and Vickers machine guns

The Vickers sits to the left of the pilot and is aligned to the Aldis telescopic gun sight on the right. The Vickers is belt fed and an armorer is busy feeding the canvas belts into the breech of the gun

Behind him another Armorer locks the drum onto the Lewis

Fitters are busy tinkering with the 230 horse power Siddelly Puma engines that have been causing round the clock maintenance headaches for them. A badly cast aluminum block causes the engine to provide significantly short of the promised two hundred and thirty horse power. Reports have been steadily coming in of DH9 falling behind enemy lines as the result of engine failure

The crews have been briefed for the mission. A briefing they have heard almost word for word . They have been flying the same flight pattern for weeks raiding targets along the coastline.

North to the coast, follow the coast line, cross the lines at Nieuport and find the selected target. The raids have targeted the ports at Oostende, Blankenburge and now Zeebrugges, right on the doorway of Holland

Purvis knows they have thus far been lucky, but today an ominous feeling sits in his stomach.

The engines have been fired and are ticking over as the crews mount the machines

At precisely 3.33pm the DH9’s on the flight line start rolling forward one after another

Once air born, they circle above the aerodrome until finally a formation of nine machines begins the journey towards the enemy.

As the formation climbs C1211 is running at full RPM. Purvis can feel her grinding and knocking. He switches the carb dial hoping to rectify the problem of an over revving engine. The altimeter reads 13500, with the climbing complete perhaps now the machine will settle down. Quite suddenly the escort of SE5a’s from Eighty Five squadron falls in to place beside them and the popping of anti aircraft fire below indicates they have crossed the lines over Nieuport

The faint noise of the scarf ring moving back and forth catches Purvis’s attention and he glances back at Locke who is quite busy scanning the sky for the enemy who for sure lurks nearby.

The sudden “popping” of the Lewis takes Purvis by surprise, but it is just Locke testing the weapon.

The knot in his stomach tightens as the grinding from the power plant that spins the propeller in front of him gets worst. With the city of Oostende passing below, the aircraft is struggling and Purvis knows it. Push on a voice in his head tells him. Just push on.

Turning back now is not an option, as the enemy likes to relieve the sky of crippled stragglers.

The formation slowly banks over the sea off the coast of Blankenberghe precisely where two days earlier they were jumped by the brightly painted machines of Marine-Feldjasta II.

One DH9 turned to fight the attackers head on and was blasted from the sky, falling helplessly into the unforgiving coldness of the North sea. For some of the crews, it was their first taste of aerial combat and the gun layers went to work. Locke fired two hundred rounds, two complete drums, at the Hun machines as they buzzed around, circling the formation like hawks before fleeing inland. The SE’s had arrived just in time to chase them away. The formation returned home minus one machine. The Squadron now knew the brutal reality of this war

Minutes seemed like hours and Purvis’s full concentration is on keeping the machine in the air. The Siddelly Puma is now smoking and the altimeter indicates they are losing height as the rest of the formation purges on in front and above. Slowly they start banking towards the shoreline, this is it. Purvis turns in the cockpit and slaps Locke’s shoulder drawing his hand across his neck to indicate that they probably won’t make it

‘Hold on Leslie, it’s going to be rough” he yells

Another round of “Archie” begins and C1211 descends

right into it. The mouth of the Mole guides the bombers on the bomb run. Purvis flies towards the mole and straight into a devils claw of AA. The ping of shrapnel resounds as if someone has thrown a handful of nails at the machine. The machine begins to bump and shudder at the controls. They have been hit bad.

Intuitively Purvis make a fateful decision to scrubs the bomb run and bank the DH9 towards the west.

The engine suddenly stops and smoke streams from one side. Purvis shuts down the petrol flow to the engine. The crackle of the battle behind them intensifies.

Suddenly a Phalz fighter slices through the smoke with its guns blazing turning at the last second narrowly missing them. They will find out much later this machine is flown by the German Ace Alexander Zenses who will put in a victory claim for C1211

Now with just air rushing by the aircraft has become a glider.

“Hang on Leslie” Purvis yells as Locke unstraps the Verey pistol from the side of the fuselage

“We’ll try to put her down as far west as we can”

The Verey pistol pops as Locke begins firing Red and White flares, the signal for a machine in distress.

This was the last the Squadron saw of Purvis and Locke as the DH9’s of 218 squadron banked and climbed away from the smoking Zeebrugge Mole heading for home.

for more info on squadron ops...

http://host.raf38group.org/218squadron/

Cheers

Fitzee

post-11336-052904800 1279382683.jpg

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Hi Fitzee,

Thanks very much indeed for that! Very good! You've obviously put a lot of time into your research. Plenty of useful detail for me there, and an interesting read to boot!

I imagine your g'father must have known Roderick Chisholm. That raid was only about 6 weeks after his death. Looks like your man was only the 2nd operational casualty for 218.

Edit; is that an original photo of your g'father's plane?

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Hello Headgardener

Petit Synthe Aerodrome was a relatively large base located a few kilometers west of Dunkirk. It was ringed with a series of defensive trenches dug by Oriental laborers who lived in a makeshift encampment outside the aerodrome. The base housed two DH9 squadrons, 218 and 211 and one SE5a Squadron, the 85th .Of interest, the 85th, primarily escort for the bombers, was newly formed and commanded by the Canadian "ace" Major Billy Bishop. The Squadrons were comprised largely of Canadians with a smattering of British and American pilots and crew. The 85th squadron roster included Spencer Horn, "Lobo" Benbow, Larry Calahoun, John MacGrider, and Elliot Springs [who, after the war, would publish "Diary of an unknown Aviator", based on John MacGrider's diary]. The 211 roster included Clennell "Punch" Dickins who ended the war with seven confirmed victories as a DH9 pilot. The base was known for it's legendary mess parties [encouraged by Bishop] and was the target of a few night time Gotha raids. Another first for the 218 was on September 18, 1918 when Lt F.P Mulcahy and Cpl T.L McCullough became the first United States Marine aviators to shoot down an enemy aircraft in combat, a Fokker DV11.

The picture of the crashed DH9 is indeed my Grandfather's aircraft probably taken by the Dutch military [note the Lewis gun had been removed]

C1211 was impressed into Dutch service as deH434; it was returned to the RAF on 20 March 1920.

June 29,1918

Part 2

Purvis, adrenaline pumping, scans the country side for the best possible landing area. It is impossible to see any details of the terrain from this altitude, small farm buildings are scattered amongst brown green rectangles of farmland. Snaking lines of canals splice through the countryside. Ochre fields dotted with yellow mustard plants. Rapidly losing height they pass over a small village . The flare gun burns hot in Locke’s hand. He drops it and straps himself in

The ground comes up quickly, luckily, it is mostly flat farmland. Purvis knows to let the aircraft glide as far west as possible. Thankfully, there is no more ground fire

“This is it Les, I think I can put her down here”

he yells. He doesn't have a choice.

The aircraft is falling rapidly and suddenly with a thud they hit in the middle of a field. They plow through the dirt, slicing through the spring harvest and spin to a stop.

They are down.

The two airmen sit in stunned silence for a moment making sure they are indeed alive before unstrapping and scrambling out of the machine.

They have come down in the middle of a freshly farmed field. Bales of hay lay stacked in rows. At the far end of the field is a windmill. Both men are panicking. In the distance hangs the smoke from the raid on the Mole

They have no idea where they are.

The DH9 lays smoking and hissing like a wounded lion it’s payload of six coopers still tucked in its belly

Locke looks at Purvis,

“Let’s light her up and get out of here Bill!”

Purvis digs in his breast pocket for the little white box with RAF stamped on it. He pulls out a match and is about to strike it when Locke grabs his arm to stop him.

Turning around he is greeted by the stares of the owners of the farm they have crashed into. Holding his pitchfork and looking clearly baffled, a wide eyed farmer and his wife have walked up on the crash site accompanied by two soldiers.

Instinctively the two airmen raise their hands ...but there is something is different about these folks...

The soldiers are Dutch, they have crashed in neutral Holland

Fitzee

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Fitzee,

Your specifics about 218 Squadron give an air of familiarity and atmosphere we don't get from exclusively operational accounts, but I have one

small correction: C.H. "Punch" Dickins had 2 victories rather than 7. Dickins was a famous bushpilot and business leader in postwar Canada,

justly celebrated, but he was not a Great War ace. There was an interesting thread on The Aerodrome some time ago discussing the details

of Dickins' victories for those who are interested. The wikipedia, uneven resource that it is, contains a biography of Dickins that--of course--

credits him with 7Great War victories--to better ensure that the error is continually recycled.

Regards

Trelawney

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Hi Headgardener,

I think I remember our meeting all those years ago - we were probably fighting over an Air1 file! Thanks for buying my book by the way. Just wanted to say what a superb set of contributions they are from Fitzee. There may be an article or two lurking in the Cross and Cockade Journal - I'll have a look. If there is then anyone can buy the particular journal and download it.

Trevor

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Hello Headgardener

Petit Synthe Aerodrome was a relatively large base located a few kilometers west of Dunkirk. It was ringed with a series of defensive trenches dug by Oriental laborers who lived in a makeshift encampment outside the aerodrome. The base housed two DH9 squadrons, 218 and 211 and one SE5a Squadron, the 85th .Of interest, the 85th, primarily escort for the bombers, was newly formed and commanded by the Canadian "ace" Major Billy Bishop. The Squadrons were comprised largely of Canadians with a smattering of British and American pilots and crew. The 85th squadron roster included Spencer Horn, "Lobo" Benbow, Larry Calahoun, John MacGrider, and Elliot Springs [who, after the war, would publish "Diary of an unknown Aviator", based on John MacGrider's diary]. The 211 roster included Clennell "Punch" Dickins who ended the war with seven confirmed victories as a DH9 pilot. The base was known for it's legendary mess parties [encouraged by Bishop] and was the target of a few night time Gotha raids. Another first for the 218 was on September 18, 1918 when Lt F.P Mulcahy and Cpl T.L McCullough became the first United States Marine aviators to shoot down an enemy aircraft in combat, a Fokker DV11.

The picture of the crashed DH9 is indeed my Grandfather's aircraft probably taken by the Dutch military [note the Lewis gun had been removed]

C1211 was impressed into Dutch service as deH434; it was returned to the RAF on 20 March 1920.

June 29,1918

Part 2

Purvis, adrenaline pumping, scans the country side for the best possible landing area. It is impossible to see any details of the terrain from this altitude, small farm buildings are scattered amongst brown green rectangles of farmland. Snaking lines of canals splice through the countryside. Ochre fields dotted with yellow mustard plants. Rapidly losing height they pass over a small village . The flare gun burns hot in Locke’s hand. He drops it and straps himself in

The ground comes up quickly, luckily, it is mostly flat farmland. Purvis knows to let the aircraft glide as far west as possible. Thankfully, there is no more ground fire

“This is it Les, I think I can put her down here”

he yells. He doesn't have a choice.

The aircraft is falling rapidly and suddenly with a thud they hit in the middle of a field. They plow through the dirt, slicing through the spring harvest and spin to a stop.

They are down.

The two airmen sit in stunned silence for a moment making sure they are indeed alive before unstrapping and scrambling out of the machine.

They have come down in the middle of a freshly farmed field. Bales of hay lay stacked in rows. At the far end of the field is a windmill. Both men are panicking. In the distance hangs the smoke from the raid on the Mole

They have no idea where they are.

The DH9 lays smoking and hissing like a wounded lion it’s payload of six coopers still tucked in its belly

Locke looks at Purvis,

“Let’s light her up and get out of here Bill!”

Purvis digs in his breast pocket for the little white box with RAF stamped on it. He pulls out a match and is about to strike it when Locke grabs his arm to stop him.

Turning around he is greeted by the stares of the owners of the farm they have crashed into. Holding his pitchfork and looking clearly baffled, a wide eyed farmer and his wife have walked up on the crash site accompanied by two soldiers.

Instinctively the two airmen raise their hands ...but there is something is different about these folks...

The soldiers are Dutch, they have crashed in neutral Holland

Fitzee

Hello Fitzee,

I was fascinated by the account of Purvis and Locke; can I ask who actually wrote it?

I am editor of an occasional magazine published for former members of the De Havilland Company Technical School. I am sure that they would like to read this account of the DH9 sortie if I can have your permission to use it?

Regards

Roger Coasby

DHAeTSA

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Hello Fitzee,

I was fascinated by the account of Purvis and Locke; can I ask who actually wrote it?

I am editor of an occasional magazine published for former members of the De Havilland Company Technical School. I am sure that they would like to read this account of the DH9 sortie if I can have your permission to use it?

Regards

Roger Coasby

DHAeTSA

Hi Roger

I wrote the story after researching my Grandfathers service career.The technical details of his final flight was taken from a document he submitted to the Dutch Naval Attache after being taken into custody in Holland and transported to the Hague. My Grandfather had also written a number of essays in the last years of his life of his wartime adventures that I am still trying to track down. Bill went on to teach engineering at the University of Toronto and lived a long life, passing away in 1980.

Please, by all means publish the story,I would be quite honored. You can further contact me at bobfitzgerald2000@yahoo.com

Regards

Fitzee

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I'd be most interested in info on any biogs of ........ men from any other DH9 squadrons, just to get a flavour of what it was like to fly those machines

206 Squadron also flew DH9s in 1918/19. I transcribed a large number of letters home written by one of its pilots who was flying operationally between August 1918 and March 1919 (latterly from Cologne). The resulting publication is online - see http://www.staffshomeguard.co.uk/L5WithFondestLoveTrev.htm . Amidst a lot of personal stuff there are various comments about this man's day-to-day flying of these machines. And there is also a reference to a useful Cross & Cockade article written much later (like half a century!) by a 206 observer, giving considerable detail of operations at that time.

Chris

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206 Squadron also flew DH9s in 1918/19. I transcribed a large number of letters home written by one of its pilots who was flying operationally between August 1918 and March 1919 (latterly from Cologne). The resulting publication is online - see http://www.staffshom...estLoveTrev.htm . Amidst a lot of personal stuff there are various comments about this man's day-to-day flying of these machines. And there is also a reference to a useful Cross & Cockade article written much later (like half a century!) by a 206 observer, giving considerable detail of operations at that time.

Chris,

Thanks so much for posting that link. It looks fascinating, I love reading this sort of thing. What an excellent resource!

I'll have to see if I can somehow get a look at that Cross & Cockade article.

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I think I remember our meeting all those years ago - we were probably fighting over an Air1 file!

Yes, you won..........!

By the way, I suggested to the biographer Michael Holroyd that he have a look at your book when he was writing 'Mosaics' a few years ago (it was the 'follow-up' to his autobiography/family biography 'Basil Street blues'). One of the men he writes about had been an RFC/RAF pilot. You and your book get a mention in a footnote on, I think, p.210.

Fitzee,

What can I say? Thanks once again, also for the details on Petit Synthe. Looks like your literary efforts have been much appreciated by everyone!

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  • 3 years later...
Guest ajchis

One of the men I'm researching (I'm writing up a war memorial) was 218 Sqn's first casualty (a flying accident on 14th May 1918).

Does anyone know whether there are any sources regarding squadron activity at this time?

I'd be most interested in info on any biogs of squadron members, or of men from any other DH9 squadrons, just to get a flavour of what it was like to fly those machines, and what were the likely problems that pilots faced (for example, I found a reference somewhere saying that DH9 pilots would often wear 5 pairs of socks due to the cold, though I'm not sure that a DH9 was any worse in this respect than any other early planes). Any general info on flying at Dunkirk at that time would also be of interest. I understand that 218 were formed as a daylight bombing sqn on 24 April 1918, and went to Petit Synthe, nr Dunkirk, which is where my man was killed.

I know that the Squadron Commander was Major Bert Wemp DFC, and I have some info on him which says that the squadron had a "distinctive Canadian feel to it throughout its early life", whatever that means. Any thoughts? Apparently all his men were hand picked and had no operational experience apart from the flight commanders.

My man's name was Roderick John Chisholm, by the way. He was killed together with his co-pilot, Ambrose Lane, on 14th May 1918. I have their CWGC, and casualty cards from the RAF museum, plus his Air 76 and army officers service papers. I also have a lot of personal info on him, plus a photo from the family. I also found Lane's photo in the Royal Aero Club membership records. Chisholm got his wings "in record time" at 52 (Training) squadron. The local paper describes Chisholm as "engaged on long-distance machines as pilot to the flight commander". The 2 flight commanders were Capt. John Foster Chisholm (no relation as far as I can see), and Capt. William Fulton Cleghorn.

Any thoughts?

Hello Headgardener,

I believe we had some contact a few years ago. RJ Chisholm was my great uncle - The photo you have would probably have come from me.

You make reference here to documents I have not seen but would be interested in doing so ... Air 76, local paper etc. Would you be able to help me with this please?

Alastair Chisholm

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  • 4 years later...

Hi,

 

I am a bit late to this tread, but I hope the attachment is of interest.  

 

I would be happy to learn more about the squadron and its crews during the Great War.

 

Regards

 

Steve

No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron Association Historian

Great War 2.jpg

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  • 10 months later...

Hi,

I see there has been no further chats since 2018. I have just received the Death Plaque for AG Lane and would like to know more about him. Im a South african but hope to visit the UK in July and will be going to the Fleet Air Arm museum and Kew archives to get more info. AG Lane was a South African.

Would appreciate any info 

Cheers

Gordon

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  • 7 months later...

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