No 10 Squadron RFC/RAF

[centurion]

One thing I see in my notes is that British air dropped pigeon baskets held three pigeons.

[ICM - RAF Retd]

I had thought I might have finished this little self-imposed task by now but, as many of you out there must have discovered, it all becomes a bit addictive and I'm acquiring various books to provide me a wider context for my 10 Sqn piece. Most recently, I've dug Johnnie Johnson's "Full Circle" from the depths of my bookshelves as all of its early chapters are WWI related. And I've been asking around about the archival material held by the Sqn association, which brings me to:

1. For Trevor Henshaw - I'll PM you shortly to take up your earlier offer on casualty figures. I'm sure that what we have at the moment can't be complete.

2. A list to hand of Sqn COs gives two names in 1915 - Maj G S Shephard and Maj U J D Bourke. Can anyone confirm which officer was in command at the time of deployment to France in July 1915? In his book,"Tiger Squadron," Ira Jones, who started with 10 Sqn as a Wireless Op, then Observer, mentions a 'Maj Burke' in January 1916, which tends to confirm the latter as correct, but it would be useful to know who was boss as the unit first went operational. Did formation and working-up in the UK occur under one CO who handed the unit on? I'd have thought not and, if not, why the fairly quick change of command in a unit still bedding-down? Was Shephard an early casualty, for example?

[KevinBattle]

I obtained these 10 Squadron casualties using Geoff's Search Engine... too extensive to show full details, but should be possible to do so from CWGC Debt of Honour..

Name: CAWS, STANLEY WINTHER. Nationality: United Kingdom. Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps. Unit Text: 10th Sqdn. 1st Wing

Age: 36. Date of Death: 21/09/1915

Additional information: Son of Douglas and Harriet Caws, of The Lodge, Sea View Bay, Isle of Wight.

Memorial: ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL

Name: CROWTHER, WILLIAM. Nationality: Canadian. Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)

Secondary Regiment: Royal Flying Corps. Secondary Unit Text: and 10th Sqdn.

Age: 21. Date of Death: 31/10/1917

Additional information: Son of W. H. and Margaret Crowther, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Memorial: ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL

Name: MACKENZIE, DONALD ALVIN. Nationality: Canadian. Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Canadian Field Artillery

Secondary Regiment: Royal Air Force. Secondary Unit Text: attd. 10th Sqdn.

Age: 30. Date of Death: 28/10/1918. Awards: M M

Additional information: Brother of Mrs. Floyd Wallace of Long Hill Rd., Wallingford, Connecticut, U.S.A. Left Canada with 2nd Bde. Canadian Field Artillery Sept., 1914; wounded in June, 1916. Gazetted 2nd Lt. Oct., 1917.

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 17. Cemetery: KEZELBERG MILITARY CEMETERY

001 BERRY CF - 10TH SQDN 17/07/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

002 BROWN JR 95747 10TH SQDN 14/10/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

003 CARTER L 16237 10TH SQDN 01/04/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

004 COMBER-TAYLOR EH - 10TH SQDN 16/06/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

005 FORBES NJ - 10TH SQDN 17/07/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

006 HAIGH CB 50212 10TH SQDN 13/10/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

007 HALLAM ELE 2447 10TH SQDN 22/02/1919 ROYAL AIR FORCE

008 KIME GHE - 10TH SQDN 12/05/1919 ROYAL AIR FORCE

009 MACLEAN AM - 10TH SQDN 12/04/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

010 MCINTYRE DP - 10TH SQDN 25/04/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

011 MORGAN I 86152 10TH SQDN 07/11/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

012 PROCTOR LH - 10TH SQDN 17/11/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

013 ROBINSON EC - 10TH SQDN 20/01/1919 ROYAL AIR FORCE

014 SALTON WK - 10TH SQDN 17/11/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

015 SHEARD HW - 10TH SQDN 11/08/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

016 SMITH W - 10TH SQDN 02/04/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

017 STORRS HL - 10TH SQDN 20/06/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

018 WEBB BPN 46533 10TH SQDN 19/08/1919 ROYAL AIR FORCE

019 WELLS AW 77611 10TH SQDN 10/11/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

020 WILSON GL 43166 10TH SQDN 17/12/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

021 WRIGHT FB - 10TH SQDN 12/04/1918 ROYAL AIR FORCE

(Not including No 10 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service!!!)

There may be others....

[ICM - RAF Retd]

As today, 21 September, is the centenary of 10 Squadron's first loss in action - to the burgeoning 'Ace', Max Immelmann - I trust it's in order if I highlight Jim Grundy's post 23, above, concerning Lt Stanley Winther Caws:

 

 

[ZBZ5]

Greetings all,

 

I've been researching, Edward Little my maternal grandfather's military history and found some interesting facts.  He joined the Army in Feb 1912, in boy service aged 14 years and one month old, his trade was blacksmith.  On the 5th Aug 1914 he was retained in man service under the Military Service Act 1916.  He transferred to the RFC on 17 Aug 1916 and joined 10 Sqn RFC as an Air Mechanic.  I have other information too, which I have gleaned from family documents and on-line.  He received a birthday card from his sister which would have been received in Jan 1917 when he was at the Aerial Musketry School, France.  He was at Droglandy [Droglandt - now Droogland on 12 Apr 1918, with 10 Sqn.  Other than those two locations I haven't been able to find where he might have been stationed.  So I'm looking for where 10 Sqn would have been based between 17 Aug 1916 and 12 Apr 1918.

 

Any assistance gratefully accepted.

[nieuport11]

27.7.15 St Omer from Netheravon

30.7.15 Aire

7.8.15 Chocques

18.11.17 Abeele

12.4.18 Droglandt

22.9.18 Abeele

21.10.18 Menin

5.11.18 Staceghem

15.11.18 Menin

1.12.18 Reckem

17.2.19 to Ford Junction as cadre

 

and in answer to the question before, Major U.J.D Bourke (Ox & Bucks LI) was Sq Commander when they went to France

Capt C Rabagliati (KOYLI), Capt W.G.S. Mitchell (HLI) and Capt C Gordon-Bell (RFC SR) were Flight Commanders

[ICM - RAF Retd]

If his Service Number was 402684, and if you've not already done so, you'll find his Medal Card here:

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3690142