Info on Aviators at Larch Wood Cemetery please

[Jerrymurland]

I'm having trouble with the following:

Lt Ross Cornford kia 17.8.17

2/Lt G W (christian name?)Forbes 24 Squadron kia 18.10.17

2/Lt Harrison 210 Squadron kia 16.5.18

Lt Ambrose Hutchinson kia 19.1.18

Lt Harold McConnell 98 Squadron kia 31.5.18

2/Lt B (christian name?)Starfield kia 19.1.18

Lt John West 88 Squadron kia 28.6.18

Any look-ups gratefully apreciated

Jerry

[Cnock]

Hi,

fo a start:

Lt Ross Cornford, Bristol F2b, kia 17/1/1918 Handzame

originally buried German Mil Cem Kortemark 1

2Lt Ambrose Huchinson, Bristol F2b

originally buried German Mil Cem Kortemark II

2Lt Harrison, Sopwith Camel, kia 17/9/1918 Gistal by Hubrich Marine Feld Jasta 4

Lt. Harold Jeffrey MC CONNELL, DH4

kia 31/5/1918 Brugges by Anti aircraft fire

Lt West, Bristol F2b

kia 28/6/1918 Houthulst Forest-Klerken

hope this helps a bit

regards,

Cnock

[Cnock]

2Lt Starfield, Bristol F2b - 20 Sqn

Cnock

[Dolphin]

Jerry

Lt Ross Cornford (formerly 7th Bn, Royal Sussex Regt) and 2Lt Sydney Ernest Raper (formerly 6th Bn, Seaforth Highlanders) of No 22 Sqn were killed in action flying Bristol F2B A7162 on 17 August 1917. They were shot down in flames after combat near Handzaeme.

2Lt Gordon William Forbes (South African) of No 65 Sqn was killed in action while flying DH5 A9494 on 18 October 1917.

Lt Ambrose Hutchinson (formerly 6th Bn, King's Liverpool Regt) and 2Lt Baron Starfield (South African) of No 20 Sqn were killed in action while flying Bristol F2B A7193 on 19 January 1918. They wewre last seen near Wytschaete.

Capt Gifford Davidge Horton and Lt Harold Jeffery McConnell (formerly 5th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles) of No 98 Sqn were killed in action while flying DH9 B7657 on 31 May 1918. The aeroplane went down in a spin when hit by anti-aircraft fire during a raid on the Bruges docks.

Lt John Prout West (from Vermont) and PteII Alfred John Loton of No 88 Sqn were killed in action while flying Bristol F2B C4880 on 28 June 1918. They probably fell to a pilot from Marinefeldjasta II.

2Lt J E Harrison of No 210 Sqn died of wounds on 18 September 1918 after being shot down while flying Camel F3931 on 17 September. Flgm Gerhard Hubrich of Marinefeldjasta IV was credited with a victory; it was the fifth of his eventual twelve.

I hope this is useful.

Gareth

[Jerrymurland]

Great thanks, that accounts for the last of the 19 aviators at Larch Wood Cemetery. Struggling with Private A J Loton of 88 Squadron killed (?) 29.6.18. Presumably from ground fire but possibly(?) in the air?

Jerry

[Jerrymurland]

Hold that last comment about Loton - just got your post Gareth - thanks!

Jerry

[Jerrymurland]

They ought to dub Larch Wood the 'Aviator's Cemetery' so many interesting stories linked to those 20 aircrew.

[monkeymp]

Ref Lt Harold McConnell, does anyone know where he was born, the only details I have is Co Down. Also anyone have anything else on him.

[Cnock]

nine of the aviators resting at Larch Wood were orignally buried at the cemetery of Steenbrugge (Brugge)

Cnock

[Cnock]

Grave of Harold Jeffrey Mc CONNELL

regards,

Cnock

[pat.58]

Lt Harold Jeffrey McConnell died on 31.5.1918 in an airfight west of Bruges. According to the diary of the local priest, one British machine had to fight against four German aeroplanes. It was hit, and came down on the border between Aertrycke and Veldeghem. The two airman were dead. One of them was found in a field about one hundred metres from the crashed aeroplane. The two airman were buried at the German military cemetery at Eerneghem (doesn't exist anymore). The pilot was Gifford Davidge Horton (USA). He was married on 02.4.1912, and lived with his wife Eloise Quinby at Rib Lake (Wisconsin). He was trained in Canada. Today he is buried at Bedford House Cemetery at Zillebeke-Ypres. Harold Jeffrey McConnell was the observer. He was born in August 1893 in Spokane (USA) in a family of Irish immigrants (son of William and Mary McConnell). Before the war he returned to the UK, and worked as a Civil Service Clerck, before entering Cox & Co. He enlisted in the army on 30.9.1914, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in het Royal Irish Rifles. He was being appointed a Lieutenant in het Royal Flying Corps in February 1918. He is buried at Larch Wood Cemetery. He had relatives in Co Down. On 31.5.1918 Horton and McConnell were flying a De Havilland DH 9 (B7657), and were part of the 98 sqn RAF. They left the aerodrome at Coudekerque in France on bombing mission to Bruges. Some sources say they were hit by anti aircraft over Bruges, as another plane of the same unit was that day, but it is certain they died in the airfight west of Bruges. The victory was claimed by FlgMt Mayer of Marine-Feldjasta 2 from the German Jabbeke aerodrome. 

 

Edited 2 April , 2019 by pat.58