Reading N01 School of Military Aeronautics.

[Simon Furnell]

Evening all.

My In-laws bought me a little paperback book,a while ago,from a little bookshop in Devon,while they were on Holiday,and,as always,it has taken me a while to get around to reading,properly.

It was first published(in softback),in the USA,by Dell Publishing Inc,New York,in November 1965.

Marvellous little paperback,with excerpts from people,such as,Winston Churchill,Robert Graves,L.W.Griffith,Siegfried Sasson and T.E.Lawrence.

It also mentions,a Mr Alan Clark,under a chapter;Loos:The First and Second Days.

Is this the same man,who was a Conservative Politician?

The bit,that interested me,was the mention that,"Mick"Mannock,attended Reading No1 School of Military Aeronautics,in August,1916.

Loads of Aerodromes,around Reading(at least now),so any ideas where this Training Unit may have been?

Seems he was plagued by temporary blindness,all through his life,and the account comes from 3 chapters,of The Aces,published by G.P. Putmans,and written by Fredrick Oughton.

Any ideas,chaps?

All the best.

Simon.

[Terry Denham]

No.1 School of Military Aeronautics had its HQ at Yeomanry House, Castle Hill, Reading. There were classrooms at Wantage Hall.

The airfield was at Coley at OS SU711717 south of Reading.

[Simon Furnell]

Many thanks,Terry.

I will get my Reading contacts,on the move.

Colney,rings a bell,though i don't know why.

Was only born,and raised,in the Royal County,about 11 miles from Reading.

Both my Great-grandad,and Grandad,were based at Brock Barracks,of Oxford Road.

Do you think,Terry,that the No1 School of Military Aeronautics,was more of an academic institution(more theory),than practical,flying?

Thanks for the reference's,and all the best.

Simon.

[MikeW]

Simon,

Schools of Aeronautics provided a couple of weeks of "basic" training - Drill, PE, Lectures on Lewis and Vickers guns, drill, Lectures on Engines, more drill!!!

Mike

[Terry Denham]

Simon

My reference work says...

"By 1917 cadets were doing a four week course in artillery spotting, use of wireless, photography and machine gun instruction, practical training being provided by lodging old aircraft fuselages in trees lining Upper Redlands Road near Wantage Hall. This startling sight was only matched by the activities on playing fields alongside Elmhurst Road where wingless aircraft were used to provide taxying experience."

'Action Stations Vol.9' by Chris Ashworth

[ChrisM]

Simon…

Further to other comments, a notebook I have in front of me contains the lecture notes of an 18-year-old cadet (immediately prior to commissioning) who was at St. Patrick’s and Wantage Halls between 13th March and approx. 19th April 1917. Am unsure of the precise School to which he was attached, if there were more than one. The subjects covered were:

The Lewis Gun

Artillery Observation

Bomb Dropping

Theory of Flight

Wireless

General Flying

Rigging

Photography

Engines – Beardmore 120 hp, Monosoupape 100 hp

Shortly after his arrival the same cadet elsewhere describes his life at Reading as follows:

“I'm beginning to settle down to my life here as a Cadet. The studying we have to do is terrific. I will give you a programme for the day.

"We get up at six or at least are called by our batman and have a cup of tea and parade on a large field with about 200 snibs as you call them. They really are a fine lot of officers in the R.F.C.

"We have three-quarters of an hour squad drill and then return for breakfast. Immediately after we go to a lecture, which lasts all morning but we have a break halfway of a quarter of an hour. Then we return for lunch and after another lecture and home again for tea at 5.30. We are then free for the night but have to parade at 8.0 for dinner.

"The meals are ripping. Of course we mess and are treated as officers.

"We were measured today for our “joy-rags”.

"The course here is a month in which we have to learn: observation, bombs, signalling, Lewis gun, engines and the machines and their construction. You will see what a large amount of work and studying I shall have to do.

"At the end of the month we have a three-days examination on the work and if successful are sent to a flying school.

"Of course besides the lectures we learn to take the aeroplanes to pieces and man the gun etc.

"Reading seems a fine place, as much as I have seen. There were 14 aeroplanes passed over, after one another today - I wondered if there was a raid.”

Hope this is of interest.

Chris

[PhilB]

.It also mentions,a Mr Alan Clark,under a chapter;Loos:The First and Second Days.

Is this the same man,who was a Conservative Politician?

Probably, Simon. He wrote "The Donkeys" which was rather critical of 1915 generals. He died a few years ago. His diaries are much more entertaining than most political memoirs. Phil B

[Simon Furnell]

Thanks for the replies,chaps.

I am pretty sure i know where Upper Redlands road is.

I think it is near Royal Berks Hospital,though i will have to check that for sure.

I know it rings a bell,and there is a large park,not far away.

Nice notebook you have got there,Chris.

Reading has changed quite a bit,but i am pretty sure he would recognise the town centre.

All the best,and thanks again all.

Simon.