ICM - RAF Retd Posted 28 November , 2012 Share Posted 28 November , 2012 Almost 2 years ago, many of you were most helpful when I first posted here a request for assistance with the WWI aspect of some work I had agreed to undertake for a new 10 Squadron Association website - and I am still most grateful for all of the info that flowed in then within days. Now things have moved on! Its VC10 era ended in 2005 and the Squadron has re-formed at RAF Brize Norton, the first of two to fly the new Airbus 330 Voyager in the transport/tanker roles. And back in being, its Centenary will come up on 1 January 2015. In the circumstances, the Association has initiated a project that hopes to see a 100-year History published some two years from now .... and having volunteered once, I find myself with a colleague at the centre of it all to see what can be done. In moving to improve my understanding of the unit's WWI years, I've gone on to acquire a fair bit of material from Kew, bookshops fronted by Abe Books, and from a certain amount of material given to the squadron in the 1950s by some who had been there: Major Murray, the last WWI C.O., Air Chief Marshal Ivelaw Chapman, a former Flt Cdr, and a Lt P R Mallinson. The latter should help to add a deal of personal colour to the narrative, and I'm wondering how much more similar, relevant material there might be available to members of this Forum. I suppose I'm thinking about excerpts from logbooks, diaries, family reminiscences and photos bearing upon squadron operations and working circumstances. In the latter case, it could be particularly valuable to have material from families of men who were airframe or engine fitters and wireless operators on 10 Squadron, as well as pilots and observers. If there is material that members could make available, I'd be delighted to have it, either by posting here or, where that is impractical, via arrangements made on the Forum's PM system. Anything donated and used would, of course, be acknowledged in the final product. There are also a number of specialist items that I'd like to explore further and, if I can't do that via the Forum Search system, I'll post them separately for discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 28 November , 2012 Share Posted 28 November , 2012 Hi I write and speak on 'Corps' squadron work in WW1, mainly Contact Patrols, Counter Attack Patrols etc. I have a large amount of documents (mainly from the National Archives) on these roles and also on Artillery Co-operation. Occasionally 10 Sqn gets a mention. If you you are interested I could go through my documents to find all the ones that are directly related to 10 Sqn. I could also supply more general information on the various tasks they were allocated as a Corps squadron in WW1 if you wish. As an aside I did spend 5 years at Brize (1973-78) working in Base Hanger, 3 years on the 'Base 3' team as an Airframe Fitter dealing with the VC10 C.Mk1s of 10 Sqn. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 28 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2012 Mike: Thanks for the rapid response - and if we deal with the asides first, my time on 10 was from October 75 to April 78, so we had a fair bit of overlap at Brize together. I don't know if you keep up with developments there, but XR 808 is the only original aircraft left out of six remaining, and all should phase out during next year. I've formed a general idea of the nature of Corps squadron work, but I'd be delighted to get a fuller picture from someone who has made it a speciality. And I'd be equally happy to see anything you have specifically related to 10 Sqn to see how it might improve the picture I have in mind thus far. (I've been interested to see how quickly a concentration on air combat encounters began to dominate the RFC communiques, with the day-to-day work of Corps units increasingly amalgamated into generic references.) I leave it to you whether this might best be done by posting here or via Forum PMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Hi Small world. I have attached the first document I have come across in one of my files. This relates to 10 Sqn. involvement in trials with 'Watson Fans' in 1917, in conjunction with 38th Division. let me know if this is the short of material that may be useful. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 The next one (from TNA, AIR1/523/16/12/11, the previous was from AIR1/523/16/12/9) is from HQ XIX Corps, informing units of a change in ground 'Unit Indicators' for operational use from 12th July 1918. 10 Sqn. is the supporting squadron so would have to know this. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 This is not the most interesting document (AIR1/905/204/5/793) in the world but it does show that as at the 10th April 1916, 10 Sqn was part of the 1st Wing RFC and was equipped with 6 Royal Aircraft Factory Mark II Signalling Lamps. This is the established number for a squadron. They were used for sending Morse messages to Artillery and HQs on operations. Used by the observer, these were fairly large items compared with the replacement 'Hucks' and then the, more familiar, 'Aldis' Lamps. The RFC, rather like the modern RAF had to have a lot of 'admin' correspondence which you may be familiar with. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 29 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Mike: You're a star! I went off to see if I could find something more on 'Watson Fans' but found that using that term on Google provided some 107 million results concerning the young lady in the Harry Potter films, and gave up at Page 10. I'm assuming that they were devices that extended into a fan shape and, if visible, albeit with some difficulty, from 2500 feet, they must have been fairly big. But yes, material such as all of the above should add a degree of colour to a narrative, and is most welcome. I take your point on admin letters and such, and had considerable dealings with same in my later mainly-MOD years. But those you have are here 100 years later as valuable contributions to present-day researchers, and I wonder what the situation will be 100 years on from now with the rush to the supposedly paper-free office envisaged some years ago, and with who knows what changes in technology along the way. What will have survived in a useable manner then? But good to see that HQ 38 Div was busy on Christmas Day 1917 - no football matches then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Hi I have a fair bit of information on 'Watson Fans' which were used by troops at times during 1917, including at Messines. Sadly no photos or drawings have yet appeared, even when they were supposed to be in an annex in the files. They were over one foot in diameter as mention is made in the files of smaller fans being tested of 12" in diameter. If you PM me with your e-mail address I could send you some of the work I have been doing on them. I could also send you a copy of one of my articles on Contact Patrols. I do have another document to send on the introduction of the Bristol Fighter flight for artillery spotting, which I shall do later. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 29 November , 2012 Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Hi By March 1918 10 Sqn. had two Bristol Fighters on strength to undertake observation for Long-range Artillery. They appear to have been equipped with both receiving and transmitting wireless sets. As they would be further over enemy lines the Bristol fighter was more capable of defending itself than the squadron's FK.8s. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 29 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2012 Mike: Thanks once again, and a PM should now be in your Forum In-box. The allocation of the Bristol Fighters came up in my original thread (link in Post 1, above), and caused some discussion of the radio fit they carried. I can add that in a January 1919 document obtained via AIR 1, the unit says it had 2 from February till April 1918, then 1 from April to October, and 2 RE 8s from September to November. And I have a related quotation from the same doc: "Two Bristol Fighters were attached to the Squadron from February to September, for long range shoots with Wireless Telephone receiver in machine - considerable success was obtained, and many successful shoots resulted, particularly on Bac-sur-Maur Station and Dump, Houthem and Warneton dumps Battery positions, and emplacement for a large 'Bertha' gun near Staden." Elsewhere, Lt Mallinson, who appears to have been there at the time, recalled that pilots competed to fly "these fine machines." Edited to add that the Note above lists different squadrons as having been allocated the BFs from those mentioned in discussion on the original thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 30 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2014 As a postscript to 10 Squadron's WW1 history, whilst in France last week on family commemorative business, I took the chance to find the Squadron's first operational base, used from August 1915 to November 1917. Lying just off the Autoroute A26 near Béthune, it is normally referred to as 'Chocques,' and is more accurately located nearby at Gonnehem, outside of which is the former HQ and Officers' accommodation at the Château de Werppe. Regrettably, what was once a fairly grand building is now dilapidated and abandoned, a project to renovate it as a number of apartments having seemingly run into the sands. There are signs of some internal work having been done, but the building (and what I assume were two associated caravans) appear to have been abandoned to nature: Across the approach road, the former airfield, once a beet field, is back in cultivation with a potato crop ready for picking this year. The Château is off to the right rear, and the houses now beyond the field lie on what was once the airfield's main technical area: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Austin Posted 30 August , 2014 Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Shame about the chateau. I assume that the second photo is taken looking NW. Roger Austin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 30 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 30 August , 2014 Roger: NW - Yes, indeed - and taken from a point perhaps 50 yards along the turn to the left off the D181, Rue de l'Abbaye, coming from Chocques. The château is pretty much screened by trees now at that point, with only the pointed turret roof readily visible until one gets out of the car and walks towards it. Lots of parking spaces - Heaven knows why, unless they were built in anticipation of the 18 apartments being completed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Austin Posted 5 September , 2014 Share Posted 5 September , 2014 Many thanks. Roger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 28 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2014 Whilst acknowledging the seniority of all squadrons formed during 1914 or earlier, I hope I may be excused for slipping in the fact that, 100 years ago today, a letter was sent to Officer Commanding RFC at Farnborough authorising him to begin recruiting for the formation of No 10 Squadron. The letter reference is given as 'MA 1 No 1480,' from which I infer that it had been sent from the then Directorate of Military Aeronautics at the War Office. The Squadron was duly formed on 1 January 1915 by the transfer of 52 other ranks from No 1RAS, and 22 additional ORs were posted on 3 January. The first 6 officers, including Maj G S Shephard as CO, were posted as of 4 January and all concerned moved out to Brooklands for a month or so on 8 January. After later working-up at Netheravon, the Squadron deployed to France with elements of 11 Squadron at the end of July that year - just in time for their arrival to catch a mention in the first RFC Communiqué. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 28 November , 2014 Share Posted 28 November , 2014 How's the book coming along, W/Cdr Macmillan? And when can I place an order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 28 November , 2014 Author Share Posted 28 November , 2014 John: It's kind of you to ask, as things have not gone quite as quickly as first hoped! We now hope that something will be ready by the next (Centenary) Association Reunion in late May next year. (For what it's worth, I'm currently trying to improve the WW1 content and tie-up aspects of the 39 years of VC 10 ops at the other end of the 100-year timescale.) My wife will be very glad when it's all over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 1 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 1 January , 2015 Well, the day has come - No 10 Squadron's 100th Birthday. Formed at Farnborough on 1 January 1915 and now Voyaging into the future with its large Airbus strategic transport/tanker, the fourth new aircraft that it has brought into service over the intervening 100 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunty Posted 14 December , 2015 Share Posted 14 December , 2015 Well, the day has come - No 10 Squadron's 100th Birthday. Formed at Farnborough on 1 January 1915 and now Voyaging into the future with its large Airbus strategic transport/tanker, the fourth new aircraft that it has brought into service over the intervening 100 years. Hi Ian, I wondered if you may be able to assist me with some research I'm doing on behalf of my wife's family. My mother-in-law's surname was Caws, and hence she is a descendant of Lieutenant Stanley Winther Caws of 10 Squadron who I'm sure you are familiar with. Stanley originated from Seaview, Isle of Wight, before serving in the Boer War with Pagets Horse, then moving to Canada and forming the Lac Ste Anne Legion of Frontiersman and serving with the 19th Alberta Dragoons with whom he crossed the Atlantic in late 1914 before being discharged for the purposes of appointment to a commission with the RFC in February 1915. I have managed to accumulate a fair sum of knowledge of his life between 1901-1914 but we know very little of his life in service with 10 Squadron other than the sad occasion of his death on September 21st 1915. I recently received 41 pages concerning Caws from the National Archives but its rather disappointingly mostly concerned with the matter of his estate and issues after his death. Would you be able to point me in the right direction for anything that might give us a flavour of his life with 10 Squadron in France in the summer of 1915. We would be very grateful for any assistance. Regards, Damon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 14 December , 2015 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2015 Damon: Although detailed Squadron records in France don't appear to exist before February 1916, so some months after Lt Caws' death, I'll be happy to help as best I can and I'll contact you via the Forum's PM system. Lt Caws was not only the first 10 Squadron member to be killed in action but he is, I understand, considered to have been the first Canadian airman killed in the Great War. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but he had taken Canadian citizenship at some point after emigrating.) In brief, he was one of those who flew to France (St Omer) on 25 July 1915, ie as opposed to going over by sea. The Squadron moved forward over the following days to Chocques/Gonnehem (see post 11, above) and became active operationally in mid-August. Dare I say that the general circumstances of all this are covered in the Squadron centennial history "From Brooklands to Brize" that has finally made it into print - details can be found on the 10 Squadron Association website homepage:http://www.10sqnass.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunty Posted 14 December , 2015 Share Posted 14 December , 2015 Thank you Ian. The Canadians certainly claimed him as their own but I've yet to unearth tangible evidence of citizenship, however of interest was a reference in the Official History of the Royal Canadian Air Force in which one of his contemporaries remarked on his obviously Canadian accent! He's been one of the most fascinating characters I've researched so far and again thank you for your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bascour Posted 24 November , 2021 Share Posted 24 November , 2021 Hello 10 Squadron RFC / RAF must have participated on June 29, 1917 in a raid by 2 / 10th Liverpool Scottish at Bois Grenier (Dicky's Dash). Do you have information on this participation. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 25 November , 2021 Author Share Posted 25 November , 2021 Bascour: The Squadron records do not mention 2/10 Liverpool Scottish or a 'Dicky's Dash. However, there were several flights on 29 June in support of a 'Special Mission,' of which no details are disclosed. That morning, 3 aircraft undertook successful 'Reconnaissance of sector of Trench in view of attack,' a wording that could suggest something was afoot. Later, in mid-afternoon, 9 aircraft carried out bombing and machine gun attacks on trenches - the summary Bombing Reports below give map references that I can't decipher. If you have access to trench maps, you may be able to confirm or dismiss these attacks as relevant to the raid in question. (Other aircraft were tasked but were unable to complete the mission for technical reasons.) It may/ may not be relevant that on the afternoon of 27 June, the Squadron CO had taken a Staff Officer (Capt Heath) on a recce of the Corps Front. Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bascour Posted 25 November , 2021 Share Posted 25 November , 2021 ICM - RAF Retd Good evening Thank you for your reply. This is indeed the Liverpool Scottish attack on the Bridoux salient at 3pm. I'm looking at more details because the numbers and texts are not perfectly readable. I will work with your documents and keep you informed. Thanks again. best regards D. Bascour Traduit par: Traducteur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 25 November , 2021 Share Posted 25 November , 2021 2 hours ago, Bascour said: ICM - RAF Retd Good evening Thank you for your reply. This is indeed the Liverpool Scottish attack on the Bridoux salient at 3pm. I'm looking at more details because the numbers and texts are not perfectly readable. I will work with your documents and keep you informed. Thanks again. best regards D. Bascour Traduit par: Traducteur Hi There is some information in the First Division War diaries (if you have access they are available as free downloads from the UK National Archives): The Weekly Summary of Operations for 22-29 June 1917 adds the following: The 172 Bde. narrative is also in this file and mentions: There is also a letter commenting on a 10 Sqn. report: Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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