What was a Resource Squadron?

[rolt968]

In Angus Archives there are a number of postcards collected/sent by Joe Warmington (actually John Joseph Warmington) during his service at Montrose Air Station in World War 1. (His service number was 16430. He passed into the RAF as a Sergeant Mechanic. He was a cabinet maker to trade.)

One of the post cards (sent to his future wife) reads as follows:

3 May 1916

We arrived here safely and well about 11.30 today. Some Journey! Left Farnboro' at 5.40 last night.

This is a lovely spot in sunshine, I should think. Its wet today.

My address is:

2 a/m etc.

18th Resource Squadron

Royal Flying Corps

Montrose

NB

Write soon please.

These are our barracks (The picture is the old Montrose barracks.)

I cannot find any trace of 18th (possibly 78th) Resource Squadron. Can anyone tell me who they were and what they did?

Roger.

[mickdavis]

He'll have been writing about 18 Reserve Squadron, which had formed at Montrose (Broomfield) on 1 January 1916, being re-titled 18 Reserve Squadron on 13 January.

[rolt968]

Thank you for the information. I knew that 18 Squadron was there, but not when it was formed.

I did wonder if that was what he meant, indeed I copied the word out twice. I had also assumed that he knew what he was writing about, but newly posted he may have been a little confused.

I assume that his 18 (or was it 30 hour journey?) was by train. Though if it was 30, it could have been by road. He was nor aircrew, so I assume he didn't fly.

I will eventually go and see if the Montrose Aerodrome Museum have any information, but they have had a royal visit today, so I left them to it!

Roger.

[Guest WarmingtonJC]

Apologies to the forum for unearthing a topic from some months ago. Today is the 97th wedding anniversary of my grandparents John Joseph Warmington and Florence Turvey, and this seems to be only reference to him on the whole Internet! They married 24-12-1916 in Montrose (presumably he couldn't get enough leave to return to Gloucestershire).

After our father died my brother and I followed his wish and donated these old postcards, and some early aerial photographs, to the Angus Archive, glad they have been of some use. I can easily see how his "reserve" could be read as "resource".

[rolt968]

Hello WashingtonJC

It is very good to hear from you. I have followed up a little further since I started this thread and read John Joseph Warmington's RAF record when I was last at the National Archives. If you haven't seen it, let me know and I will supply details.

Roger.