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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Donald Campbell Rutter


timhog

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Hi one and all.

In the Eastbourne Redoubt Museum we have the death plaque and medals belonging to Rutter and it would be good if we could put his story together.

He was gazetted into the 3rd (Reserve) Bn Royal Sussex in November 1914 and may have served on the western front with another Bn, then as an Observer RFC with 8 Sqn in December 1915. By August 1916 he was a Flight Commander Pilot with 43 Sqn and MC in May 1917. He was KiA near Ypres on 07.06.1917.

If there is anything more out there it would be great to know about it.

Thanks.

Tim.

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Hi Tim,

I've added a bit to the old entry in The Sky Their Battlefield - he was in Sopwith Strutter A8221 on ground attack work at dawn during the opening of the Messines battle (they left at 4-10am). He was with 2Lt JB Jackson, who was also killed.

I've learnt that they were seen falling before crashing heavily, after very likely having been hit by their own barrage fire, between Ploegsteert and Messines. May they both rest in peace.

Hope this helps.

Trevor

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Tim,

His MIC gives;

East Surrey Regiment, Private, 2096

Royal Sussex Regiment, 2/Lieut

Royal Sussex Regiment and RFC, Captain

Date of entry, France, 6.6.15

Missing 7.6.17

Address:

H. C. Rutter, Esquire (father), Hazlewood, Morden, Mitcham

His RAF Record is available at TNA, reference AIR 76/441/6, downloadable

Andrewr

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Thank you both just the job, I think we have enough to put something together.

Thanks again

Tim

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  • 2 years later...

Thanks to Luc for linking this 2013 topic to the August 2016 topic. I am making note of that here in the event that anyone else ends up here looking for Captain Rutter.

 

Here is the link to the 2016 topic about his final resting place:

 

 

 

It would appear that Rutter and Jackson are not the two men in those graves as neither was with the RNAS and thus "Flight Sub-Lieutenants". The investigation continues at the linked post.

 

Richard

11 September 2016

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  • 2 weeks later...

Richard

Having looked at your list of names of RNAS FSLts on the Arras Memorial To The Missing,

I believe you have missed one_FLt Thomas Grey Culling DSC from Auckland New Zealand.

His death is given as 8/6/17,shot down by VZF Bottler of MF1 near Warneton.

However this location is still a long way from Houlthurst I know, but if any identification

was badly damaged_could Culling have been interpreted as Rutter?

Regards

Geoff

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Thanks for the notice. I looked him up on the CWGC and they have him as a Flight Lieutenant, so that is why he did not show up on my list.

 

Flight Lieutenant Thomas Grey Culling

 

It definitely created a problem when they started to post the ranks as what they may have been in an Acting or Temporary position, so I assume it was possible that he was in that category and they "bumped him" on the memorial.

 

I looked him up in Trevor's book and he has him as a Flight Lieutenant as well. The RAF VAULT also has him at that rank.

 

Do  you have something that says he was a Flight Sub Lieutenant?

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Richard

Yes I am aware that T G Culling was a Flight Lieutenant, but thought he might

have been another name to consider. I am no expert in uniforms and don't know

the difference between that of aFlight Sub Lieutenant and that of a Flight Lieutenant

so was only trying a bit of lateral thinking !

Regards

Geoff

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Gotcha!

 

I thought I had missed someone. I understand your point now that CULLING might have been read as RUTTER.

 

I will look into this further!

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