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Remembered Today:

29 Squadron 2nd Lieutenant Ferrebee Sadler


DavidM

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This may be a slender chance but I wonder if anyone can help. I am a schoolteacher in Tamworth, Staffordshire and I have been researching whatever information I can find on the old boys of this school who were killed during WW1. I'm trying to do as much as I can to engender some interest amongst a regretfully increasing apathetic younger generation! Ferrebee is the only one of the 34 killed who was in the RFC and it is for this reason and others I am drawn to him to try and find out whatever I can.

I have found out some information but I would love to know if there are any combat records or maybe even a photograph available, maybe a squadron photo taken at the time.

Unfortunately, Ferrebee was not around for too long. He joined 29 Squadron in early March 1917 and was shot down and killed by Karl Emil Schaefer on 21st April 1917.

Can anyone help or advise?

Thank you.

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Found this in the Tamworth herald, 28th April 1917, but no picture I'm afraid

post-1356-0-99799900-1403185609_thumb.pn

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Thanks for such a quick response, Stephen. Yes, I've seen this. In fact, his house, given as Standon, is - or rather was - just at the top of our school drive.

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Only 3 references to him in 29 Sqn that I have:

A6701 Nieuport 17 (SFA N2746).2 AD dd ex makers engine-less in packing case 1.2.1.1917. 29 Sqn dd ex 2 AD by Lt Pascoe 27.3.1917 (engine T4691J) and crashed into 60 Sqn a/c taking off 10.50hrs 5.4.1917 with Lt F Sadler OK (flying time 6hrs10mins). 2 AD wrecked ex 29 Sqn 6.4.1917 (engine T4691J). 60 Sqn dd ex 2 AD by Lt Sherwood 28.7.1917 (engine T2701J). 1 AD dd ex 60 Sqn by Lt Horn 10.8.1917. 29 Sqn dd ex 1 AD by Lt Meek 15.8.1917 and LIA near Ypres on 06.18hrs patrol 18.8.1917 with 2Lt WB Styles POW wdd (engine T2701J, flying time 13hrs10mins).

A6797 Nieuport 23 (SFA N3340).2 AD dd ex Paris by Lt de Marmier 25.3.1917 (engine T6468J). 29 Sqn dd ex 2 AD by Lt Sadler 5.4.1917 and LIA near Fresnes on 16.30hrs OP 21.4.1917 with 2Lt F Sadler KIA in combat – possibly by Ltn K Schaefer, Jasta 11 (engine T6468J, flying time 20hrs55mins).

B1516 Nieuport 17 (SFA N3473).

1 AD dd ex Paris in packing case 31.3.1917 (engine 100510). 29 Sqn collected ex 1 AD by Lt Sadler 10.4.1917, delivered 11.4.1917 after forced landing and forced to land damaged after combat on 15.15hrs escort patrol 23.4.1917 with 2Lt JD Atkinson OK (engine T2733J, flying time 21hrs45mins). Machine remains and shelled to destruction by enemy fire.

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Thank you, Mick. This is really interesting.

Where was this information taken from? Is the Lt Horn in 60 Squadron ****** Horn who flew with Edward Mannock in 85 Squadron?

If you'll forgive my ignorance can I ask you to clarify one or two of the abbreviations that I can't work out?

1AD, 2AD, dd, LIA, wdd.

So if I read this correctly Ferrebee is mentioned three times, once for being forced down in combat after collecting a new aircraft, once for virtually writing off an aircraft after a collision with a pilot from another squadron and thirdly when he was shot down and killed and all this in just one month on the squadron.

I will probably never find out what Ferrebee looked like, there are no school records that have survived, I know almost nothing about him but I find I am in awe of the man.

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David

Without wishing to steal Mick's thunder, 1AD is No 1 Aircraft Depot at St Omer and 2AD is No 2 Aircraft Depot at Candas; dd is the abbreviation for 'delivered' while LIA stands for Lost In Action.

Graeme

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  • 2 weeks later...

David

Have you tried contacting the 29 squadron Association?

Details here: 29 Squadron Association David Shaw, 30 Lodge Road, Tattershall, Lincoln LN4 4LL: 9SqnAssociation AT mail.com[

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Thanks very much. I have written to David; I'll keep my fingers crossed.

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  • 5 years later...

Really?

 

Shot down and killed in France but buried in Gateshead?

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Saltwell Cemetery refers to his name being on the memorial stone over his parents grave there. A contact for the Gateshead War Memorial is shown on the web page.

http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1247&displayorder=449

 

You may have already accessed this, but he has a file at the National Archives at Kew, although this may not help much with details of his flying career or a photo. As Kew is a long way from Staffs I believe there are others on this site who can get a copy for a very reasonable sum, or TNA Kew could copy for you. I've seen some of these before & they seemed to have been pruned post war & contained not much more than their application for a commision, but not sure about RFC Officers.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C730147

 

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