Phil Bd Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 (edited) Does anyone know of any additional information about Charles Robinson Ashby Wallis. He was born in 1898 and I believe he served in both wars. He served in the Royal Garrison Artillery, in 59 squadron and he reached the rank of Lt Colonel, this rank may have been achieved in WWII. He was wounded in 1918 by machine gun fire. He died in 1962 and lived in Gillingham. Any more information would be appreciated. Phil Edited 14 February , 2017 by Phil Bd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 (edited) There are Medal Index cards on Ancestry for 2nd Lt or Lt. CRA Wallis, RGA & RFC/RAF, including a mention in Despatches dated 4/1/17. I presume they are all the same man. Might he have an officer file at the NA or a Pension Record if he continued to serve after the Great War? EDIT: Yes he does. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8238178 You can download it for £3.45, but I can't imagine there's an awful lot in it- it's only 2MB. Edited 14 February , 2017 by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 Hi Phil, His post great war admin number would appear to be P/10508 - see page 22 of this free download. That number cross references to an index of service files held by the MoD. For £30 you could get a copy of the file - see here. It will probably be heavily weeded though, so would be a gamble on what would be left in it. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 (edited) The Following is from THIS WEBSITE Lt Col Charles Robinson Ashby Wallis (1900 – 1962) served in both world wars. As a young airman with the Royal army air corps he was shot down and famously survived only loosing the tip of his finger. He was gassed twice at the battle of Passchendaele and survived. Wallis was also a local historian and created a museum in his home town of Gillingham which is still open to this day. He died as he had lived his life. Seeing a lady in difficulty in the sea at Tintagel in Cornwall he dived in to save her and although a strong swimmer and fit man of 62 they both lost their lives. He was posthumously recognised with the highest award for bravery by Her Majesty the Queen the Patron of the Royal Humane Society. Although I cannot vouch for its accuracy, but it may give you a few leads to check out Ray Edit Charles's Birth, Baptism, Marriage, Death and Probate records can all be found on Ancestry Edited 14 February , 2017 by RaySearching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 Hi, The AIR 76 record that Dai posted the link to, is also available on Findmypast here, if you already have a subscription. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Bd Posted 14 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 14 February , 2017 Thanks to all for the information. You have definitely got the right man. Unfortunately as a poor pensioner I'm not on any subscription sites. However, I have found he was wounded while he was an Observer, flying in an RE.8. over France. Thanks again Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 Charles was the brother of BARNES WALLIS who invented the bouncing bomb for the “Dambusters” raid of May 1943. Gillingham Museum mentioned in post 4 Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 24 minutes ago, RaySearching said: Charles was the brother of BARNES WALLIS who invented the bouncing bomb for the “Dambusters” raid of May 1943. Gillingham Museum mentioned in post 4 Ray Fascinating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nieuport11 Posted 14 February , 2017 Share Posted 14 February , 2017 He had a few incidents in WW1 flying RE8 with 59Sq 22.08.18 Ok [F5890 RE8] Shot through on patrol St Amand. 2Lt TG Hobbs Ok/Lt CRA Wallis Ok 23.08.18 Ok [C2738 RE8] Damaged on contact patrol Bucquoy. 2Lt TG Hobbs wounded/Lt CRA Wallis Ok 12.09.18 Ok [B2295 RE8] Caught by strong wind and o/t on landing from NF patrol. 2Lt HSR Burt Ok/Lt CRA Wallis Ok 28.10.18 wounded (obs) [- -] Wounded by mg fire. Lt CRA Wallis wounded (obs) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Bd Posted 14 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 14 February , 2017 (edited) I know this is "the Great War Forum" but I was wondering if any one has found anything about his military career in WWII. I know he was retired from the Reserves while being a Lt-Col in the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1953, due to him reaching the age limit. Yes he is the brother to Sir Barnes Neville Wallis C.B.E. I am related to Sir Barnes and his wife Molly. Cheers Phil Edited 14 February , 2017 by Phil Bd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 15 February , 2017 Share Posted 15 February , 2017 12 hours ago, Phil Bd said: I was wondering if any one has found anything about his military career in WWII. Sorry Phil WW2 is off topic May I suggest that you try the forum WW"Talk with your query regarding Charles's WW2 service Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBrook Posted 15 February , 2017 Share Posted 15 February , 2017 This is the career progression of Charles Robinson Ashby WALLIS per the London Gazette up to 1930:- Gazetted 2nd Lt. into the R.G.A. 27 October 1915 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29340/page/10518 click back to page 10517 for the heading Mentioned in Haig's despatch of 13 November 1916, published in the London Gazette 2 January 1917 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29890/supplement/213 Promoted to Lt. 1 July 1917 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30288/supplement/9625 click back to page 9624 for the heading To be acting Capt. 26 June 1917 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30295/supplement/9738 Relinquished the acting rank of Capt. on ceasing to be employed as 2nd in comd. of a Siege Battery 29 July 1917 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30394/supplement/12107 Confirmation of secondment from R.G.A. to R.A.F. effective 6 June 1918 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31140/supplement/1178 Granted a temp. commission in the R.A.F. as an Observer Officer with the hon. rank of Lt. 6 June 1918 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31040/page/14137 click back to page 14136 for the heading Relinquished his temp. commission in the R.A.F. 8 October 1919, on ceasing to be employed https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31616/page/13028 Restored to the establishment of R.G.A. [in the rank of Lt.] 8 October 1919 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31630/supplement/13523 Appointed as an Adjutant 21 November 1927 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33342/page/8370 Promoted to Capt. 27 October 1928 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33433/page/6852 Seconded whilst a student at the Staff College, Quetta 20 February 1930 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33587/page/1576 More to follow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Bd Posted 15 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2017 Hi Harry, Thanks for this. I'm amazed you have found this many references for C.R.A, Wallis. You say more to follow, surely there can't be that many more? I know he attained Lt Col but I assumed this would be from his service during WWII. Thanks again Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBrook Posted 16 February , 2017 Share Posted 16 February , 2017 To continue:- He was restored to the establishment of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 19 September 1932 (after his 1930 secondment, there is no indication of to where and for what purpose he was seconded). https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33870/page/6249 Seconded for service on the Staff 1 January 1933 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33905/page/524 He was then moved to the post of Admin. Officer at the School of Artillery on 18 December 1934 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34121/page/136 Promoted to the rank of Brevet Major 1 July 1935 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34176/page/4260 His appointment as Admin Officer at the School of Artillery ended on 1 January 1937 and he was restored to the establishment of the Royal Regt. of Arty. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34358/page/166 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34363/page/557 Promoted to the rank of Major 21 January 1937 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34374/page/1256 Seconded for service on the Staff 15 December 1937 and appointed G.S.O. Grade 2, Malta. (There appears to be no notification of when this appointment ended). https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34467/page/8135 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34465/page/7998 Promoted to the rank of Lt.-Col. 1 January 1945 (Under Memoranda) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36870/supplement/140 Retired 8 November 1948 (under Memoranda) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38451/supplement/5882 Ceased to belong to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers 19 March 1953 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39803/supplement/1582 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Bd Posted 16 February , 2017 Author Share Posted 16 February , 2017 Hello Harry, Once again thanks for your time with this. You must have spent a few hours researching C R A Wallis, what a mammoth task to come up with all these L.G. entries. It gives a good insight to his full career. Thanks again Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBrook Posted 16 February , 2017 Share Posted 16 February , 2017 Hi Phil, You are welcome. It took longer than a few minutes but the L.G. is not that forbidding once you get the hang of navigating it. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 April , 2023 Share Posted 14 April , 2023 Good Morning, Charles Robinson Ashby Wallis was my grandfather on my father's side of the family and was indeed the brother of Sir Barnes Wallis of Dambusters fame. Drawing on extensive family records, I am currently researching his lifelong military career in the Royal Artillery and RFC. I have obtained numerous records including his RFC casualty cards and the Nation Archive record of his two years in the RFC as 2nd Lieutenant gunner / observer in 59 squadron. The attached are two of the many pictures we have from various albums of his life during WW1, his inter-war years serving in the RA in India and very limited information on his WWII career. He was retired having reached 'Pensionable Age' and spent the latter part of his life in Gillingham, Dorset where he was instrumental in setting up the Gillingham museum which is still open today as part of the local library. He tragically drowned in 1962 whilst trying to save a women in trouble in the sea, an act that he was awarded a posthumous gallantry award. He is buried in St Mary's church, Gillingham and the family have recently had his gravestone restored. I have only just joined this forum so will be posting additional data and requests for information specifically regarding his service in the Royal Artillery where I have a few gaps. I am also struggling with his postings at the end of the war before he was 'returned' to his original unit. The records are unclear and I cannot find any detail regarding the RFC's activities in Duren during 1919. If anyone has any further details I would be most grateful. Equally, if anyone has any questions regarding the data I have... please ask. Best Regards Will Wallis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 14 April , 2023 Admin Share Posted 14 April , 2023 Welcome to the forum. @Phil Bd hasn’t visited the forum for a couple of years, but with any luck, my tag will alert him to your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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