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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Eric Barton Thompson RNAS/RAF


pete-c

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On 12/08/2019 at 14:49, pete-c said:

But, if that was the case, who was piloting the aircraft?

If there was another pilot involved there would surely be an incident card in that pilot's name, I've tried searching airhistory.org for the aircraft number and for Mudros or Lemnos on that date but not found anything. Doesn't the 'no evidence' suggest that there were no witnesses but also that perhaps there was no explanation? If his body was found then there must have been an enquiry and his nature of death determined ?.

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Flight magazine reported that he was killed as a result of an aeroplane accident:

https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918 - 0489.html

 

Re #24

According to CWGC he is the only RAF casualty, Greece, during the period 08/04/1918-12/04/1918 which suggests that if he was struck on the ground by another aircraft the pilot either survived or succumbed to his injuries at a later date:

https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-war-dead/results?country=Greece&war=1&dateFrom=08-04-1918&dateTo=12-04-1918

 

JP

 

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  • 5 months later...
On 14/08/2019 at 07:08, pete-c said:

 

 

This is such a great photo of G Squadron in 1917.  I'm certain that Eric Thompson is in this photo - front row, nine from the right, wearing a big coat and goggles on his head.  Where are the Weekly Ops Reports archived?  I will have to visit and read through myself.  Mike

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4 hours ago, Helicon1918 said:

This is such a great photo of G Squadron in 1917.  I'm certain that Eric Thompson is in this photo - front row, nine from the right, wearing a big coat and goggles on his head.  Where are the Weekly Ops Reports archived?  I will have to visit and read through myself.  Mike

 

The Weekly Operations Reports are held at The National Archives, Kew.  AIR1/2081/204/454/1 Part 2 contains details of 'G' Squadron's activities from August 1917 through to March 1918.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

As long as coronavirus doesn't ground my flights, I should be on the island of Lemnos from the 11th to the 12th of March 2020. 

 

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to name those on this Great War Forum who have helped me enormously in piecing together disparate bits of history!  Suffice to say it's been invaluable.  Terrific help has also been received from researchers based at the Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome (encouraging me to become a fee-paying member of their Propeller Club).

 

I still don't know the exact circumstances of Eric Thompson's death but I know a lot more about the Royal Naval Air Service's EXTENSIVE and HEROIC activities in the Aegean theatre.  Weekly Operation Reports from the RNAS and latterly RAF Headquarters of the British Aegean Squadron have been a great read (available in the National Archives). 

 

One is struck by the impact of bad weather (and rudimentary forecasting), the unreliability of engines, contested airspace and seaspace.  I have now read documents that show how inexperienced people were faced with the most enormous challenges.  Yes, I can laugh a little when the CO of 64th (Naval) Wing writes to GOC Royal Air Force Middle East, decrying an Admistrative (Stores) Officer at the Seaplane Squadron, Alexandria: "He has not the slightest technical knowledge (in fact he hardly knows the difference between a wood-screw and an aileron)".  But then there are other documents that show just how courageous folk were, even when the odds were completely against them, and yet they 'did their duty' to the best of their abilities and despite the poor equipment they had.  Sobering stuff.

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Of course you're allowed to name names :thumbsup:   Have a great visit - and just make sure you've got enough memory on you're camera!

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