Annette Carson Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 (edited) In the WWI photo album belonging to the subject of my biography, D.V. Armstrong, I have the attached photograph and a caption (no. iii) which appears to read 'Baby' Denne. In context it seems to date from late 1917 when DVA was with No. 44 HD Squadron at Hainault Farm, but of course his album includes plenty of visitors from other squadrons so one can't be sure. Also the following photo (caption no. iv) is of Idris 'Jimmy' Meredith Davies, who joined DVA's A Flight in No. 78 Squadron at Sutton's Farm from January 1918, so Denne might have any of those associations. I'm not entirely sure of the spelling 'Denne', but a search in RFC records suggests he may have been Lieutenant R.A. (Robin) Denne whose birth date of 16 March 1898 would make him 19 years of age in late 1917. He had been wounded as an observer in 1916 and appointed as a Recording Officer with 84 and 106 Squadrons at about this time. Denne attained the rank of Captain and survived the war, as far as I can see. The inclusion of a portrait rather than an airfield snap would suggest that Denne was a personal friend, so I'd like to identify him in DVA's biography if possible. Thanks to anyone who can come up with any suggestions. How about those lapel badges, Frogsmile? :-) Regards Annette Edited 11 October , 2017 by Annette Carson Images added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete-c Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Annette, If it's any help with dates, locations etc. the Blackburn Pusher Tri-plane mentioned - 'ii' - flew from Eastchurch during February 1917, until struck off charge the following month. It may of course have survived at Eastchurch for many weeks after this date. Best of luck with your research. Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Tall Posted 11 October , 2017 Share Posted 11 October , 2017 Annette, It's definitely Robin Denne. This same photograph is on Ancestry in the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificates. It's captioned 2nd Lt Robin Alured Denne, Wiltshire Regiment, 2847 and dated 5 May 1916. The card that goes with the photo says Robin Alured Denne, Doddington Vicarage, Sittingbourne, Kent. Certificate taken on Maurice Farman Biplane at Military School, Brooklands, 5 May 1916. You can see why he was nicknamed "Baby". Glad to hear he survived the war. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Carson Posted 13 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2017 Brilliant, Susan, thanks very much. This fills in a little bit more about someone whose friendship with DVA was preserved in his photo album. Thanks also to Peter for info about the Blackburn triplane. Some of the snaps are pasted in out of actual sequence, so I suspect DVA preserved this as a curiosity. Like so many pilots, he may have wangled a flight in it to add to his list. Regards Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 25 December , 2017 Share Posted 25 December , 2017 (edited) Hello Annette Happy Christmas. Robin Alured Denne was my father and the information that you already have about him is correct. He later changed his name to Robert but was always known as Alured. I can email you his WW1 diary if that would be of interest to you. Best wishes for the New Year Thomas David Denne Edited 25 December , 2017 by Guest Added information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 25 December , 2017 Share Posted 25 December , 2017 Have just searched my father's diary and found the following entry from the summer of 1916... maybe it's the same Armstrong. The second phase of the battle was beginning to die down, when two of us were chosen to go to Etaples for one week’s special machine gun course. This was a real holiday. We stayed in a large house overlooking the sea with many RFC people from other units. I shared a room with Duncan Bell Irving and Armstrong, both pilots in the brilliant No60 squadron, which was equipped with Moraine Bullets. We returned to our squadrons much refreshed after six very happy days, bathing, working and playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Carson Posted 29 December , 2017 Author Share Posted 29 December , 2017 On 25/12/2017 at 20:51, T Denne said: Hello Annette Happy Christmas. Robin Alured Denne was my father and the information that you already have about him is correct. He later changed his name to Robert but was always known as Alured. I can email you his WW1 diary if that would be of interest to you. Best wishes for the New Year Thomas David Denne Hello Thomas - I took a rest from research over Christmas but have returned to find your very welcome post. Yes, I'd very much like to see your father's wartime diary - thanks enormously for the offer. If you'd like to email me directly it's info@annettecarson.co.uk. I'm so pleased to discover how your father came to know Armstrong, for I'm sure it was DVA at Etaples with Bell-Irving, both of 60 Sqdn - FYI this period at Etaples would have been 1 to 7 December 1916, if I have read the records correctly. Sadly I have seen no other identifiable photos of your father in DVA's album. If we correspond by email we may be able to answer any further queries we each have - I know I would appreciate a little more information! Season's greetings to you too Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Carson Posted 9 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 March , 2018 On 25/12/2017 at 23:03, T Denne said: Have just searched my father's diary and found the following entry from the summer of 1916... maybe it's the same Armstrong. The second phase of the battle was beginning to die down, when two of us were chosen to go to Etaples for one week’s special machine gun course. This was a real holiday. We stayed in a large house overlooking the sea with many RFC people from other units. I shared a room with Duncan Bell Irving and Armstrong, both pilots in the brilliant No60 squadron, which was equipped with Moraine Bullets. We returned to our squadrons much refreshed after six very happy days, bathing, working and playing. Hi again Thomas, it's occurred to me a couple of times that I didn't hear further from you about your father's diary ... but I am now a little concerned that the dates might not fit as I thought they did. My problem is that I've discovered Duncan Bell-Irving was wounded and sent home to England around 9-10 November 1916, which makes it seem unlikely that he would be well enough to be frolicking at Etaples around 1 December. It seems more likely that this episode at Etaples occurred during late September-early October, a week described in Armstrong's service record as 'leave'. I think we might narrow down the date by reference to other activities in your father's diary around that time. I will PM you to alert you to these second thoughts. Best wishes Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Carson Posted 19 November , 2019 Author Share Posted 19 November , 2019 On 25/12/2017 at 20:51, Guest said: Hello Annette Happy Christmas. Robin Alured Denne was my father and the information that you already have about him is correct. He later changed his name to Robert but was always known as Alured. I can email you his WW1 diary if that would be of interest to you. Best wishes for the New Year Thomas David Denne This is a call-out to Thomas David Denne who offered to email me his father's diary which I didn't have leisure to peruse at the time, but having now published my book on Captain Armstrong I have the opportunity to follow up on other research. A PM didn't get a reply from Thomas, but it would be great if anyone could get in touch. Thanks Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 15 April , 2022 Share Posted 15 April , 2022 I'm resurrecting this thread because I would be interested in knowing if anyone received further information about the diary of his father, Robin Alured Denne, mentioned by Thomas David Denne. Thomas Denne died in January 2021 in Limanton, France, but I have not been able to find the names of any surviving relatives. Thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Carson Posted 15 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2022 For my part I can't provide any more information than I published in my biography of Captain DV Armstrong, 'Camel Pilot Supreme'. I exchanged a couple of emails with Thomas Denne, and suggested that historians would be pleased if he were to make his father's diaries publicly available; however, our correspondence ceased and I now suppose that it may have been due to Thomas's illness. Best wishes, Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 15 April , 2022 Share Posted 15 April , 2022 Thank you, Annette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travers61 Posted 16 April , 2022 Share Posted 16 April , 2022 (edited) One way to contact Thomas David Denne's family could be via a copy of his will if his estate needed to go to probate in the UK. I can't see one at an initial search, but of course with a death in France & delays due to covid probate could be delayed until future months. Still only £ 1.50 per will I believe. https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate Travers Edited 16 April , 2022 by travers61 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perth Digger Posted 22 April , 2022 Share Posted 22 April , 2022 Thanks, Travers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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