Captain AR James

[RichardW]

I'm very new to Great War research, but the bug has bitten. I'm researching all the names on the Great War memorial in my village. I've posted one name on this section of the forum a few months ago and was incredibly impressed by the speed & amount of info I received.

Could anyone tell me more about Capt James? - his CWGC details are as follows:

62nd Sqdn RFC

Secondary regiment RWF & 24th Denbighshire Yeomonary Bn

Died age 23 on 24.3.18

Any further info very gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Richard

[Dolphin]

Richard

Captain Alyn Reginald James (formerly Denbigh Yeomanry and 24th Royal Welsh Fusiliers) was a native of Gresford, Denbigh. On 24 March 1918 he was the pilot of Bristol F2b B1267 of No 62 Sqn RFC, with Lt John Mathews Hay (formerly Cheshire Regiment) as his observer, when they were killed in action during a ground attack mission.

I hope this helps you.

Gareth

[RichardW]

Thanks very much

[Guest timbobutcher]

Richard W - it has been 7 years since you left your message about Alyn Reginald James but I do hope you are still out there and reachable. He was my mother's much-loved uncle, a son of a lawyer from Gresford near Wrexham. He served first as an infantry officer and then moved across to the Royal Flying Corps (the RAF was yet to be formed) and through 1917 was in training in the UK. His training unit then rebadged as a full RFC squadron, No 62, and off they went across the channel to the western front although not without incident. Uncle Alyn's plane ended up in the sea and he had to be rescued and taken to Dunkirk. The squadron arrived in France in January 1918 and were deployed around the Somme area. At this time the Eastern Front had gone quiet so the Germans were able to move forces from there to the west with devastating consquences. In March of 1918 the Germans advanced 30 miles in a matter of days, territory that had been fought over inch by bloody inch in 1916 at the terrible battle of The Somme.

Alyn was a pilot and he would fly with an observer/gunner/bomber. It was all very early air warfare so they would strafe trenches, carry out reconnaissance and attack enemy planes all on the same sortie. On March 13th 1918 there is a report filed by Alyn about an encounter with German fighters belonging to the Flying Circus of the `Red Baron', Manfred Richthofen. In the report, Alyn describes his gunner bringing down an enemy plane. There are other squadron reports about several clashes with the red planes of the circus. None of those reports definitively involve Alyn.

On 24 March 1918 something went wrong on a late afternoon sortie. Our family have scant details although the most likely scenario is that he was shot down from the ground. The Germans were advancing at such a rate that it was not possible to find any wreckage or bodies so Alyn and his observer, Lt Hay, were never found. It was not until May 1919 that his status went for Missing in Action to Killed in Action. His name is on the fliers' memorial at Arras but without any known grave - Known Unto God, as they said of so many.

I have more material if it would help including a few pictures. My mother, who was born in 1936 and was brought up in part, on the myth of Uncle Alyn is still alive and very much interested in hearing anything new.

I can be reached via this forum or directly via timbobutcher@gmail.com

Dolphin - I was fascinated to see your accurate and detailed notes on Uncle Alyn. Might I ask if you have any other material or tips on how I might track more down myself?

With thanks and best wishes

Tim Butcher

author

[Dolphin]

Tim

I looked up a number of sources, including Airmen Died in the Great War by Chris Hobson for the personnel details and The Sky Their Battlefield by Trevor Henshaw for information on the end of B1267. There are lots of other books around that are useful, including the Air-Britain volumes on the Sopwith Camel, the Sopwith Pup, the SE5 and SE5a, plus the DH4/DH9/DH9A. Cross & Cockade monographs on Nieuports, the FE2b/FE2d and Sopwith Dolphin are also worth looking at.

There are lots more, and I'll write to you direct.

Regards

Gareth

[mickdavis]

James and Hay used BF B1267 to send an Albatros scout OOC 5 miles SE of Cambrai at 13.35 on 15 March 1918. They were trench straffing when killed.

[Guest timbobutcher]

Mick - thank you for that. You are right. James and Hay were credited with an OOC on 15th March and one on 13th. The squadron history records James as having these two `victories' when he died.

If you have any more information I would love to hear it and onpass it to my mother. I am on timbobutcher@gmail.com