FeeBee67 Posted 26 April , 2018 Share Posted 26 April , 2018 Having a "sort out", I've discovered an envelope belonging to my grandfather who was ground crew in the Royal Flying Corp, which contains about 30 photos. Random photos of flight crews, makeshift grave crosses, Hellfire corner, aerial views of Cologne and inside the cathedral, aerial views of Ypres and Amiens, the shelled German HQ in Bellincourt, various aerial views of the British front line in 1918 - Starry Wood to Vermandovillers. I would love to be able to at least try and find some info about the flight crews. As a start, I hoped someone could help with this photo and give me any info. Particularly the second from left, what his rank is as his stripes seem to be patterned? Thanks so much in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 26 April , 2018 Share Posted 26 April , 2018 appears to be Naval insignia on hat, so different Sgts chevrons than Air force/ Army?? interesting head gear on pilot (are those initials CD on brim?) regards Bob R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 26 April , 2018 Share Posted 26 April , 2018 Can you make out the ribbons on the pilot and Sgt top right?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 1 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2018 Thanks much for the replies - my father tells me he has a memory that my grandfather told him that the pilot & and the man to his right (co-pilot / gunner?) with the patterned stripes were Dutch. Had come over to England for training and liaison. I now see close up on the photo of the pilot that this could be the Netherlands flag above his pocket. Was this common that they came over to England? I have no info as to where my grandfather was based, possibly somewhere "just outside of London". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 please post Grandfathers info name DOB service # if possible etc , will be easier to establish service regards Bob R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 1 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2018 HH (Harold Hustwick) Sellors Born 1 January 1889 Service number 54512 Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Pegum Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 1 hour ago, FeeBee67 said: Thanks much for the replies - my father tells me he has a memory that my grandfather told him that the pilot & and the man to his right (co-pilot / gunner?) with the patterned stripes were Dutch. Had come over to England for training and liaison. I now see close up on the photo of the pilot that this could be the Netherlands flag above his pocket. Was this common that they came over to England? I have no info as to where my grandfather was based, possibly somewhere "just outside of London". Holland was neutral in WW I. Would they have arranged training in Britain, risking their neutrality and inviting invasion by the Germans? Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 (edited) Sellors's service record on Findmypast ( and Ancestry ?) may tell us the unit ? The Officer's cuff rank markings may give us a date ? Great cap badge (ex cavalry ?) Edit- The officers cuff badges look like the Scottish pattern RFC for a Captain. His collar badges look like those of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - or I'm a Dutchman. Charlie Edited 1 May , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 17/21 badge?? also can anyone ID collar dogs on his tunic?? what is the air plane in rear of photo, type and date of service may help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 2 minutes ago, robins2 said: o can anyone ID collar dogs on his tunic? see my edit above, crossed with your post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 3 minutes ago, charlie962 said: see my edit above, crossed with your post that was very fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 Looks as though he previously wore the collar badge on the front of his helmet on the furry peak. Perhaps swapped now for a souvenir from a German spiked helmet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 1 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2018 (edited) Better photo?! Edited 1 May , 2018 by FeeBee67 And the plane, a DH4.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 (edited) I stick with Captain A&SH. Could that be the DFC ribbon - but that wasn't introduced until June 1918. His wings say RFC Charlie Edited 1 May , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 1 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2018 The man on the left - his cap has the badge of an eagle with a crown above - is this British? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 1 May , 2018 Share Posted 1 May , 2018 1 hour ago, charlie962 said: Looks as though he previously wore the collar badge on the front of his helmet on the furry peak. Perhaps swapped now for a souvenir from a German spiked helmet ? on the recent close up photo shows the mirror image on the helmet brim of the collar dogs on tunic (looks like two together???) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsmith Posted 2 May , 2018 Share Posted 2 May , 2018 Am pretty sure the plane is an Airco DH4 bomber (but am prepared to be contradicted) which fits well with Sellors service with 57th squadron. They were one of the few bomber squadrons to have air aces (5 in all). More work to be done Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 2 May , 2018 Share Posted 2 May , 2018 (edited) 11 hours ago, ajsmith said: More work to be done theaerodrome.com has a list of ex Argylls with some notation as to squadron. For example Andrew Macgregor DFC 57 squadron a possibility ( altho DFC LG 5/4/19) but I cannot find a photo. 6 victories per theaerodrome.com 12 hours ago, robins2 said: (looks like two together???) A&SH collar badge is a double wreath. Not the same as cap badge. Charlie Edited 2 May , 2018 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 2 May , 2018 Share Posted 2 May , 2018 13 hours ago, FeeBee67 said: his cap has the badge of an eagle with a crown above - is this British? As Robins2 pointed out, it is the standard British RNAS petty officer's cap badge. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajsmith Posted 2 May , 2018 Share Posted 2 May , 2018 16 hours ago, charlie962 said: I stick with Captain A&SH. Could that be the DFC ribbon - but that wasn't introduced until June 1918. His wings say RFC Charlie Just an aside but the RAF badge wasn't introduced until August 1918 and I've seen photos of RAF personnel still wearing their RFC insignia etc into the 1920s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 2 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 2 May , 2018 (edited) On 01/05/2018 at 22:27, charlie962 said: Sellors's service record on Findmypast ( and Ancestry ?) may tell us the unit ? The Officer's cuff rank markings may give us a date ? Great cap badge (ex cavalry ?) Edit- The officers cuff badges look like the Scottish pattern RFC for a Captain. His collar badges look like those of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders - or I'm a Dutchman. Charlie So is this his Army uniform if he was in the Highlanders? I thought the Flying Corp uniforms would be all the same? I don't really understand why it's a Scottish pattern - I presumed they should all be the same? Apologies in advance - probably a stupid question! 😁 Edited 3 May , 2018 by FeeBee67 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 2 May , 2018 Share Posted 2 May , 2018 The ribbon is the DFC with the early style ribbon. It had horizontal stripes instead of the slanted stripes that are more familiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 3 May , 2018 Share Posted 3 May , 2018 15 hours ago, FeeBee67 said: So is this his Army uniform if he was in the Highlanders? I thought the Flying Corp uniforms would be all the same? I don't really understand why it's a Scottish pattern - I presumed they should all be the same? Officers who came from other regiments before the RFC (generally 'attached') continued to wear their old uniforms, adding RFC wings as appropriate. Scottish Regiments had a different design of jacket to other British Regiments and a different rank decoration. Idiosynchracies of the Army! Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woodland Posted 3 May , 2018 Share Posted 3 May , 2018 Not the 17/21 Lancers, they didn't come into being until 1922. It would have been 17th Lancers at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeeBee67 Posted 3 May , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2018 5 hours ago, charlie962 said: Officers who came from other regiments before the RFC (generally 'attached') continued to wear their old uniforms, adding RFC wings as appropriate. Scottish Regiments had a different design of jacket to other British Regiments and a different rank decoration. Idiosynchracies of the Army! Charlie Thank you so much. I realise my questions are uneducated but this helps so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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