French Nieuport seaplanes in Dick Cronin's Royal Navy Shipboard Aircraft Developments 1912-21

[b3rn]

I'm hoping a forum member who owns Dick Cronin's Royal Navy Shipboard Aircraft Developments 1912-21 can help with a look-up. 

 

I can't get the book from a local library, and copies to purchase are quite expensive (factoring in postage to Australia).

 

What information does Cronin have about the French Nieuport seaplanes that were sent to Port Said in 1914? And does he detail their movements March-May 1915 when some were detached to the Dardanelles?

[pete-c]

Hi Bern,

 

In part II (2) Chapter V (5) of Cronin's book, Seaplane Operations East Mediterranean 1914 and East Africa 1915, he does indeed mention HMS Doris embarking a Nieuport VI machine of L'Aviation Maritime Francaise, from the seaplane carrier Foudre, at Port Said, on December 10th, 1914.  The pilot was Lt Destrem and the observer, Capt JR Herbert.   Chapter VII seems to have the details that you may be looking for - the Nieuports operating from HMS Anne (ex SS Aenne Rickmers)

 

Let me know if you think these are what you are looking for.

 

Cheers,

Peter.

 

[b3rn]

Thank you Peter, that's what I'm after!

[michaeldr]

Bern,

 

Details of the Aenne Rickmers can be found in 'Hard Lying' by Captain L B Weldon MC and I think it is available on-line*

March-April 1915 is covered in Chapter IV, April in Ch.V and May-June 1915 in Ch.VI

If you can't find it on-line, then let me know as I have a copy

 

regards

Michael

 

*edit to add link: https://archive.org/details/HardLying

Edited 18 May , 2018 by michaeldr

[pete-c]

Also from Shipboard Developments, some PRO References you may find useful Bern.  These all apply to HMS Anne and the EI and EISS, 1915-17.  All of these are in AIR.1

 

Air.1/271/15/226/119

         361/15/228/50

         648/17/122/391

         654/17/122/503

         667/17/122/736

         1708/204/123/72

              "       "       "   /73

         1709/204/123/76

             "        "        "  /77

         1711/204/123/89

         1719/204/123/182

         2285//209/75/13

 

also:  Nieuport VIs flown from Anne 1915/16.

 

N.11, N14, N15, N16, N17, N18, N19, N20, N21, N22, N23, NB1 and NB2.

 

[b3rn]

Thanks both.

 

I read Hard Lying last week, a good read.

 

Peter has provided the Cronin references. The secondary sources are not consistent in all details but more clarity hopefully from AIR.1 and a French book that’s winging its way over...

[michaeldr]

12 hours ago, b3rn said:

The secondary sources are not consistent

 

Agreed, though it was interesting to note (see also 'Smoke on the Horizon' by Usborne) that the engines of the Aenne Rickmers' planes were less than reliable, and they had no radios, which limited their usefulness for spotting. It is also worth noting that during the period you mention 

On 18/05/2018 at 02:12, b3rn said:

March-May 1915

the Aenne Rickmers spent a lot of time at Mudros for the repair of the hole which she sustained during the torpedo attack by the Demi Hissar

 

 

best regards

Michael

[Ian Burns]

b3rn - As you are probably aware the Nieuports were from l'escadrille de Port Said a French Naval unit operating between Dec 1914 and April 1916 when the East Indies and Egypt Seaplane Squadron, an RN unit, replaced them. But that is another story...

During their time at Port Said the l'escadrille operated from land bases, including within the canal, and British manned ships Aenne Rickmers/Anne and Rabenfels/Raven II both German prizes. 

There is extensive coverage of their work in French sources notably:

L’Aéronautique maritime en 1915 and 1916 published by L'Ardhan.

Within their limitations the French Nieuports carried out much important and useful work.

If you want to send me a private contact message I can let you have transcriptions.

Best regards

Ian