Stephen Reinstadtler Posted 5 December , 2018 Share Posted 5 December , 2018 A chance purchase of a pine chest led me to an extensive family and service history of Sidney Stilwell - but I would be grateful for an interpretation of his service history. Sidney was born in Pulborough in Sussex and was a motor mechanic in the 1911 census. He joined the RNAS in August 1914 and was awarded the 1914 Star. I am speculating that his service in France plus his role as a mechanic points to the RNAS Armoured Car Units but that is guesswork - he was mentioned in dispatches. Any help in deciphering his record and where I might find the details of his mention in dispatches would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 5 December , 2018 Share Posted 5 December , 2018 MiD London Gazette 1 May 1918 - "...honours, decorations and medals to Officers and Men of the Royal Naval Air Service for zeal and devotion to duty during the period from 1st July to 31st December, 1917." https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30662/supplement/5284. His 1914 Star was awarded for service with 3 Squadron RNAS. No evidence of service with armoured cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Reinstadtler Posted 6 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2018 Excellent, many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 6 December , 2018 Share Posted 6 December , 2018 Hi Have you checked out his service sheet with the Royal Air Force under his RAF service number of 200210 ? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Reinstadtler Posted 6 December , 2018 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2018 I have taken a quick look at the history of 3 Squadron RNAS now we know his 1914 Star was to that unit. It seems it had been established at Eastchurch in 1914 under Samson who later took it to France. According to Wickipaedia Samson then used those men to instigate his armoured car patrols. I have made an enlargement of Stilwells RNAS record which shows he was allocated "For Service in Land Operations" followed by a series of notations that I do not understand. Are we back to armoured cars do you think? I have looked at his RAF record which mirrors the RNAS and then goes on to cover service at Redcar Portholme Meadows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 6 December , 2018 Share Posted 6 December , 2018 The "FOR SERVICE IN LAND OPERATIONS" stamp and subsequent references to communications from the Naval Personnel (NP) Division of the Admiralty were common to all RNAS ratings who served in France. They are not indicative of service in the RNAS Armoured Car Division. Samson's armoured cars were manned mainly by men of Plymouth Division RMLI (attached RNAS), "The Motor Bandits". That is not to say that Stilwell never went on one of Samson's many armoured car sorties because he did take RNAS men along for the ride. We may never know. His trade was as a junior engines mechanic and he was most likely employed on 3 Squadron aircraft in late 1914 when the Motor Bandits were operational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R S T Posted 18 March , 2019 Share Posted 18 March , 2019 Sidney Stilwell was my grandfather and the box or something very similar was mine and I understand was made by him. I found the box very heavy so a few years ago I gave it away i have in my possession a wooden picture frame from a D H 4 also made by my grandfather also M I C cert and original London Gazette copy. Raymond Stilwell Temple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R S T Posted 19 March , 2019 Share Posted 19 March , 2019 23 hours ago, R S T said: Sidney Stilwell was my grandfather and the box or something very similar was mine and I understand was made by him. I found the box very heavy so a few years ago I gave it away i have in my possession a wooden picture frame from a D H 4 also made by my grandfather also M I C cert and original London Gazette copy. Raymond Stilwell Temple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R S T Posted 19 March , 2019 Share Posted 19 March , 2019 Further to my last post I have recalled conversations i had with sidney Stilwell as a schoolboy. He was in France 1914 and involved with aircraft throughout his service with RNAS and RAF. Like a number of men involved with 1 w w he did not speak with any detail but I will write what I understand. After service in France he returned to UK and continued to be involved with aircraft and prepared for overseas service in the Dardanelles having been landed it was chaos and hot be was unable to eat bully beef.corned beef after this action as the cans were always liquid.at times he was involved with aircraft. After this action I believe he returned to UK Red car and continued to be involved with Aircraft. He was also involved with medical operations but said little about. In1918 he was again sent to France as part of the Naval brigade Sent to stem the German advance again a panic after this he returned to UK and eventually back to civei street and mercedes Benz ending up as General Manager.my talks were about aircraft and things such as bombs and needles dropped over trenches also trying to help pilots remain upright with glass tube and bubble. Please contact me if you would like further information. R S T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R S T Posted 19 March , 2019 Share Posted 19 March , 2019 Further to my last post I have recalled conversations i had with sidney Stilwell as a schoolboy. He was in France 1914 and involved with aircraft throughout his service with RNAS and RAF. Like a number of men involved with 1 w w he did not speak with any detail but I will write what I understand. After service in France he returned to UK and continued to be involved with aircraft and prepared for overseas service in the Dardanelles having been landed it was chaos and hot be was unable to eat bully beef.corned beef after this action as the cans were always liquid.at times he was involved with aircraft. After this action I believe he returned to UK Red car and continued to be involved with Aircraft. He was also involved with medical operations but said little about. In1918 he was again sent to France as part of the Naval brigade Sent to stem the German advance again a panic after this he returned to UK and eventually back to civei street and mercedes Benz ending up as General Manager.my talks were about aircraft and things such as bombs and needles dropped over trenches also trying to help pilots remain upright with glass tube and bubble. Please contact me if you would like further information. R S T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Reinstadtler Posted 25 March , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 March , 2019 Thank you so much for your response. I would be delighted to have more information about Sidney Stilwell so that it can be kept with his box and preserved for the future. It looks like I was barking up the wrong tree with his possible involvement with armoured cars but his experiences nevertheless sound fascinating. Do you have a photograph by any chance? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R S T Posted 4 April , 2019 Share Posted 4 April , 2019 Hi Steve I have more recollection of my school boy talks with my grandfather Sidney stilwel l he talked of being a vounter in 1914 and wanting to go in the navy but was appointed to rnas for his knowledge as a full mechanic .he looked at pusher aircraft Farnham i believe which he went up in as a observer on occasions they used lewis guns in the front which ment they were able to.fire free of propeller not very successful but he was stationed in France keeping away from the German push in 1914 . As I said before he was in follow up troups in the dardanells which was a very bad time for him. I understand that he was used as a medical.orderly and assisted in field operations his biggest problem was the heat and lack.of activity upon return to UK Redcar he was again involved with aircraft and the main types were re8 and dh4. When the 1918 german push began to move with speed he and any able bodied were sent to France in order to.stem the advance as the Naval brigade. Once the advance had been halted he returned to th uk upon discharge he resumed his career. I have not real y found what the mid was for but I understand a pilot was rescued from a burning aircraft.c I will try to find a photo and send it to you together with any thing else i can find. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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