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Remembered Today:

2 Squadron, AFC - Feb-Mar 1918 airfields?


Errol Martyn

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2 Squadron, AFC was apparently based at Savy by 20 Feb 18 and for all of April 1918 was at La Belleuve. Can someone advise me when the change over took place, or if Savy is correcy, please? I've checked the Squadron's War Diaries but they do not appear to mention the Squadron's location for Feb-Mar 1918.

 

TIA,

Errol

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56 minutes ago, Errol Martyn said:

2 Squadron, AFC was apparently based at Savy by 20 Feb 18 and for all of April 1918 was at La Belleuve. Can someone advise me when the change over took place, or if Savy is correcy, please? I've checked the Squadron's War Diaries but they do not appear to mention the Squadron's location for Feb-Mar 1918.

 

TIA,

Errol

Hi

 

In an ORBAT for the 21 March 1918 in 'War in the Air' it has No. 2 Sqn. AFC, commanded by Maj. W Sheldon, based at Savy, as part of Tenth (Army) Wing RFC.

Schaedel's book 'Men & Machines of the Australian Flying Corps 1914-19', Kookabura, 1972, page 42, has a photo caption stating that it is 'B' Flight of No. 2 Sqn. at Savy on 25th March 1918.  The previous page has a SE.5a of 'C' Flight crashed at Savy in March 1918.

 

I hope that is of use.

 

Mike

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Errol

 

The Squadron Record Book records 10 machines 'To new aerodrome' [presumably Auchel] on 6 January 1918 with 2nd-Lieut Percy Harold Lawson being killed in the crash of B55 at No 43 Squadron's aerodrome.  Six more machines are recorded on a 'Trav'g Flight' from Baizieux on 9 January.

 

On 22 January, 14 machines are recorded on a Travelling flight from Auchel to Savy; three more made the trip the following day.

 

I can see no moves in March 1918 and the movements recorded in the SRB in April are:

 

On 2 April, Lieut A L Paxton is recorded on a travelling flight from Savy to Bertangles

On 3 April, Capt Phillipps and four other pilots are shown as 'delivering new m/c from old 'drome'.

On 5 April, Capt Holden and four other pilots are shown as 'Trav Flight' and 'From Bertangles - Bellevue'.

On 6 April, nine pilots are shown as 'Delivering m/c from old 'drome at Bertangles'.

 

Graeme

 

Edited by topgun1918
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Many thanks gents. Regarding April, see under 'Location' at foot of this page from the War Diary for April 1918 which clearly states Bellevue (aka La Bellevue) for whole of month. Perhaps the ground staff had established themselves there by 1 April and the aircraft followed over the next day or two via Bertangles?

 

Cheers,

Errol

Capture.PNG.3c1c16cfcaf3cb00ab1d35b677c6c38f.PNG

 

 

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