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Remembered Today:

73 Squadron record book entry for Lt. Leyson June 2, 1918


Marian2

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I’m hoping someone can help me interpret an entry about Lieut. Leyson in the No. 73 Squadron RAF record book.  Unfortunately, the photocopy I’m working with is not very good, and I can’t swear that I’ve transcribed the entry correctly.  I’m going to try to attach a copy of the relevant page.

On June 2, 1918, twelve planes from 73 set off on an offensive patrol from their aerodrome at Beauvois.  The record book does not indicate what their objective was, but they reported seeing enemy aircraft east of Amiens, so they had apparently flown about 30 miles south southeast of Beauvois.  In the remarks column Leyson is described as having “Forced landed 205 [?] A.A.S. [?] (Abbeville.”  

Can anyone explain what “205 [?] A.A.S. [?]” might be?  I haven’t been able to find anything associated with those digits and letters associated with Abbeville.  

Abbeville seems to me rather out of the way for a forced landing when flying between Beauvois and Amiens.  The record book doesn’t indicate that Leyson was lost, although I suppose that’s a possibility.  

The next day (June 3, 1918) 73 flew south to Fouquerolles, and there is a town called Abbeville-Saint-Lucien about five miles north of Fouquerolles.  A forced landing there whilst on the way from Beauvois to Fouquerolles would make sense, but the record book is very clear that the move happened June 3.  Perhaps Leyson jumped the gun, or perhaps the remarks entry is misplaced (seems unlikely).  That would still leave the question, what does  “205 [?] A.A.S. [?]” mean?  

Thanks for any help you can give. 

—Marian 

73 Squadron record book June 2, 1918.pdf

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Marian

 

A.A.S. was Air Armament School but I can't confirm that the meaning was the same in the context of your document, as my usage may post date it.

 

Dave

Edited by HERITAGE PLUS
typo correction
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Hi Marian,

My understanding now (after consulting some clever friends!), is that 205 A.A.S. is going to stand for the 205th Anti-Aircraft Section.

It's very nice for me to see Geoffrey Pidcock's name there - I'm lucky enough to have his photo albums, and they are absolutely superb: original photos of at least 19 different RFC/RAF Aces that he hung out with, through his various postings!  Many got used in my book The Sky Their Battlefield II.  He also got many to sign pages of his album, in white ink - my favourite has to be (of course) Cecil Lewis' signature - like aircraft swooping about.

 

Cheers, Trevor

 

Edited by fetubi
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Dave, Trevor,

 

Many thanks for your replies.  I'm not finding numbers above single digits related to the Air Armament Schools, but I do find Anti-Aircraft Sections in the 100s, which makes the latter the more likely resolution of the abbreviation.  Still seems like an odd place to put down, and a good thing the folks at 205 AAS recognized him as RAF

 

Leyson appears to have flown his first OP, on May 21, 1918, in Pidcock's  A flight---they encountered quite a number of E.A., so it must have been pretty exciting for a first mission.  Thanks for mentioning Pidcock's album---I've gone back through the photos in TSTBII:  good shot of Lewis and canine friend!  

 

---Marian 

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