Royal Flying Corps: Mesopotamia

[familyhistoryman]

I hope someone might be able to help. I am trying to locate where the 30th sqdn Royal Flying Corps were based in Mesopotamia in the early part of 1917

Regards, Tony

[pete-c]

16 hours ago, familyhistoryman said:

I hope someone might be able to help. I am trying to locate where the 30th sqdn Royal Flying Corps were based in Mesopotamia in the early part of 1917

Regards, Tony

 

This from Wings Over Mesopotamia - Air War in Iraq 1914-1918,  Cross & Cockade International 2017.

 

30 Sqn Locations April 1916 - March 1917.

 

3   Mar 1917.    H.Q. Aziziya - A Flight, Aziziya - B Flight, Aziziya - C Flight, Sinn Abtar.

5   Mar 1917.      "     Zeur -      "     "      Zeur        "    "      Zeur         "     "      Zeur.

8   Mar 1917.      "    Bustan     "     "      Bustan    "     "      Bustan     "     "      Bustan.

11 Mar 1917.      "    Baghdad  "     "     Baghdad  "     "     Baghdad  "     "      Baghdad.

 

30 Sqn Locations April - July 1917.

 

1   Oct 1916   H.Q. Arab Village, A Flight  Arab Village, B Flight Arab Village, C Flight  Arab Village

1   Apr 1917.   H.Q. Baghdad    -   A Flight, Baghdad    -   B Flight, Baquba      -     C Flight, Kasirin.

7   Apr 1917.     "     Fort Kermea   "     "      Fort Kermea   "     "      Fort Kermea      "     "     Sindiya (Kuwar Reach)

20 Apr 1917      "     Barurah          "     "      Barurah          "     "      Barurah              "     "     Barurah

4  May 1917     "      Baghdad        "     "      Baghdad         "    "      Baghdad             "     "     Sindiya

26 Jun 1917    "            "                "     "            "                "    "      Kahn Jadida        "     "     Baghdad

Edited 28 May , 2019 by pete-c
Additional Information

[familyhistoryman]

Pete

Many thanks. I have been trying to find where Revd Henry Hacking was working in Mesopotamia. One of his letters appeared in the Blackburn Weekly Telegraph in March 1917 in which he states:

 

My work takes me over a large area, for I have three large hospitals in my charge, three church tents, two cemeteries, and  2 Royal Flying  Corps camp. One of my hospitals is five miles down the river, another a mile and a half; one of my cemeteries is three milesaway, the other close to the camp which I make my headquarters. At the hospital we have accommodation for about 600 British soldiers.

[pete-c]

8 hours ago, familyhistoryman said:

Pete

Many thanks. I have been trying to find where Revd Henry Hacking was working in Mesopotamia. One of his letters appeared in the Blackburn Weekly Telegraph in March 1917 in which he states:

 

My work takes me over a large area, for I have three large hospitals in my charge, three church tents, two cemeteries, and  2 Royal Flying  Corps camp. One of my hospitals is five miles down the river, another a mile and a half; one of my cemeteries is three milesaway, the other close to the camp which I make my headquarters. At the hospital we have accommodation for about 600 British soldiers.

 

Tony,

These extracts from Wings Over Mesopotamia may help in pinning down a location.

 

As the days of 1916 came to a close, the RFC crews became more daring with bombing raids carried out on a more regular basis.  ... By now, Maude (General Sir Stanley Maude) was content on consolidating his position on the Hai (river salient near Kut) from 13 December 1916 to 4 January 1917 to allow him to position for an advance on Baghdad towards the end of February.  ... Generall Maude's push towards Baghdad was slowed between 25 January and 5 February 1917 when he encountered stiff Turkish resistance by about 3,500 troops at the Hai salient.  ...  As the air war on the Mesopotamian Front was heating up, the planned RFC expansion took place on 20 January 1917, when 31st Wing was formed at Sinn [probably Sinn Abtar aerodrome] as a Corps wing under the command of newly promoted Lt-Col John Tenant.  Major Hereward de Havilland replaced him as CO of 30 Squadron.  ...  By March 1917 ... Maude was ready for his assault on Baghdad.   ...  This advance had seen 30 Squadron (less 'C' Flight with the Euphrates detachment at Sinn Abtar) forced to advance a distance of 150 miles to Arab Village ...  At the end of February ...  Maude's air component was the now reinforced 30 Squadron ...  The Squadron moved up from Arab Village in early March to advanced aerodromes at Al Aziziya, Zeur and Bustan.

 

Sinn Abtar Aerodrome was about ten miles east of Kut, while Arab Village was a further 15 miles north east.  Al Aziziya is approximately mid-way between Kut and Baghdad.   Unfortunately I have found no mention of Henry Hacking in the book.  There is however an aerial photograph of Baghdad (admittedly dated early 1918) detailing the position of the aerodrome, GHQ, 31 Wing HQ, and, a hospital - possibly also for 31 Wing. 

 

Edited 28 May , 2019 by pete-c

[pete-c]

 

 

Edited 28 May , 2019 by pete-c

[familyhistoryman]

5 hours ago, pete-c said:

 

Tony,

These extracts from Wings Over Mesopotamia may help in pinning down a location.

 

As the days of 1916 came to a close, the RFC crews became more daring with bombing raids carried out on a more regular basis.  ... By now, Maude (General Sir Stanley Maude) was content on consolidating his position on the Hai (river salient near Kut) from 13 December 1916 to 4 January 1917 to allow him to position for an advance on Baghdad towards the end of February.  ... Generall Maude's push towards Baghdad was slowed between 25 January and 5 February 1917 when he encountered stiff Turkish resistance by about 3,500 troops at the Hai salient.  ...  As the air war on the Mesopotamian Front was heating up, the planned RFC expansion took place on 20 January 1917, when 31st Wing was formed at Sinn [probably Sinn Abtar aerodrome] as a Corps wing under the command of newly promoted Lt-Col John Tenant.  Major Hereward de Havilland replaced him as CO of 30 Squadron.  ...  By March 1917 ... Maude was ready for his assault on Baghdad.   ...  This advance had seen 30 Squadron (less 'C' Flight with the Euphrates detachment at Sinn Abtar) forced to advance a distance of 150 miles to Arab Village ...  At the end of February ...  Maude's air component was the now reinforced 30 Squadron ...  The Squadron moved up from Arab Village in early March to advanced aerodromes at Al Aziziya, Zeur and Bustan.

 

Sinn Abtar Aerodrome was about ten miles east of Kut, while Arab Village was a further 15 miles north east.  Al Aziziya is approximately mid-way between Kut and Baghdad.   Unfortunately I have found no mention of Henry Hacking in the book.  There is however an aerial photograph of Baghdad (admittedly dated early 1918) detailing the position of the aerodrome, GHQ, 31 Wing HQ, and, a hospital - possibly also for 31 Wing. 

 

Pete

Once again many thanks for your help

Tony