Mystery Airman help required please

[pierssc]

There is only one Penfold with a casualty form, but he does not seem to have been commissioned until December 1918 and that was straight into the RAF.  There are relatively few Penfolds listed in airhistory, and most of them are not officers.  There's the aforementioned Harold Amphlett Penfold; and a few others of various initials who have an AIR76 file but no further information (often seems to mean they were undergoing training at the war's end)..  None have G as a first initial.  One would expect an RFC 2nd Lieut from 1916/17 to be better documented here.  Doesn't look a promising lead I'm afraid.

 

cheers

Piers

[Guest]

See pic of Frank Alberry.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=frank+alberry&client=safari&hl=en-au&prmd=imsvn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjK4N_by-nlAhX3ILcAHTkgCHQQ_AUoAXoECA4QAQ&biw=1024&bih=672&sfr=gws&gbv=1&sei=5nkmYOycHcWKrtoP3-2M4Ac

[travers61]

Another place for photos is the Royal aero Club records on ancestry. It seems that in the UK most military pilots took their civil pilots licence as part of the training & had to supply a photo to the aero Club.

[pierssc]

Welcome to the forum, Franks War....  Sorry, am I losing the plot here?....  How does Frank Alberry fit into this thread please?

[pierssc]

5 minutes ago, travers61 said:

Another place for photos is the Royal aero Club records on ancestry. It seems that in the UK most military pilots took their civil pilots licence as part of the training & had to supply a photo to the aero Club.

 

Good point, at least up to 1916 or so, but that really only works (a) if you have a pilot and (b) if you have a name.  It wouldn't cover Observers or those with ground duties. 

 

I did have a quick look the other week but honestly, there are quite a few and I'm afraid I rather lost the will... but you're welcome to have a go!

Edited 14 November , 2019 by pierssc

[rob1713]

Thanks for having a look Piers, I will have a look on Ancestry at thier RAC records.

[sadbrewer]

On 08/11/2019 at 15:17, pierssc said:

 

I think you've got the G of the surname - I can see the similarity with the first initial letter now.  Also the n at the end - he seems to often end his lower-case ns with an upward florish.  I can't see many officers called Gibson with the initial G during the period of the RFC.  There was one commissioned in September 1918 (too late) and another one whose only mention in airhistory was in 1924. 

 

There is a Griffiths Ifor (or Ifor Griffiths) Gibson (his Casualty form refers to him as I.G.) born 1895, 11th Bn West Yorks, accepted as Observer on probation March 1917; to Home Establishment 2 April 1917, then to France June 1917, attached to 16 Squadron 11 June, to 1AD 2 July, 6 Squadron 12 July, wounded 10th August, died of wounds 11th August.

 

TSTB II records that 6 Squadron RE8 A4293 was on Artillery Patrol was shot up and damaged but landed at its aerodrome.  The piot, Lt AC Pickett, was OK but the observer, 2 Lt I.G. Gibson, died of wounds on 11/8.  I think 6 Squadron was based at Abeele (Abele) at this time.  The aerodrome was 4 or 5 miles to the SW of Poperinghe.

 

So we have a 2nd Lt, observer (with no reference to his qualifying for his wing), wounded and died in August 1917.

 

Previously at Gallipoli in the infantry, wounded in the chest there.   There is a photo of him at https://colstonscommemoration.wordpress.com/research/a-h/gibson-ifor-griffiths/

 

Is he the same chap?

 

More info at http://www.lijssenthoek.be/en/address/3236/-griffiths-ifor-gibson.html

 

Ancestry has some more info - worth a look as it includes biog info from de Ruvigny.

 

Originally Pvt 2225 5th Welsh Regt, discharged to Commission in the West Yorks regiment.

 

Appears to have died No 3 Canadian Clearing Station 11/08/1917

 

No reference to Croix de Guerre.  But for that I'd think you had a stong contender.

 

It's tempting.... can we find the CdG?

 

Also not sure of link to the compiler of the photos, as Gibson died nowhere near Hardelot... had he previously been at Gallipoli too?

 

 

 

 

 

From De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour.

 

 

[rob1713]

Thanks for that, I'm sure they would have mentioned an award of the CDG in his obituary, so I'm thinking he's not our man.

[rob1713]

I thought id resurect this thread to let you know that I finally plucked up enough courage to remove some of these postcards from the Album. Im pleased to say that I can now put a name to this officer. His name is George Arthur Hunn. He was formally an NCO in the London Regiment and then commissioned to the Norfolk Regiment, finally he served in the RFC / RAF and as originally stated by Geoff earlier in the thread the medal is a Croix de Guerre.

 

[Rockford]

Hello

This definitely shows the benefit of having access to the actual photos (and having the bravery to take them apart).  Otherwise, you'd maybe never have known who he was.

Best wishes

Rockford

[helpjpl]

1.  George Arthur Hunn - son of confectioner William Richard Hunn & his wife Jane Elizabeth nee Martins.

Born:  17 April 1887 and baptised in 24 May 1896 at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Married:  Mabel Frances Colby in Great Yarmouth on 17 April 1910.

Died:  08 September 1950.

In 1911 he was living in Chelsea with his wife and employed as a Clerk in a Solicitors Office. In 1939 he was living with his wife Mabel and daughter Phyllis Mary in Middlesex and employed as a Certificated School Teacher.

2.  Balloon Officer and Kite Balloon Officer:

a)  RAFmuseumstoryvault:

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/pages/raf_vault.php?&RAF-titel=Hunn&RAF-initials=G.A.&van=1

b)  airhistory people:

http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/files/names_combined_H.txt

JP

[aconnolly]

Croix de guerre to British and Imperial servicemen with first initial "G" to the end of 1917 based on London Gazette

Note I'm not expert at searching the LG and found no entries for 1915

Rank given is Army unless otherwise stated.  Some can be easily discounted but all included for completeness

There is a George Gibson (but I must say I do not think the surname in the photo is "Gibson")

Andrew

 

George Harrison (Major)

George Spiers (Lieutenant)

George Bazeley (Sgt.)

George Finch (Sgt.)

Geoffrey Gravenor (Stg. Major)

George Harper (CSM)

George Harrington (Lance-Corporal)

George Maynard (Lance- Corporal)

George Bridges  CMG, DSO (Lt-Col) 

George  H R Gibson (Captain, Canadian AMC)

George Maitland-Edwards (Temp. Captain)

Godfrey Barker (2^nd Lt.)

Gilbert Elliott (Major)

George Heathcote (RAMC, doctor)

Gilbert Castle MC (Lt.,)

George Batty (Bombardier)

George Dyer (Major)

George Hay (Sgt., Australian)

Graham Hickson (Bombardier)

George Pierce (Sgt.)

George Thompson (Major)

George Cleghorn (Lt.)

Cecil George Durham (NOTE – included as was a Lt. in General List Army “and now RFC”)

George Murray (2^nd Lt)

George Nice (2^nd Lt.)

Gilbert Swain (Lt.)

George Cooper (Corp.)

George Croft (Pvt.)

George Foskett (Corp.)

George White (CSM)

George Wright (Pvt., Canadian)

Gerald Clauson (Lt, General List)

George Howard-Vyse (Major)

George Cooper (Captain, Indian Army)

George Gifford (Captain, King’s African Rifles)

George Hawthorn DSO (Major, King’s African Rifles)

George Hill (Captain, King’s African Rifles)

Geoffrey Latham (Rhodesian Police)

Gerald Buckland DSO (Capt, Indian Army)

Gyan Singh (Subadar Major, Indian Army)

Granville Johnstone (Major)

Gordon Campbell VC, DSO (Captain, Royal Navy)

George Mullins (Lt-Col, Royal Marines)

Gervase Heaton DSO (Cmder, RN)

George McEwan (Eng- Cmder RN)

George Scott (Lt, RN)

George Griffiths (Lt, RN)

George Johnson (Lt, RNR)

George Hayward (Chief Armourer)

George Walmesley (Chief Artificer)

George Tagg (Major)

George Bass (Gunner)

George Goring (Corporal)

George King DSO (Lt-Col, NZ)

George McNaught (Rifleman, NZ)

George Massey (Pvt)

George Sloan-Stanley (Lt.)

George Brummage (Chief Petty Officer, RN)

George Green (Petty Officer)

George Light (SBS, RN)

George Sayer CGM (Petty Officer)

George Smith DSM (Able Bodied Seaman)

 

Edited 6 February , 2022 by aconnolly

[aconnolly]

Reviewed the file on line for the Canadian, GHR Gibson; he was doctor and was transferred back from Western Front to Canada for medical treatment in May 1917 - definitely did not join RFC